100 years ago: “Carrying 10 persons in one load, besides himself, Paul Backinger wore out the tires on his car hauling people to and from the dance at Trimble Springs. He made seven trips up to 3 o’clock when he brought in the musicians, and was then going back after more. A good crowd enjoyed the dance and oyster supper at the popular resort.”
75 years ago: Marvel – “About 30 young folks gathered at the Chet Harris home and enjoyed games and dancing. Delicious refreshments were served at a late hour.”
50 years ago: “La Plata Volunteer Fire Chief Charles Self estimates fire damage to the Florida Grange Hall at between $6,000 and $7,000. Red Caughey was the first to reach the burning Quonset type building. He broke out a window, entered the building and tried to extinguish the fire. When he was unsuccessful, the volunteers were called. The kitchen and the ceiling in the hall were the most severely damaged.”
25 years ago: “Van-Dal Enterprises Inc. and La Plata County have buried their differences over the Van-Dal Landfill in an out-of-court settlement that a Van-Dal owner said the county wanted to keep private. In the agreement, which was approved by the La Plata County Commissioners, the county agreed to pay Van-Dal $87,000, money that was part of the monthly payments due Van-Dal that the county had been withholding in an escrow account. In turn, Van-Dal has agreed to give the county 8.07 acres and will sell an additional 7.31 acres for $2,000 per acre within the next year.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Animas Museum and Center of Southwest Studies. Their accuracy may not be verified.
