Looking back https://tj.durangoherald.com/section/looking-back/feed/ Latest local news from The Durango Herald. Fri, 14 Aug 2026 21:00:31 -0600 en-us 30 https://tj.durangoherald.com/pioneering-in-southwestern-colorado/ Marie and Fred Taylor were married in 1888, according to Fred Taylor. “All the cowboys from the Blue Mountains and all around were there. And all who were not in the wedding were at the dance Al Nunn gave that... Tue, 29 Oct 2019 16:09:03 -0600 960FD407-F220-04E0-E053-0100007F4CA4 https://tj.durangoherald.com/looking-back-pioneering-in-southwest-colorado-in-1882/ The Simon Sisters, seated left to right: Mary Blackmer, Rachel Dickerson and Lydia Millard. Standing: Elizabeth Hammond and Sarah Rust.Courtesy of a Simon descendant Editor’s note: This column, by Fred Taylor, was based on an interview with Anna Florence Robison... Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:19:28 -0600 93F0A5D0-EB6A-0DE4-E053-0100007F3941 https://tj.durangoherald.com/new-school-launches-a-new-century-in-cortez/ Editor’s note: Following are two articles about the Calkins Building, published by the Montezuma Journal, that were written at the beginning of the school year and after the first class graduated. Both were edited for grammar and style. Our new... Mon, 02 Sep 2019 17:28:11 -0600 9194CE0E-9275-603E-E053-0100007FBBB8 https://tj.durangoherald.com/moving-from-texas-to-big-bend/ Big Bend about 1887, showing the schoolhouse and stores, including Harris Bros. Mercantile.Montezuma County Historical Society Editor’s note: The following is based on a Anna Florence Robison interview of Alice Henderson Akin on March 13, 1934.I was born at Millville,... Fri, 02 Aug 2019 01:56:25 -0600 8F175AE0-E1E4-41E2-E053-0100007FFA89 https://tj.durangoherald.com/elbert-nunn-weaves-a-colorful-history-and-legacy/ Editor’s note: This column about the life of Elbert “Al” Nunn is based on an interview by Anna Florence Robison in March 1934. The first three parts were published the first Friday of April, May and June.I belonged to the... Tue, 02 Jul 2019 16:53:00 -0600 8CB591E2-ACAA-1E2C-E053-0100007F863C https://tj.durangoherald.com/a-shootout-and-the-legendary-racehorse-jim-douglas/ Editor’s note: This column about the life of Elbert “Al” Nunn is based on an interview by Anna Florence Robison in March 1934. The first two parts were published the first Friday of April and May. The final part will... Mon, 03 Jun 2019 19:58:17 -0600 8A6E618D-E3CE-35D6-E053-0100007F9554 https://tj.durangoherald.com/al-nunns-misadventures-in-wild-western-colorado/ Part 2 Editor’s note: This column about the life of Elbert “Al” Nunn is based on an interview by Anna Florence Robison in March 1934. Part 1 was published in April, and Part 3 will publish on June 7.I went... Thu, 02 May 2019 17:02:28 -0600 87EDB5AC-D81F-1CC0-E053-0100007FF872 https://tj.durangoherald.com/wild-bill-calamity-jane-and-the-murderous-benders-of-cherry-vale/ Harry Brown, Hank Snyder, George Snyder, Al Nunn, Jess Robinson and John Linnens, pioneers at Priest Gulch, 1938.Montezuma County Historical Society Editor’s note: This column about the life of Elbert “Al” Nunn is based on an interview by Anna Florence... Mon, 01 Apr 2019 19:07:37 -0600 857B036B-79A8-3A36-E053-0100007FE073 https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-greatest-manhunt-in-the-southwest/ Editor’s note: Part 1 of this article was published in The Journal on Feb. 1. Portions of this article were found in the issues of the Montezuma Valley Journal and from article written by Anna Florence Robison.By June Head It... Wed, 27 Feb 2019 22:44:52 -0700 82E5BBAE-FEEC-2B1C-E053-0100007F4A65 https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-ignoble-death-of-sheriff-wesley-dunlap/ Editor’s note: Part 2 of this article will appear in the March 1 issue. Portions of this article were found in the issues of the Montezuma Valley Journal and from article written by Anna Florence Robison.By June Head It was... Tue, 29 Jan 2019 15:34:45 -0700 809CA40A-C92E-3344-E053-0100007FC245 https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-rough-route-to-mesa-verde-in-the-early-1900s/ As interest in ancient dwellings increased, tourists arrived by Oldsmobiles, in caravans, by the hundreds Tue, 01 Jan 2019 17:19:20 -0700 7E6BCCF9-6F3C-7D08-E053-0100007F8447 https://tj.durangoherald.com/horseback-to-the-cliff-houses-in-early-days-of-mesa-verde/ By June Head Charles B. Kelly was born in Ohio in 1857. Sometime around 1878, he came west with the John Silvey family, being a good friend of Frank Silvey’s. After getting the Silvey family settled in Utah, the young... Wed, 31 Oct 2018 14:26:21 -0600 798D0C99-B9C5-091B-E053-0100007F7B1C https://tj.durangoherald.com/second-city-cortez-put-down-roots-in-la-plata-county/ Cortez, the metropolis of the grand and vast valley of the Montezuma, is situated in the very center of the western half of La Plata County. Cortez is already a rapidly growing town and will be the center of traffic... Thu, 04 Oct 2018 18:45:00 -0600 7741B804-085A-0139-E053-0100007F7A9C https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-hammond-brothers-journey-west-to-rico/ Editor’s note: This is the first of two Looking Back columns about the Hammond brothers. Part 2 is scheduled to publish in The Journal on Sept. 7.By James Hammond I was born in the province of Quebec, June 7, 1855.... Mon, 30 Jul 2018 17:52:15 -0600 723A8565-0DA9-2D68-E053-0100007FA15E https://tj.durangoherald.com/early-mesa-verde-center-included-cabins-a-shop-and-a-bear/ If you were to ask the man on the street, “Where is Hallarville?” You would get a blank stare. Old-timers know it was a 40-acre roadside business on the north side of U.S. Highway 160, opposite the entrance to Mesa... Wed, 30 May 2018 00:18:43 -0600 6D5AB4E3-4906-4B4A-E053-0100007F22F5 https://tj.durangoherald.com/families-tell-history-of-a-route-666-ghost-town/ By June Head Montezuma County Historical Society Ackmen was a dryland community that was bypassed by the construction of U.S. Route 666, now known as U.S. Highway 491. Ackmen’s residents moved to the newly established community of Pleasant View along... Tue, 01 May 2018 22:40:32 -0600 6B273DFE-985B-160F-E053-0100007F189F https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-indian-racetrack-near-old-mcphee/ The 800-acre Charlie Johnson homestead and old racetrack are located under McPhee Reservoir.Montezuma County Historical Society Editor’s Note: This is the last of three parts of Erastus Thompson’s recollections of life in Montezuma County in the late 1800s. The entire... Tue, 03 Apr 2018 23:46:16 -0600 68F4ED27-8189-62ED-E053-0100007FEA5F https://tj.durangoherald.com/the-nevada-colony-of-the-dolores-river-valley-in-1872/ The cattle station and stagecoach stop in Cross Canyon was used as a cattle station until about 1896, when it became a stopover for the stage and mail route between Dolores and Monticello.Courtesy of Gardner family Editor’s Note: This is... Tue, 27 Feb 2018 18:19:58 -0700 6635A333-8E9D-0547-E053-0100007F4C68 https://tj.durangoherald.com/recollections-of-early-dolores-by-erastus-thompson/ Editor’s note: This column is the first of two parts about life in early Dolores, Colorado. Part 2 will continue in The Journal on March 2.By Erastus Thompson I was born in Iowa in March 1858, and I first came... Tue, 30 Jan 2018 20:22:33 -0700 640207BB-0ECA-4DFB-E053-0100007F8D39 https://tj.durangoherald.com/life-in-big-bend-and-the-young-cortez-in-1885/ The J. W. Hanna place at 24 South Beech St. in Cortez. The building, built before 1900, was adjacent to Underwood Plaza.Tom Johnson/Courtesy photo I was born in Kansas in the Indian Territory in 1870. About five years of age,... Tue, 02 Jan 2018 20:49:44 -0700 61CE2A19-F795-188A-E053-0100007FB4A4 https://tj.durangoherald.com/philip-runck-and-the-spirit-of-christmas/ Apples were king for rancher, and he shared the wealth during the holidays Sat, 23 Dec 2017 22:00:00 -0700 F0B50C30-C953-4E4A-9AC7-2EB86963ED28 https://tj.durangoherald.com/ed-nolands-four-corners-trading-posts/ Editor’s note: This story was printed in Vol. 3 of the Montezuma County Historical Society’s “Great Sage to Timberline.” It was given to the historical society by the family of Oen Ed Noland. Part I appeared in The Journal in... Wed, 30 Aug 2017 20:35:53 -0600 57FA730F-5303-1F1A-E053-0100007FCFCE