Days Gone By: July 8, 2021

The Meeker Herald
125 years ago

• Barring the excessive heat last Saturday was an ideal Fourth of July so far as weather was concerned. The attractions in the forenoon were the races, which drew large crowds. The 600 yard race was won by Bell, with Ollie Burch horse second, and Leonard horse third.
• The dry weather is driving all the mountain lions from the hills down to the river and woe to the calves that are left down in the lower country.

The Meeker Herald
100 years ago

• Cattle-sheep trouble came to a head Tuesday when over a hundred cattlemen and farmers from Rio Blanco, Routt and Moffat counties met the advancing sheep invasion on the Moffat-Rio Blanco line in Thornburg section and stopped the invasion. After deliberation, the small band in the lead was allowed to purchase a trail over patented land and proceed to the flat tops. The other and large bands were turned back and will go to Craig. Forty armed men are holding the cowmen’s line to the White River National Forest reserve.
• The most damaging frost seen in Meeker during the last fifteen years visited this section last Saturday night. Practically all gardens were killed.

The Meeker Herald
50 years ago

• The grand prize or sweepstakes award for the 1971 Range Call parade went to Pioneers hospital. Using the theme “We’ve Come a Long, Long Way Baby.”
• William Turner, who taught last year at Mullen High School in Denver, was hired to fill the biology vacancy, and will be the wrestling coach in the junior high. He will also be assistant high school football and wrestling coach.

The Meeker Herald
25 years ago

• A nightmare has ended for all but two members of a group of 30 teens participating in a type of “tough love” wilderness survival boot camp deep in the Flat Tops Wilderness. The youths were part of the Pathfinders program for troubled teens.
• Apparently Rio Blanco County has been targeted by a scheme to convert residential property in the county to agricultural, a move that could severely damage the county’s revenue. Assessor Renae Neilson reported to the county commissioners at the July 8 meeting that someone in the county is apparently leasing two head of cattle to many upriver residents so they can claim their land is being used for agriculture.

Rangely Times
50 years ago

• Work is progressing rapidly on Rangely’s new post office. Side walls are going up and residents can begin to get an idea of the appearance of the new building when it is completed.
• Rangely’s share of the county retail sales continues to climb, moving to an impressing 62% during the first quarter of 1971. We could add another half million dollars a quarter to this figure if people who make their money here spend it here.

Rangely Times
25 years ago

• Rangely is still no closer to a solution to its water supply problems. The pump station for Rangely’s water treatment plant is continually in need of repair.
• Two volatile fires broke out early Sunday afternoon in the Rangely area. Both burned on Bureau of Land Management public land, which contains a mixture of grass, pinyon and juniper.