100 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
June 18, 1926
Preparations are going steadily ahead for the big three-day Fourth of July celebration in Pagosa on July 3, 4 and 5, and Manager A. J. Hall is quite enthusiastic over the attractions he has been able to secure for the delectation of the visitors here during that period. While we are not at liberty to as yet definitely announce the various events secured, we are assured that they will equal, if not surpass, the main attractions of past celebrations here — which is saying a great deal.
The detailed program will be announced shortly, but in general the features will be about as follows: Music, Dancing, Aeroplane, Fireworks, Horse Racing, Bucking Contests, Baseball Game Daily, Five Good Boxing Bouts Monday, Children’s Sports, Children’s Races, Novelty Sports, Street Carnival, Indian Dances, Novelty Races, Indian Races.
Pagosa Springs will be hard pressed for accommodations for the visitors, and it is suggested that all residents who may have furnished rooms to rent at that time, to please leave word to that effect at the McComas drug store.
75 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
June 22, 1951
A large forest fire, which was started by lightning, has burned over an estimated 320 acres in the Piedra region.
The fire started Monday when lightning struck some timber in the area and before it was brought under control Wednesday morning, the blaze had covered a large area. The fire is located on the North side of First Fork of the Piedra eleven miles up the river from the highway camp.
The forests are extremely dry this year and this fire demonstrates very vividly the amazing rapidity with which a fire will spread in a dry year.
Local rangers and other forest service officials are pointing out that a large percentage of forest fires are man caused, and generally through carelessness. All who are going to be in the hills this summer should exercise extreme care in seeing that every possible precaution is taken to prevent fires.
In addition to the loss of property, recreational areas, and often lives, there is a stiff penalty for carelessness with fires or cigarettes on the national forests and those who do not exercise the proper precautions may pay an expensive fine.
50 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
June 24, 1976
It was a week of rescues last week. An injured mountain climber had to be carried down off the back side of Pagosa Peak after he suffered a broken neck and broken arm in a fall. A 13 year old boy was trapped in a truck on Wolf Creek Pass after it rolled and rescuers worked for more than three hours to free him. He suffered a broken arm.
A record crowd jammed the district court room Tuesday night of this week at a public hearing. The hearing pertained to the revision of building permit regulations and the revision of subdivision regulations. Most of the interest was centered around the building permit regulations, and there was considerable opposition to any type of building permit.
The Red Ryder Roundup is just a little over a week away. Preparations for the big event are practically complete and the celebration will start with a big parade July 4 in downtown Pagosa Springs. There will be another parade the morning of July 5 and there will be rodeos and horse races both days at the rodeo grounds.
25 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
June 14, 2001
A substandard and possibly dangerous taxiway at Stevens Field has Archuleta County commissioners scratching their heads with perplexity as they search for money to finance a fix.
Lining the taxiway are 24 privately owned hangars. The taxiway is the remnant of the original runway at the county-owned airport.
Soft spots allow propeller-driven craft to dip, threatening damage to propellers. Gravel and rocks on the taxiway surface can be sucked up by turboprop aircraft. Who knows what damage that might inflict? Could a loose rock be the cause of a turbo-prop falling from the sky?
The problem is not new. It has existed since the original runway was built circa 1964 when money was hard to find and the impact of smaller aircraft was not intense. The surface has been replaced and holes patched down through the years, but the basic problem remains: the base under the asphalt was never adequate, a great deal of flexible clay is involved, and water seeps under the pavement, wreaking havoc.
>