100 years ago: “George Berger, bookkeeper for Kellenberger, starts today on a three-month vacation, his first in 10 years. He leaves this morning for the Oro Fino section to remain the entire time.”

75 YEARS AGO: “A 7 year-old ranch boy of the Cortez vicinity died of a snake bite, Montezuma County Coroner J. W. Ertel reported today. The boy was herding cattle yesterday morning when he was bitten by a rattlesnake. It took over two hours before he could be removed from a canyon and transported to the hospital. Medical science was of no avail, and the lad died at 8:30 last night.”

50 YEARS AGO: “Driving safety slogans by Colorado Poet Laureate Milford Shields: Hell is as close as your accelerator makes it. Speed is your own individual H bomb. Don’t try to be a satellite – stay on this Earth.”

25 YEARS AGO: “Durango girl is Miss Colorado Princess: Danielle Campana won the title of Miss Colorado Princess, and she will compete for the title of Miss American Princess at the national pageant in Tampa, FL, over Thanksgiving weekend.”

Most items in this column are taken from The Durango Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and The Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.