The Meeker Herald — 125 years ago
• A lady and gentleman accompanied by an attendant and two pack horses passed through town about two weeks ago going up river. The entire party was on horseback and apparently rigged for a fishing trip. A cattleman met the party and recognized the gentleman as Editor Moore and the lady was undoubtely Mrs. Norton, the famous or infamous St. Louiselopers.
• A petition was received from the Meeker School Board asking for the closing of the alley running north and south through the school grounds in block 68. The petition was received, granted and the alley was declared abandoned.
• A saloon license was raised from $200 to $400 per year. It will go into effect the first of October and it meets with approval of the citizens generally, saloon people included.
• With this issue The Herald enters on the fourth year of its existance.
The Meeker Herald — 75 years ago
• Boy Scout meeting was called to order by Mr. Erickson and seven Scouts were present. They spent half the period studying and the other half to initiate Earl Freeman into the Tenderfoot Scouts.
• Meeker Fire Department was called to the Bar 7 Ranch on Wednesday of this week when the combination pump and milk house caught fire. The roof and ceiling of the building were burned, but the side walls and most of the contents were saved.
• With this issue, the Meeker Herald starts its fifty-fourth year, the first issue having appeared on Aug. 15, 1885.
The Meeker Herald — 25 years ago
• Members of Rio Blanco County Search and Rescue had their work cut out for them last week as they had to haul an injured Denver girl almost five miles on a stretcher down from West Lost Lake at night.
• The Meeker Lions Club elected officers for this coming year with Bob Bivens to take over the duties of president. The first and second vice president positions will be manned by Bill Richardson and Bren Sullivan; Cole Proctor will be the secretary while Joe Garrett will be the club’s treasurer. Lion Tamer is John Dickey while the club’s tail-twister will be Jon Whalin.
Rangely Times — 50 years ago
• Stanley Froderman, M.D. of Terre Haute, Ind., announced that he and his family will be moving to Rangely to set up medical practice soon as possible.
• Nathan Ivey, the college dean, was appointed as a vice chairman of the Boy Scout District Committee.
• Rangely’s Don Semingson, named a Colorado All-State tackle, arrived in Pueblo last week to begin drilling for the annual Colorado All-State Football Game.
• Rangely’s Civil Defense situation remains unsettled at this time, following receipt of a letter from J. Howard Bird, the district supervisor for the Bureau of Mines. The Bureau of Mines had recently made an inspection of the Staley mine and reported a number of conditions which, in their opinion, made the mine unsafe for use as a Civil Defense shelter.
• Members of the Rangely Lions Club and Jaycees devoted two and a half hours of work to building a fence around Hildenbrandt Park. Other plans for the park are planting trees, building an ice skating rink, a playground, a ball diamond and lighting of the park. Equipment was donated by Moon Lake Electric and Lloyd Hutchens.
Rangely Times — 40 years ago
• The Rio Blanco County Fair, August 21-22, promises to be the best ever. It begins Tuesday, August 21 at 8:30 a.m. at the Rio Blanco County Fairgrounds.
• Invitations to bid on the first experimental mine deep into the oil shale beds of the White River Valley have been sent out to the prospective contractors. Site of the mine is near the confluence of Piceance Creek and the White River, some 25 miles east of Rangely.
• Lester White of Rangely and Helen Wilson of Seneca, Mo., announced the engagement of their daughter, Bonita Belle, to Clark K. Wilkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Vaugh Wilkins of Jensen, Utah. The couple will wed Aug. 24 at the Jensen Chapel.
• Rio Blanco County has completed an extensive road signing project. The county commissioners offered a $300 reward for the information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone found damaging the road signs.
Rangely Times — 30 years ago
• Todd and Sandy Tullio of Rangely announced the birth of their son, Justin Tyler, on Aug. 15, 1983. He weighed 5 pounds 11 1/2 ounces and was 18 inches long.
• Oil and gas leasing activity on federal public lands in Colorado has dropped about 25 percent during the first six months, when compared with the same period of 1982, according to George C. Francis, the Colorado state director of the Bureau of Land Management.
• After a long discussion, it was decided to reimburse HBQ $12,000 for a share of the main water line construction to West Rangely. The new line goes down West Main to River Road and north along River Road to Route 64. The town was to reimburse HBQ for 50 percent of the cost of a six-inch line plus 100 percent of the difference between the six- and ten-inches on the portion they built.
• Michelle Ann Usery and Christopher Kevin Huber were married at 7 p.m. on June 3, 1983, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
