La Veta
1897: Business around the depot has been rushing, on Thursday three sheep trains came over Veta Pass from the San Luis Valley for transfer to the broad gauge.
1905: We are informed that the names of the parties who hauled off an engine from the Bull’s Eye mine on the West Spanish Peak are known and there no doubt will be a job for the sheriff before too long.
1912: No Fourth of July celebration of any kind has been planned for La Veta so most people will probably spend the day picnicking in one of the canons, or attending events in Cuchara Camps or Oakview.
1919: Local cattlemen will entertain the Southern Colorado Stockgrowers Association meeting and dinner at the Springer Hotel with a banquet for 40 people.
1925: The state bank commissioner has taken possession of the assets and affairs of the defunct La Veta State Bank, which went out of business on June 25, 1923.
1931: Fred Vasquez sold his one half interest in the Railroad Park Filling Station to a Mr. Isgood of Trinidad.
1939: Surveys are being made of the upper part of Cucharas Pass so that application can be made for a WPA project to straighten and gravel the road, a $125,000 project.
1945: Pfc. Ben Pascoe Jr., who has served in the Philippines area the past 41 months, has been reported wounded in action on Luzon.
1953: The Fred Schafer family has set up a riding stable at Spring Creek above Cuchara Camps and will give two to eight hour trail rides in the national forest.
1960: The new Cuchara Recreation Center was formally opened Friday night and is now open weekdays under the direction of Mrs. Loraine Hector for children’s games.
1968: Miss Joleen Coombs has resigned her position as band and choir director for the La Veta schools after five years here.
1975: Approximately 150 people attended the Western Fashion Show in Harry’s Steak House with the modeling done by 4-H rodeo queen contestants..
1982: Buyers from seven states paid $416,400 for 108 registered Texas Longhorns at the Colorado National Texas Longhorn Sale at the 4-H Barn in La Veta last Saturday. The grand champion heifer of Shawn Goemmer was sold for $6,200.
Walsenburg
1889: Dr. T.F. Martin has put a filterer [sic] in at Lake Miriam, furnishing the city with better water. The lake is now a mile long and a half mile wide and the old ice house has been converted into a boat house.
1896: A directory of Walsenburg’s business men has been painted and hung in the post office so the public will know of them.
1908: The Elks Club carnival will give prizes including two lots in Tourist City Addition worth $150 apiece, carloads of coal, locally made cigars and even shoes.
1917: The all new brick and concrete Star Theater opens today with seating for 750.
1924: Colorado Fuel and Iron Company has announced it will build a swimming pool at Walsen camp, just opposite the club house on the north side of the railroad tracks.
1932: A local post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars was formed last night, June 30, at a meeting in Maccabee Hall.
1940: Colorado’s 16,587 works projects employees will be required to sign affidavits swearing they are not Communists or Nazis and would not advocate the overthrow of the United States government.
1947: Johnny Krist and his orchestra will furnish the music for a free dance in the new 2,000 square foot Farisita hall.
1952: For Sale: A four room house with bath, stove, oil heater and sink. Also includes three room house in the rear with a garage. $6,000. 322 W. 8th Street.
1959: Lenzini Motor Company, 1018 W. 7th Street, will have an open house Friday and Saturday to mark its appointment by General Motors as the designated Chevrolet and Oldsmobile dealers for this area.
1965: A new $4,340.56 stoker-fired coal boiler has been purchased to heat Walsenburg High School.
1974: Duane Hamilton, 26, has been appointed general manager of the Walsenburg office of Otero Savings now under construction at Sixth and Albert.
1981: The recently adopted one cent sales tax will raise up to $125,000 annually which will likely pave three-quarters of the 108 blocks of unpaved streets in the city.
1990: The new three lane bridge on Highway 160 just west of Walsenburg is complete and was opened to two-way traffic on Wednesday morning.
