by Susan Simons
HUERFANO — On Saturday, Feb. 4, Citizens for Huerfano County (CHC) offered a workshop in La Veta on adjudicating a well, and about 25 property owners turned out from Huerfano and Las Animas counties. Most came with concerns about the impact of oil or natural gas drilling on or near their property.
Most property owners who do not have access to municipal water get their water from a private well, known as an exempt well. An exempt well provides water which can be used for fire protection, household uses, livestock watering, and irrigation of gardens up to one acre.
by Nancy Christofferson
GARDNER — On the topic of forgotten post offices, who can tell us about Houck? Anyone? Anyone?
The Houck post office opened Feb. 13, 1883. It was discontinued less than four months later, on May 31.
This would be a very short article if the post office had not changed personalities. In time, it would also change locations.
Walsenburg
1898: The whistling recital of Miss Letitia Crowl, the Ohio mockingbird, was a brilliant success.
1904: The Philharmonic Lady Quartet of Chicago will appear here Wednesday, Feb. 10.
1910: The Huerfano County High School Class of 1910 gave a most enjoyable Colonial Ball in Mazzone’s Hall Wednesday evening, with the grand march led by Mary Hill and Goodman Davinsky.
1917: The county clerk’s office sold 292 automobile licenses during January.
1924: The headquarters for the city police were moved from the second floor of the county courthouse to the basement.
by Ray Fisher
WALSENBURG — La Plaza de los Leones was not just the historical name of Walsenburg, La Plaza also has a strong contemporary physical influence on Walsenburg.
The layout of Walsenburg does not conform to the USA western expansion ‘grid’ system, but to the Spanish settlement acequia system.
Walsenburg
1893: Art Arnold came down from their ranch on the Santa Clara on his bicycle – 20 miles in two hours and 10 minutes. Pretty good considering the condition of the roads.
1901: The Electric light and power company have [sic] a force of men stringing the Catholic church for the installation of 56 lights.
1907: Scarlet fever this week claimed the lives of Earl, 12, son of Professor A.J. Miller of Walsen and Susie, 3, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Marcinko of Toltec.
by Nancy Christofferson
HUERFANO — The Jan. 29, 1941 issue of Walsenburg’s World-Independent carried some bad news. Former Walsenburg attorney and State Senator Charles Hayden was dead at the age of 69.
Hayden was a member of two of Huerfano County’s pioneering families, and was born near Badito along the Huerfano River on July 25, 1872. He was one of the five children of Daniel Justin Hayden and the former Mary E. Withington, and he was very proud of his heritage and familial ties.
Walsenburg
1890: A pistol dropped out of the pocket of Ed Farr at the Twin Lakes Hotel last night, discharged and wounded him in the knee.
1899: Died, Jose Manuel Valdez, born in 1837 in New Mexico and who moved to this area from Conejos County in 1867. He leaves a wife and children Tirso Valdez, the ex-county assessor, Victoria Atencio, Manuel Valdez, Elisa Atencio, Natividad Martinez and Entimeo Valdez.
by Nancy Christofferson
HUERFANO — On Jan. 20, 1902 – or 110 years ago tomorrow – Huerfano County gained a new post office. It was for the coal camp of Hezron, where the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company had just developed a new mine.
Located about halfway between Old Rouse and New Rouse, or about seven miles south of Walsenburg and just two miles west of today’s Interstate 25, Hezron mine was originally connected to the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad’s Santa Clara branch via short line. Later the mine got its own branch on the Colorado and Wyoming railway line.
