Vol. 138 No 29 – Jan. 15, 2025

Category: History

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Growing up in Baca County – Chapter 9 Part 2 – John Havens

April 4, 2020

History, Stories

Tags: guest writer, John Havens, Vilas

Dad and Uncle Tony always looked forward to a reunion at the Boise City Cemetery of the Havens and Snodgrass clan. Then we went from Boise city to Guymon to place flowers on the grave of the 13 year old sister of my Dad’s and Uncle Tony. She had died during the year the…
Growing up Baca County – Chapter 9 Part 1 – John Havens

April 4, 2020

History, Stories

Tags: baca county, John Havens, Vilas

At one time Vilas could boast of a fairly large Hardware and Lumber Yard operated by the Hoarse Retherfords. It was located on the North side of Main Street to the far East. Coming back West was Mr. Wheeler’s Store. I believe there were 2 little houses located to the East side of the…
Growing up in Baca County – Chapter 8 Part 2 – John Havens

April 4, 2020

History, Stories

Tags: John Havens, Konkel, Vilas

In January 1947 I married my high school sweetheart, Marie Konkel, in the Vilas Friends Church. We then moved to Haviland, Kansas where I completed four years of education at Friends Bible College. During the years of my ministry I have served churches in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa, then in 1993 I became Chaplain…
Growing Up In Baca County – Chapter 8 Part 1 – John Havens

February 7, 2020

History, Stories

Tags: Church, John Havens, Vilas

Even though I have spent over 60 years in the ministry, there was little or no place for any church in my early childhood. It wasn’t until we moved from the farm into Vilas that religion played any part in our family life. When I was 10 or 12 years of age there was…
Offices of the Prairie Cattle Company

February 6, 2020

Old West, Southeast Colorado, Uncategorized

Tags: J.J Ranch Prairie Cattle Company, La Junta

“The largest herd of cattle I ever saw was in the summer of 1888. It stretched north from the mouth of Leon Creek, 25 miles southwest of the present Clayton for 5 or 6 miles. It was accompanied by 2 crews of 12 men each. Cattle belonging in Southern Colorado and the Cimarron River country…
Growing up in Baca County – Chapter 7 – John Havens

January 28, 2020

History, Stories

Tags: John Havens, Vilas

I read once of a tourist who was traveling through the country and realizing he needed gas he stopped at a very small village to fill up with gas. While the station attendant was filling the car, the tourist noticed there was very little activity going on. Finally, he said to the old gentleman, “Tell…
Growing Up in Baca County – Chapter 6 Part 1 – John Havens

December 31, 2019

History, Stories

Tags: Fred Holister, John Havens, Southeast Colorado, Vilas

Note this episode references Fred Holister. More on Fred Click Here: Fred Holister: A Cowboy’s Story Many older people of the Vilas Community made an impression on my life. Some were school teachers, some were business men, others were preachers, farmers, and retired folks. But one I would like to mention especially was Uncle…
Growing up in Baca County – Chapter 5 – John Havens

December 17, 2019

History, Stories

Tags: John Havens, Southeast Colorado, Vilas

As a teenager working around my Dad’s service station there was always something going on to make a good story. One has to do with a fellow named Bob, who was known, for a time, as the Broomcorn King of Baca County. One would never guess that Bob was a prosperous farmer. He raised…
Growing Up in Baca County – Chapter 4 – John Havens

December 10, 2019

History, Stories

Tags: dust bowl, John Havens, Southeast Colorado, Vilas, WPA

As the dust storms increased many of the farm families and a few of the town residents had to pull up stakes and look for greener pastures. As a kid working around the service station I observed first hand family after family load all their belongings into cars and onto pickups and head out…
Growing up in Baca County – Chapter 3 Part 2 – John Havens

December 4, 2019

History, Stories

Tags: Big Dog, John Havens, Vilas

On the farm my pet was Big Dog, but when we moved into Vilas I had to leave Big Dog on the farm. So for a while I didn’t have a pet. Then one day when I was home from school, and sick with the Measles, Dad came in with the cutest little dog. …

Category: History

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