It was nice to have our dry spell broken big time. This time around, I’m going to list some items of interest that took place in 1960.
Jan. 7 – In spite of the cold weather and icy roads on New Year’s Eve, attendance was very good at the Mancos Fireman’s Annual Dance.
Feb. 4 – Oren Pilcher, president, and Vernon Ellis, secretary, gave notice of the annual Webber Ditch meeting.
March 2 – A large power failure left the entire San Juan Basin in the dark for four hours.
March 10 – John Louis Paquin purchased the Mancos Drug Company from W. E. Linderholm.
March 18 – The VFW auxiliary elected new officers: Mattie Holston, secretary, Florence Roberts, patriotic instructor, Ann Potts, Ethel Bowling, May Elliot and Ada Dean, color bearers, Anna Menefee, flag bearer, Nell Lewis, banner bearer and Dorothy Lee as historian.
May 17 – The intake canal at Jackson Lake reservoir was shut off as the reservoir was filled to its capacity of around 10,000 acre feet
May 31 – Richard D. and Ray E. Elliss, twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Elliss, have enlisted in the Navy.
June 25 – James S. (Boe) Alexander passed away at the age of 69. He married Callie Noland in 1914. Among his survivors were his daughters Genevieve, Eloise, Kathleen, Nancy and Tommy Lou and his son, Noland.
Nov. 2 – At a meeting of the PTA it was announced that Ira Freeman had donated a copy of his book “The History of Montezuma County” to the school library.
Nov. 6 – Robert M. Dean was sustained as bishop of the Mancos LDS church. His counselors were John Decker and Harry Halls.
Jan. 26, 1961 – Father Jerome Korzybski was assigned as the new pastor of St. Rita’s Catholic Church.
Feb. 2, 1961 – Rev. Clarence H. Hoyle was assigned as the new pastor of the First Baptist Church.
Feb. 22, 1961 – The new minister of the Methodist Church was David Neuman.
Darrel Ellis is a longtime historian of the Mancos Valley. Email him at dnrls@q.com.
