Time Machine: 10 years ago, Colorado National Guard opens $33.5 million HAATS facility at airport

Cutline: Construction of the large high-altitude aviation training site at Eagle County Regional Airport began 10 years ago this week.

5 years ago

Week of April 13, 2017

The town of Gypsum has announced that singer Gary Allan will headline the Gypsum Daze concert in July.

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Twenty years after speaking at the Eagle Library’s grand opening, Colorado photographer John Fielder returned for the establishment’s anniversary celebration.

ECO Transit has launched a service in the Dotsero region. The road was removed during the Great Recession of 2009.

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10 years ago

Week of April 12, 2012

The Colorado Army National Guard broke ground on the new $33.5 million High Altitude Aviation Training Site at Eagle County Regional Airport.

Longtime resident Dick Turgeon has passed away. The former full-time Fulford resident is remembered for his many contributions to the community.

Crews removed large fuel storage tanks from the former Swallow Oil site at the north end of Broadway in Eagle. The company had operated an on-site fuel business since the 1950s.

20 years ago

Week of April 12, 2002

Vandals hit Eagle Valley High School, causing severe damage to three buses and the Biology Technology building.

Rebekah Overlease, a 1998 graduate of Eagle Valley High School, was a member of the Hastings College women’s basketball team that won the NCAA Division II title.

Chris Gamble dominated the Eagle Valley High School Invitational Track Meet, winning the 110-meter hurdles, triple jump and 300-meter hurdles. He was also a member of an 800 meter relay team that broke the school record by over a second.

30 years ago

Week of April 16, 1992

Acting Superintendent Nick Seaver withdrew from consideration as the new permanent head of the Eagle County School District and announced that he had accepted a position as superintendent in Longview, Washington.

The Town of Eagle has scheduled a public meeting to present information on its municipal golf course plans. The city was also working with the West Eagle County Metropolitan Recreation District to develop a sports field complex east of Eagle Valley Middle School.

Edith Leaderhause drove a van full of local seniors to Denver for a performance by the Ice Capades.

40 years ago

Week of April 15, 1982

A downtown gypsum structure was destroyed by fire. Phil Weber was remodeling the old warehouse and had planned to open a hardware store on the site, before the fire.

The Eagle Barnsavers group hoped to move the historic Chambers barn to a new site at Eagle River Park and open a historic museum there. “The White Barn was donated by Loren Chambers, and the park site was granted through an agreement between the Historical Society and the Town of Eagle,” the Enterprise reported.

The spring musical at Eagle Valley High School was “Frankenstein Follies.”

WECMRD has halted plans to build a swimming pool and handball courts next to Eagle Valley Middle School. “It’s just going to cost too much to build it. We will have to wait until the assessed rating increases,” explained Recreation District Council Chairman Ralph Starr.

50 years ago

Week of April 13, 1972

John O’Leary, the new owner of the Eagle and Minturn theatres, was unanimously elected president of the Eagle Chamber of Commerce. Plans for celebrating flight days and discussing the importance of the county airport rounded out the rest of the chamber’s monthly activities.

At an Eagle County Coordinating Committee meeting, Kris Moser of the Colorado Game and Fish Department proposed “smart” dog control measures. “People have to understand that a dog is a predator,” he said.

Kaibab Realty and Development of Phoenix, Arizona announced the sale of lots in its new Kaibab subdivision located in Eagle. “Build your house on improved urban land or on rolling country land. Uncommon land value in beautiful Eagle Valley,” reads the company’s advertisement.

60 years ago

Week of April 12, 1962

“The burglars got little for their trouble when they broke into two Eagle businesses on Friday night or Saturday morning,” the Enterprise reported. The thieves took $10 from Koonce Chevrolet and $2 from Rule Electric.

Just a week after his re-election, Eagle Mayor John Hirz suffered a massive heart attack.

Leonard Horn of Wolcott has been re-elected as the beef industry delegate to the National Advisory Board of the United States Bureau of Land Management.

A major landslide north of Dotsero blocked traffic for hours. School children using the water bus were caught behind the slide, but with the help of Mrs. Morton Doll, they walked over the slide area and were taken to the school in Gypsum.

70 years ago

Week of April 10, 1951

“Without a doubt, the basketball tournament of the century will be played in the Eagle School gymnasium on Friday night,” the Enterprise reported. The Eagle Lions Club was the sponsor of the event and the Enterprise claimed that the famous Harlem Globetrotters would be “just insignificant players among the teams vying for this crown”.

Four Gilman residents narrowly escaped injury when an avalanche on Battle Mountain swept their car off the road. Their convertible overturned twice on the road and twice while being transported down a mountainside.

In the United States, the Colorado legislature debated a bill “to revoke the privilege of drinking 3.2 beers for 18-21 year olds.” Secretary of State George J. Baker supported the change, saying, “All my problems for the last five weeks have been with 3.2 places.”

80 years ago

Week of April 10, 1942

Charles Byers was elected mayor of Eagle. He got 49 votes.

An official notice has been released detailing changes to voluntary military enlistment requirements. “Applicants between the ages of 18 and 45 are now eligible whether married or single and the dental and visual requirements have also been lowered to the extent that men with partial or complete false teeth can be accepted provided the teeth are sufficient to perform the chewing function.