The Meeker Herald — 100 years ago
Mrs. Catherine L. Welch, mother of Mrs. DeBord, died Friday afternoon. Deceased was born in New Jersey in September 1833 and died in Meeker June 27, 1913.
The late J.W. Hugus was in on one of his occasional trips to Meeker. Mr. Hugus was accompanied by Mr. F. Chatterton of Fort Steele, Wyo.
The first evidence that the Fourth was on us was the merry-go-around which shipped in from the railroad and the traveling photographers. That merry-go-around was just the thing for the rank and file of Meeker kids. The 10-cent charge didn’t seem to affect the business very much.
Settlers on upper Strawberry Creek turned out en masse on Wednesday and Thursday, June 25 and 26, and made a fine showing of work on the Strawberry road, which connects Meeker with western Moffat County.
The Meeker Herald — 50 years ago
Charles Harrell was flown to Denver last week after being shot twice by a posse from the Powder Wash oil field area. It seems Harrell drove out into the Powder Wash section and started shooting at Joe Gutierrez, a rancher in that area. A group from the Powder Wash field came to Mr. Gutierrez’ rescue and when Harrell tried to run a road block they shot his tires. He left the car and ran to a nearby wash and started shooting at the posse, which returned his fire and wounded him in the arm and leg. He was taken to Craig and later to Denver.
Hunters planning to take to the field this coming hunting season should note several innovations approved by the Game and Fish Commission. Muzzle loaders take their place among the list of legal weapons starting this hunting season if the firearm is 40 caliber or larger.
The oil and gas industry accounted for more than $13.5 million in revenue to state and local government during 1962, a tax study by the Rocky Mountain Oil and Gas Association showed this week.
1963 marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of A. Oldland & Co., the oldest mercantile store in Rio Blanco County. In commemorating this 75th milestone, Mr. and Mrs. John Oldland, who now manage the store, are having open house this week and will have special sales throughout the months of July celebrating their 75th anniversary.
Dr. Nathan A. Ivey, the new dean of Rangely Junior College, took over on Monday of this week. He succeeds Dr. Williams A. Medesy, who now becomes president of the Mesa College at Grand Junction.
The Meeker Herald — 25 years ago
Faced with one count of horse theft and four counts of forgery, local rancher Vern Wagner was found not guilty on all counts late Tuesday afternoon in Meeker by a nine-man, three-woman jury.
One of the highlights to this year’s Fourth of July celebrations was the presence of the Ute Indians who came from southern Colorado to participate in the weekend’s events. The Utes were invited to come be a part of the Meeker Massacre Pageant and to demonstrate their dances as a symbolic move toward re-establishing friendship with the White River country and the people here. It had been more than 100 years since the Utes had visited and performed their ceremonies in the Meeker area.
With some help from WREA employees, the long-awaited boiler for the swimming pool finally arrived last Friday, and thanks to Larry Cowling and son, was installed shortly thereafter. The pool is now warm and enjoyable again and is again taken advantage of by hundreds.
It was almost a double record weekend for the Meeker Massacre “Run for Your Life” race this past July Fourth.
Colowyo Coal Co. employees and their families now have a Professional Employee Assistance Program center available in Meeker to help them, confidentially, with a wide variety of problems.
Rangely Times — 50 years ago
A 3,000-acre spruce budworm-control project on Pike National Forest was called off at the last moment this week by the U.S. Forest Service. Dwight Hester, branch chief, forest pest control, of the Rocky Mountain Region office, Denver, said the aerial spraying project “was all set to go – and suddenly the worms started dropping dead off the trees.”
Mr. W.F. McCoy, mayor of Rangely, Mr. I.W. Cramer and Mr. M.E. Whitener, who attended the Governor’s Forum in Steamboat Springs last Wednesday and Thursday, feel it was a profitable meeting for Northwest Colorado.
Sgt. D. F. McBreen of the Colorado State Patrol has returned to Craig after attending a nine-month course at Northwestern University Traffic Institute in Evanston, Ill.
The Jaycee-ettes turned out Saturday June 29 to help clean up Rangely.
Jack W. Brown, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jo Brown of Rangely, was discharged from the Navy on June 20 after four years of service, and he returned home last week.
Rangely Times — 30 years ago
Glen M. Huntington began his duties last Monday as the new administrator for the Town of Rangely. Huntington comes to the community from Brighton, where he served as city manager, with 58 full time municipal employees under his direction. He also served as city manager of East Prairie, Mo., a town of approximately 4,000 population, prior to his employment in Brighton.
At the last regular meeting of the Rangely Town Council, it was agreed to shut off all users on the Rector Water Line on July 1, due to their failure to present an acceptable contract to the town for water purchases. This action served to accomplish what the town had been requesting for the past 90 days.
Rio Blanco County residents invested $3,524 in United States Series E-H Savings Bonds during May to swell the county’s five-month investment for the year to $29,029, County Bond Chairman C.J. Wilson announced today.
Contrary to some unofficial local “experts,” the water in the White River is of high quality and in general meets the State Water Quality Standards, according to a survey conducted by the Colorado Department of Health’s Water Pollution Control Division.
Rangely Times — 20 years ago
Dr. Kenneth Molen, dentist, is now associated with Dr. Clark Crookston at the Rangely Clinic for several days per week. Prior to moving to Rangely, Dr. Molen practiced in Denver and New Mexico for seven years.
Rangely’s first Little Britches Rodeo will be held at the Rangely Fairgrounds on July 23 and 24 at 2 p.m. each day. This is for ages 8-18.
The 4-H Ghostriders Horse Club is sponsoring the third annual Rangely 4-H Open Horse Show on Saturday July 9 at Columbine Park Fairgrounds.
John A. Gordon, Jr. was among a graduation class of 211 students at the 138th Commencement exercises June 4th at Knox College, Galesburg, Ill.
At a meeting with the Raw Water Users the consensus was for the town to take over and run the raw water system. Town Manger Don Peach thought that “maybe (we should) send to Water Committee” but Mayor Jim Sinclair preferred to “air this out.” Frances Green asked if the system could be expanded to include others (no definite answer) and whether the town had the money to take it over.
