100 years ago: “C. W. Bloodgood, the chicken and egg expert of the Animas Valley, left for St. Louis, where he goes to post up on the hardware line of the Simmons Hardware Co., for which he will start out on the road at once. His territory includes, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Montana but in spite of his large field he expects to find time occasionally to get to Durango to see how the eggs are getting on and if they are coming fast enough. Mrs. Bloodgood will take care of the chicken ranch during his absence.”
75 years ago: “The superintendent of the welfare bureau for La Plata County calls our attention to the fact that from 300 to 500 human beings in this county are dependent upon direct relief.”
50 years ago: CORTEZ – “Dr. Vincent Gardner and Jack Everett, pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, report a marked increase in attendance of the Five-Day Plan for smokers. Fifty were present. The increase was attributed to the scare from recent government reports on cancer from cigarette smoke.”
25 years ago: “Alton Dorsett, a longtime Durango resident responsible for much of the town’s recent real estate developments, died in Phoenix. He was 84. ... He purchased The Durango Herald with a partner Aug. 1, 1945. After several years as newspaperman, Dorsett’s interests turned to development. His first project was the Riverview housing development, which began in 1951. Subsequent projects included the Town Plaza, Easter Heights and Florida River Estates.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.
