“Pro burro racer Lee Courkamp of Arvada pushed Bam Bam up the trail during the 13-mile challenge from Vallecito to an elevation of nearly 11,000 feet. Six men and three women competed in Vallecito’s first pack burro race as part of the community’s Western Jamboree in June 1989.”
“Pro burro racer Lee Courkamp of Arvada pushed Bam Bam up the trail during the 13-mile challenge from Vallecito to an elevation of nearly 11,000 feet. Six men and three women competed in Vallecito’s first pack burro race as part of the community’s Western Jamboree in June 1989.”Durango Herald file photo

75 years ago: “With fireworks absolutely prohibited in all national forests because of the extreme fire hazard, Durango will not hold a celebration this year and sale of fireworks is prohibited.”

50 years ago: “Synchronized swimming lessons will be given at the Durango High swimming pool. … Swimmers must be able to float and be an intermediate swimmer or better.”

25 years ago: “A coalition of concerned citizens and interested parents has decided to go public on a push to develop an all-weather running track at Durango Senior High School. The track, the construction of which has been bogged down for several years because of inadequate funding, is proposed to be built through local fundraising and donation of more than $200,000 worth of labor, equipment and in-kind trades.”

Most items in this column are taken from Herald archives, Center of Southwest Studies and Animas Museum. Their accuracy may not be verified.