The Dust Bowl's Black Sunday was in April 1935.
Mancos Times-Tribune, April 12, 1935.
It is a great relief, as one reads about dust storms in another part of the country, to be able to say that we still have considerable snow in the mountains.
Several complaints have been heard regarding bad slippery spots on the Mancos hill road. We will agree it does need gravel in several spots.
Forest Ranger Cayton of Rico reports that the snowfall on the upper reaches of the Dolores river were above average for the last of March.
It now develops that the famous old Indian "Old Polk" didn't pass on but is alive and living in a tent near Towoac.
Traffic accidents were more numerous and severe in the county in 1934 than any previous year. The main cause was driving on the wrong side of the road followed by children playing in the streets.
Mrs. S. W. Carpenter was a shopper in Durango Friday. (Jennie Smith came to Mancos in 1883 and married Samuel Carpenter in 1895. She passed away 1948.)
Mrs. Eva Brittain entertained the Wednesday bridge club. (Eva was a daughter of Mary and Tom Brittain. Tom passed away in 1927 of consumption.)
Mrs. Mary Kelly entertained the Tuesday club this week.( Mary Cooper came to Mancos in 1906. She married Ira Kelly in 1921. Mary helped provide hot lunches for school children during the Depression of the 1930s. She passed away in 1969.)
A baby girl was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Freeman last week. (Jack married Anna Lewis in 1895. He farmed and was also a mail carrier. He passed away in 1948.)
Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hayes have rented a ranch near Lewis. (Arthur married Eva Rutherford in 1927. He passed away in 1956. Eva Hayes taught school in Mancos for many years. She passed away in 1978.)
Lester Hightchew has moved on the Edgar Noland ranch on Mudcreek. (Lester married Lillian Frances and they had two sons - Billy and Bob - and a daughter - Irene. Lester operated a coal mine near Hesperus until 1955 and then worked for 11 years as a road foreman for Montezuma county. He passed away in 1987.)
Ralph Fowler has rented the Stephens ranch in the Mancos river canyon. (Ralph was a past master of Mancos Lodge #100 A.F.&A.M. He married Nona Peel who worked many years for J. C. Penny in Cortez. Ralph passed away in 1980.
Milk is a pleasant way to a healthy life. A quart of milk is ten cents at the Mancos Dairy.
Darrel Ellis is a longtime historian of the Mancos Valley. Email him at dnrls@q.com.
