100 years ago: “Paul Backinger who returned from a week’s camping and fishing trip on the upper Hermosa, reports significant signs indicating that someone has been using dynamite in Potato Lake. The lake situated between Engineer Mountain and the Animas River shows numbers of dead fish floating on the surface and the fishing is futile.”

75 years ago: “W.A. Nash, who has a lease on the Gold King gold mining properties in the La Plata Mountains, has had a group of interested mining men viewing the property, together with other neighboring properties, and giving thought to the matter of enlarging the concentrating mill at the Gold King and making of it a custom mill capable of handling ores from various claims that could be profitable operated, if the facilities of such a custom mill were available.”

50 years ago: “Del Carnes, television critic for The Denver Post, writes that Caroline Romney, the first newspaper publisher in this area, will be featured on a half-hour TV program called ‘Death Valley Days.’ Film for it will be shot in Apache Junction. Mrs. Romney, who went into business in a tent in the winter of 1881, had a colorful career.”

25 years ago: “From rolling up his sleeves to talk to the United Steelworkers Union convention at the Red Lion to walking downtown introducing himself and shaking hands. Gov. Roy Romer campaigned Durango.”

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