“These trucks of the La Plata Fire Volunteers – a 1,300-gallon pumper of 1948 vintage, a World II 1,000-gallon pumper and a 1950 200-gallon pumper pickup truck – are all in need of repair and upgrading. This is one of the reasons the volunteers have decided to discontinue service to the county by the end of 1965. ... The trucks above will be on the auction block unless someone comes up with a workable plan to finance a county volunteer fire unit.”
“These trucks of the La Plata Fire Volunteers – a 1,300-gallon pumper of 1948 vintage, a World II 1,000-gallon pumper and a 1950 200-gallon pumper pickup truck – are all in need of repair and upgrading. This is one of the reasons the volunteers have decided to discontinue service to the county by the end of 1965. … The trucks above will be on the auction block unless someone comes up with a workable plan to finance a county volunteer fire unit.”Photo Arts photo

75 years ago: “All cars are ordered to be off Main Avenue by midnight tonight so that the street department may plow out all the snow from the curbs. The order is issued by City Manager O.W. Harrah, and the most complete cooperation by car owners is requested.”

50 years ago: “The La Plata Fire Volunteer siren will be shut off at midnight Jan. 31 and the volunteer firemen won’t take any more calls. Volunteer Fire Chief Charles Self said the group will take inventory of its equipment after Jan. 1 and start disposing of it about Feb. 1. Fire volunteers were forced into ceasing operations by lack of funds and consistent support. … The volunteers gave the county its only rural fire protection.”

25 years ago: “Plumbers and welders took advantage of relatively balmy weather, whittling down waiting lists and thawing out pipes frozen during the past week of sub-zero low temperatures. Meanwhile, temperatures are predicted to dip below zero again the next few nights, and plumbers caution homeowners to protect pipes.”

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