100 years ago: “Fort Lewis has been an exceedingly busy place during the last week. Work in the school is in full swing, while the coming of spring is keeping the farm force busy.”

75 years ago: ”Watch for a great CLEAN UP ... PAINT UP ... DRESS UP edition of the Herald-Democrat, which will come to your doorstep next Tuesday evening, May 6. In accordance with the annual custom, the event will be an outstanding affair as it is not only sponsored by the Herald-Democrat and the Chamber of Commerce but will be proclaimed by the mayor and city commission as the week in which to beautify the city of Durango.”

25 years ago: “It’s Christmas in April for 350 residents of Durango Housing Corp. apartments. A $1.6 million renovation is 90 percent completed, and residents who were displaced the last few months are moving back into the 97 apartments.”

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