100 years ago: “The Rev. R. C. Byers, of Silverton, came in last night from Denver and was much put out because the train did not go north so he could get home to take up a collection this morning. He stopped at the Palace Hotel for the night - and day.”
75 years ago: An advertisement for Graden’s cosmetics department read: “Elmo special formula cream. Limited time only $1. Gives a youthful, velvety appearance to the throat ... aids in correcting dryness or redness. Retards the formation of lines around the eyes and mouth.”
50 years ago: “Have you quit smoking since the government report a week ago on the dangers of cigarettes? If you haven’t, chances are you’re working on it. Durango drug stores report a marked increase in the sale of various pills and gimmicks to enable the smoker to kick the habit. And most of them report a drop in the sales of cigarettes.”
25 years ago: “The Durango Clergy, a two-decade-old monthly meeting of representatives from Durango’s religious community, will not disband despite an identity crisis over theological differences. The group, officially known as the Ministerial Alliance, supports the Durango Food Bank, the Transient Fund and the Soup Kitchen. Faced with declining membership and low attendance in the last year, the group has been struggling to define its membership and focus, particularly with the possible loss of participation of local conservative Christian congregations.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.