100 years ago: “By remaining open until 6 o’clock last night to accommodate the late and lazy taxpayers, County Treasurer Turner and his deputies took in approximately $14,000 in 1914 taxes.”

75 years ago: “Jay McCollum’s new Rip-a-Rib, modern barbecue stand will open at its location in the 1100 block of Main Avenue. ... The streamlined building of all steel construction and weighing 13,000 pounds was brought to Durango ready to set on the foundation after a difficult trip over Wolf Creek Pass.”

50 years ago: MESA VERDE – “When the books were closed on July business, Mesa Verde National Park officials found they’d admitted 101,891 visitors during this month. That’s the first time visitors during a single month have ever reached the 100,000-mark, and represented an increase of 16.4 percent over the 87,471 visitors in July a year ago.”

25 years ago: “The La Plata County commissioners have suspended discussions with Omega Development Corp. for sale of the La Plata County Fairgrounds and will seek an agreement with the city of Durango and School District 9-R for purchase of the property. The decision to end negotiations with the Tulsa, Okla.-based Omega was a result of public sentiment against selling the fairgrounds property for commercial development.”

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