History Archives - Page 9 of 10

Bear Tracks & Cactus Trees: More Info on Life in Early Baca County

October 4, 2015

Arts, History, Stories

Tags: baca county, Elmer Briles, Heidi, Iris Powell, Joy Coy, Pritchett, Sam Holt, Southeast Colorado, springfield

Hi there! I’m Heidi, Kent’s wife. I swiped this blog for a minute so I could tell you about a great book filled with Baca County history. I grew up in Balko, Oklahoma and until recently I thought Kent was my only connection with Baca County. My parents recently surprised me with a book they…
A memory that makes me smile… By Debbie Kuroiwa

August 6, 2015

Arts, History

Tags: Debbie Kuroiwa, farmer, fiddle, Frank Wilson, Music, rancher, Southeast Colorado, springfield, Wilson

This memory is reposted with permission from the Kuroiwa Family Blog (Thanks Deb). This is one of my favorite pictures of all time…. This is me and my grandfather. Though I grew up in the same area as my grandparents, I didn’t really grow up with them. Oh…I knew who they were but….not really. My…
“Hand Dug Wells” by George Chatham

January 31, 2015

History, Stories

Tags: Chatham, guest writer, springfield, water, well, well house, windmill

By George Chatham In the area where my granddad Chatham and Great Uncle Elmer homesteaded there were no live springs or natural water holes to obtain water for household use or for the livestock to drink. So it meant that one of the first priorities of homesteading was digging a well. The two homestead wells…
FAMILY WELL DISPUTE: by George Chatham

January 30, 2015

History, Stories

Tags: 1914, Chatham, Chenoweth, dispute, dug-out, dugout, guest writer, springfield, well

By George Chatham After my grandparents, Fred and Ethel Chatham, were married April 14, 1914, there was a “dug-out” build on Fred’s homestead; but exactly when it was built is in question. Apparently there was a well dispute and the couple lived for a time with her Father, Daniel Chenoweth, who was a widower. According…
How My Grandparents Met: by George Chatham

January 30, 2015

History, Stories

Tags: Bible, Chenoweth, George Chatham, guest writer, Horse Creek, springfield

By George Chatham My Great-Uncle Elmer Chatham filed a “homestead” claim to 320 acres on South Horse Creek, located 7 1/2 miles north and 2 miles west of Springfield. That claim was proved January 12, 1917. It was on this homestead that I grew-up. Because Fred Chatham, my grand-father, wasn’t old enough to file a…
The Old Stone Schoolhouse in Springfield

January 24, 2015

History

Tags: 1889, 1890, Blanchat, school, schoolhouse, springfield, stone

“…the handiwork on that building – during those times – defies description.” -Aug Blanchat We’ve talked many times about the old Springfield School our social media groups and how it was built in 1889 by the Swiss Stonemason Joseph Blanchat. This is an update to the previous blog. The building served as the elementary and…
Orville Ewing’s Travels: The Animals

November 23, 2014

Old West, Stories

Tags: animals, Goats, mules, Orville Ewing, Pritchett, wagon rooster

Before we head into Orville’s travels during the 1940’s let’s take a peek at the the animal menagerie which served as Orville’s traveling companions over the years. This is the group that provided quite a background for those wishing to take pictures with him. The ox, burros, donkeys and/or mules were obviously used to pull…
Orville Ewing’s Travels: The 1930’s

November 20, 2014

History, Stories

Tags: baca county, Greencastle, Orville Ewing, Ox Cart, Pritchett, San Francisco, Sheriff, springfield, Worlds Fair

I mentioned in a previous post the large number of Orville Ewing postcards available for sale online, but there are also over 300 newspaper references to his 30 plus years of travel. UPDATE: April 2020. This past week I received another scan of the picture above. Since we already have it the picture isn’t that big…
Tools of the Lost Trade: The Broomcorn Knife

October 14, 2014

History

Tags: Broomcorn, knife, knives, patent

The knives were razor sharp and they wrapped their thumbs with the old style electrician’s tape (friction tape). Each night they would set around and sharpen their knives. -Ted Burhenn NOTE: This was originally posted in 2014. This update changes the name to”Tools of the Lost Trade”, referencing the long gone broomcorn industry. This update…
I Was Working on the Railroad…In The Heart of the Dust Bowl?

September 12, 2014

History, Stories

Tags: dust bowl, Herb Homsher, Johnny Jameson, Railroad, springfield

Dust Bowl noun, The region in the South Central U.S that suffered from dust storms. Associated Press staff writer Robert Geiger was in Boise City Oklahoma writing a series of articles on a day that is sometimes referred to as Black Sunday. In his April 15 release for the Washington, D.C., Evening Star he wrote:…

Category: History

Bear Tracks & Cactus Trees: More Info on Life in Early Baca County

A memory that makes me smile… By Debbie Kuroiwa

“Hand Dug Wells” by George Chatham

FAMILY WELL DISPUTE: by George Chatham

How My Grandparents Met: by George Chatham

The Old Stone Schoolhouse in Springfield

Orville Ewing’s Travels: The Animals

Orville Ewing’s Travels: The 1930’s

Tools of the Lost Trade: The Broomcorn Knife

I Was Working on the Railroad…In The Heart of the Dust Bowl?

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