100 years ago: “War Prices – The announcement was made here that the price of sugar had gone up 50 percent on account of the European war. ... Toddies are out of style.”

75 years ago: “Everything is set for Durango’s big show of 1939. Only a few minor details remain to be ironed out. The city is waiting to welcome the many visitors to the fifth annual Spanish Trails Fiesta from Aug. 12 to 13.”

50 years ago: “Fiesta officials needn’t worry about the weather this weekend. According to official weather observer Malcolm Dayton, Saturday and Sunday should be clear. ... In 1963, on the Friday night of the Fiesta, an electrical storm dumped more than three quarters of an inch of rain on the fairgrounds while other parts of town received up to an inch.”

25 years ago: “Construction could begin in September on the expansion of a Florida Mesa gas compression station that would be the hub of Amoco Production Co.’s coal-gas facilty operation in La Plata County. ... An expansion of an existing temporary compressor station and storage would treat gas from 300 of the 400 wells to be drilled in the county as part of Amoco’s coal-gas project.”

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