The Meeker Herald ~ 125 years ago Rio Blanco County should be represented at the mountain and plain festival with some kind of a float. A chunk of coal weighing a ton or so (if nothing else) would be quite the advertisement for this section. “Broncho John” Martin had a[Read More…]
Tag: Meeker History
Museum Musings: Letters from History, No 15
Editor’s Note: For those of you who are keeping track of this series, we inadvertently skipped a week in numbering. There was no No. 10. Our apologies for the confusion. White River Agency, Colorado. Jan. 6, 1879. Sir: I am convinced that, with the working teams on hand, I shall[Read More…]
Guest Column: Sweet Sisters
Headline in the Steamboat Pilot May 22, 1947: RANGELY OFFICER WANTS LARGE SUM FOR ALLEGED LIBEL. Town Marshal John Howlett alleged in the complaint that an article published in the Rangely News was libelous and “brought great shame, humiliation and mortification to the plaintiff.” The article in question was published[Read More…]
Days Gone By: September 21st, 2023
The Meeker Herald ~ 125 years ago The railroad accident referred to in last week’s issue turned out to have been as bad as at first reported. It happened just below New Castle. An eastern bound Midland freight train and a Rio Grande passenger, both running at the usual speed,[Read More…]
Letters from History, No. 14
White River Agency, Colorado. January 6, 1876. Sir: It is reported to me that the relations between some of our Indians and certain white men on Snake River, at and around Perkin’s store, are disgraceful, and so leading to great demoralization. For I am told that there are several Indian[Read More…]
Museum Musings: Letters from History, No. 13
Special to the Herald Times Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Affairs, Jan. 2, 1879. Sir: I have the honor to request that authority be granted for the purchase by this office, at the lowest attainable rates, of 2,000 25-pound paper-sacks, to be used by Agent Meeker, of the[Read More…]
Guest Column: Hazen’s Daughters
By ED PECK George Hazen’s daughters did well also in Meeker. Miss Agnes Hazen was teaching at the Mesa School on May 4, 1889. Her sister, Grace Evangeline Hazen Adams, also taught school in Axial about 1892. According to the April 7, 1894, Meeker Herald, Agnes was the assistant principal[Read More…]
Horsepower and history combine for new local OHV tours
MEEKER | “It’s pretty cool to think about, what did this valley look like before people were here? Because it wasn’t really that long ago,” said Andrea Gianinetti, local business owner and history enthusiast, describing her own interest in local history and how it sparked an idea to combine historical[Read More…]
Days Gone By: September 23
The Meeker Herald 125 years ago • Asparagus is the oldest known plant that has been used as food. • If everybody who talks in favor of cooperation would put it into effect to the extent of their power a difference would soon be apparent. • A serious accident happened[Read More…]
Mountain Valley Bank celebrates building heritage with ‘penny drive’
MEEKER | Having served as a vital trading post for all of Northwestern Colorado in its early history, the Town of Meeker has its share of very old buildings, all with their own history. The I.O.O.F building on the corner of 4th and Main is no exception. Originally built in[Read More…]
Destiny and dedication: Bryce Purkey
RBC | “With my dad being a butcher and both my grandads being butchers, I guess I was destined to be a butcher,” said Bryce Purkey, reflecting on his 88 years of history in Meeker, raising his family, running the Purkey Packing plant, developing strong community bonds, and persevering through[Read More…]
Loose Ends: A small price to pay
MEEKER | More than 100 years ago, members of this community had their own version of staying-in-place. It was called homesteading and eventually ranching. Stories passed down from the families that settled here always include the bond they felt with the people who lived the closest to them. They may[Read More…]


