Wetmore-Hardscrabble Genealogical & Historical Society

Reseeding and Mulching in the Wetmore Burn Areas

On April 11, 2013, the BLM began dropping seed and mulch over 350 acres in an effort to stabilize the areas burned by the Wetmore Fire in October 2012.

Thanks to Peggy Martin for sharing her photos.

WHG&HS Meeting April 13

Hi All!

April showers bring May flowers...I pray for many showers the rest of the month so May will be full of bright,joyful flowers to begin our new season of life.

Our April meeting will be Saturday, April 13th at 10:00 a.m., at the History Center in Wetmore.  It will be a general business meeting but we hope to see you there.

Margaret

In Honor of George Draper, Co-founder of the WHG&HS

George Draper, Co-founder of the WHG&HS.  Photo taken at the entrance of Draper Cave, 2006.

Leona and George Draper, 2011

 

Burl Stearns Obituary

From the Canon City Record, February 21, 2013

Burl A. Stearns, 88, passed away on February 13, 2013 in Wetmore, CO. He was born July 23, 1924 to George and Ina Stearns in Greenfield, Iowa. Burl married his late wife Lois Jean Martin, October 2, 1948. On November 25, 1972 he married Irene B Breece. He served in the United States Army during WW II and was stationed in Germany. Burl discharged January 18, 1946. He later worked for and retired from the Colorado Department of Corrections. He was a member of the Wetmore Community Church, the Spanish Peaks Chapter of Child Evangelism Fellowship and the Florence Senior Center. Burl is survived by his wife, Irene (Breece) Stearns; daughter, Margaret Rose Hidlebaugh who lived in the family home; son, Joseph P. (Kathy) Breece of Winterset, IA; Barbara Ann (Chuck) Owens, Sandra (Bell) McBeth; several grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Ina Mable Stearns; several brothers and a sister; his first wife, Lois Jean Martin. Services will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 23, 2013 at the 1st Assembly of God Church, 4501 Bearpaw Drive, Florence, CO. In Lieu of flowers donations may be made to Florence Senior Center, Wetmore Community Church or the Wetmore Community Library. Arrangements are handled through Holt Family Florence Historic Funeral Home. Online condolences @ www.holtfamilyfuneral homes.com

Piano Donation to the WHG&HS

James & Rena (Essmeier) Fish have recently donated to the society a 1904 Sohmer and Co. upright piano that was originally purchased new by Dr. Walters in the early 1900’s.  The piano traveled by way of covered wagon to Wetmore.  The piano was purchased by the Essmeier's in the 1950’s.  Rena and her sister learned to play on this piano.  It had traveled to Germany with Rena and her husband James and was recently shipped home to Wetmore.  The piano is now residing in the society’s parlor, the same room it was placed in when owned by Dr. Walters.

 

 Thank you to the Fish and Essmeier families!

Burl Stearns Passes Away

Dear Members,

Our friend and neighbor, Burl Stearns, passed away on Wednesday morning, February 13th.

The obituary has not been printed yet, but we have found out that the memorial service is Saturday, February 23rd, 10:00 am, at Holt Funeral Home in Florence (across from PO).

Rest in peace Burl; and, blessings for the family.

Margaret

Post Plan for the Wetmore Post Office

Update 03/02/13: The Post  Plan for the Wetmore Post Office will take effect March 23, 2013. 

Effective March 23, 2013 our Post Office hours will be Mon-Fri 10:00 am-2:00 pm and Sat 9:00 am- 12:00 pm.

Officials with the US Postal Service met with the Wetmore Community on February 13,2013 to discuss the Post Plan for the Wetmore Post Office.

The  good news is the Wetmore Post Office will NOT close.

Effective sometime in April, the hours of our Post Office will be reduced to 4 hours.

Hours are still to be determined, but will probably be

Mon-Fri 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

Saturday 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. 

The schedule of the current Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday rural deliveries has not been determined yet.  Delivery days may shift.

Access to PO Boxes will not change.

Currently, the Salida processing facility sorts the mail for 812 zip codes. The Salida processing facility is likely to close, so Wetmore mail will go to Colorado Springs for processing.  The Colorado Springs processing facility may close also.  If it does, Wetmore mail will go to Denver for processing.

Local Wetmore to Wetmore mail stays in Wetmore.

2-3 day deliveries should not be delayed.

812 to 812 zip codes may change to 2 day delivery

Evaluations will be made in 2014 based on 2013 information.  At that time, a determination of Post Office hours will be made:

-hours will remain at 4 hours,

-hours will be reduced to 2 hours, or

-hours will be increased to 6 hours

The Wetmore Post Office gets credit for all revenue generated at the Post Office.  So, long story short, please purchase your stamps, send your priority mail and packages through our Wetmore Post Office!

Our Wetmore Post Office has been in continuous use since 1881.

 

 

 

 

 

WHG&HS Meeting in March

Dear Members,

We had a good meeting Saturday with a good turn-out of members.  It was fun listening to stories and remembrances about George Draper.  Even those who didn't really know him had great words for his legacy.

I'm writing early to alert you to a tour set for Saturday, March 9th at 10 a.m.  This will be in lieu of our regular meeting AND will be dependent on our weather.

We will be the guests of Robert and Joan Hamilton at Trinity Ranch.  The tour will include the Trinity Lodge area, the Horatio Breece homestead, the Tennant homestead, Draper Cave, and the Slumber Heights/Steinmeyer Lake areas.

Please bring a sack lunch with you.  Drinks will be furnished by the Hamiltons.  Directions and more information will be forthcoming next month.

Mark your calendars! 

Margaret

Wetmore Volunteer Fire Department-Jerome Weigel and Cleo Day

A great photo taken at one of the many Wetmore Volunteer fund raising events.

This is a photo of Jerome Weigel and Cleo Day.  The description on the back of the photo says""Pan Cake Breakfast Lone Pine Dec 96"

We lost Jerome Weigel in 2012.  I am struck in going through the old photos how active he was with the Volunteer Fire Department.  He is in almost every photo! 

Jerome's daughter Dora recently shared a story her Dad told her:

"Dad was fire chief and working on fundraisers. They delivered by hand a newsletter asking for donations to each house in the area. Dad driving and Alden Breece with him. They pull up in the yard. If a dog would come out Alden would say, “Wait a minute and I’ll stick my wooden leg out!” If the dog didn’t bite his leg they would get out."

We also lost Alden Breece in 2012. 

A big loss for our small community.

 

Wetmore March 24, 1990

The Wetmore Volunteer Fire Department recently donated a box of treasures to the Historical Society.  These treasures include WVFD minutes taken at meetings beginning in 1950,  all the way up to 2001.  Also included are lots and lots of photographs of Fire Department "fun events" and newspaper clippings, mostly from 1990-1996. Thank you Wetmore Volunteer Fire Department for sharing!

I thought I'd share some of the photos over the next few weeks.

This one was taken on March 24, 1990. Hwy 96 east into Wetmore with the old fire station behind the store (white building with 2 garage doors)