100 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
July 16, 1926
A Children’s Health Clinic will be held in Pagosa August 16th, presumably at the school building as eleven rooms will be necessary to conduct examinations. Several physicians and nurses will be in attendance and children up to the age of seven years will be examined. Arrangements for holding the clinic will be sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Association and Women’s Civic Club of Pagosa. Watch for later announcements.
J.B. Patterson and Ed Rust left Saturday for Silverton, where the former will engage in a mining proposition after several years’ absence from the field. Mr. Rust will assist him in the enterprise, a bond and leasing proposition.
Methodist Church News. Last Sunday was the stormiest we have had in two years, raining almost constantly from daylight until noon. Yet we found no difficulty in going in from the ranch five and a half miles in the morn and coming out again in the evening. Even in such weather there were 32 present at the Sunday school and a proportionate number at the church services.
75 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
July 13, 1951
A fire which started Saturday around noon on Echo Canyon, was finally brought under control late Sunday night after it had threatened to become one of the largest fires of the year. Forest service officials estimate that more than 1000 acres of pasture and timber were destroyed in the fire, most of which was on property owned by W.F. Jackson.
The fire was combated by large groups of county and local volunteer groups, with an estimated number of 500 being engaged in the battle at one time or another. The fire was all on private land and was fought by the county fire crew under the supervision of Sheriff Norman Ottaway. Rangers Blacker and Stevenson assisted the Sheriff in the fire and Forest Service equipment was used. Anticipated cost of the fire to the county for labor and supplies is in the neighborhood of $10,000.
The fire is thought to have started from a fisherman’s cigarette. It started near the San Juan river and before it was brought under control had burned to U.S. Highway 84 and at one time endangered the Jackson Ranch buildings.
50 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
July 15, 1976
Hot was the weather word here this past week. The U.S. Government thermometer soared to 90 degrees two days in a row. It has been three years since that high a temperature was recorded in July here.
Nine forest fires, all believed to have been caused by lightning, were reported by the U.S. Forest Service this past week.
The largest, slightly over 10 acres in size was located on Little Sand Creek in the Weminuche area and was reported July 9. It was brought under control but only after a large area was burned.
Those on the Piedra District were at Plumtaw Creek July 3, Little Pagosa Creek on July 7, on Devil Mountain July 9, on Ignacio Creek July 11, and on Goose Creek and Ignacio Creek on July 12.
The Pagosa District had a fire on Sawmill Creek and on Eight Mile Mesa, also on July 12.
Fire danger readings are in the extremely high category in much of the area. Underbrush, grass and trees are very dry. Extreme caution is urged for everyone on the forest.
25 years ago
Taken from SUN files of
July 12, 2001
Downtown restrooms. Additional public parking. A community events board. Periodically, requests for all of these amenities have been made to the Pagosa Springs Board of Trustees or town staff.
A lack of a buyer for the old Town Hall site may pave the way for a solution.
On July 3, Chris Bentley, town planner, presented the trustees a rough concept design for the pie-shaped piece of land to include parking spaces, a bell tower with restrooms, a community information marquee and greenspace.
The initial drawing depicted a one-way configuration with nine parking spaces. The bell tower, placed at the west end of the land, faced the highway and was to be visible from the stoplight at San Juan and Lewis streets.
“Everyone gets something, but it doesn’t solve all the problems,” Jay Harrington, town administrator, said. Besides resolving some concerns form the community, the open parking area could also provide some necessary storage space for snow in the winter.
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