100 years ago: “Grant Gifford took the second grade pupils of the Whittier school out for-a sleigh ride Christmas day. Of course the teacher went along to see that none of the kids fell out. They rode all over town and the kiddies enjoyed it so much they didn’t want to go home for dinner.”
75 years ago: “Thirty-six of the latest books have been received recently at the Durango Public Library. Of the 36, 23 are fiction and 13 nonfiction, and on the list are many of the ‘best sellers’ of the season.” Books included Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier and Horse and Buggy Doctor by A. Hertzler.
50 years ago: “The tarnished bell in the old city hall tower was cut loose from its lofty perch and lowered to the ground. In its red wooden tower the old bell hung above the Durango municipal building for more than 70 years. After the bell the tower will come tumbling down and then the large steel ball of the demolition crew will smash the rest of the two-story structure.”
25 years ago: “What began as a peaceful reverie on a steep, snowy hillside overlooking the Animas River turned into a claustrophobic nightmare for the Durango men trapped in an avalanche seven hours Christmas event. The two employees of Huck Finn Pizza said from their hospital beds that they survived because they stayed calm, pounded air pockets in the snow and knew their bearings.”
Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.
