Page 5 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor February 27, 2014
A LOOK AT BERTHOUD
Bridges over Little Thompson still await repair N
orthern Colorado is an arid region, but its rivers and the bridges that spanned them have been crucial to its development since the 1860s. Surveyor In the Columnist 1850s, before the Little Thompson Valley was settled by homesteaders, an emigrant road known as the Cherokee Trail threaded along the base of the foothills. The Mark course of the French trail changed with the weather but generally occupied a corridor that was a few miles in width. The trail crossed Little Thompson Creek at several fords where rocks and gravel rather than quicksand lay on the river bottom. When steep river banks prohibited the passage of wagons, travelers cut paths for their wagons with shovels. The first bridges in the Little Thompson Valley were built in the 1860s when freighters hauling supplies to the mountain mining camps needed firm footing for their mules
and oxen. The Overland Stage Co. built bridges along the course of their route during that decade, but it is not known if the company constructed a bridge over the Little Thompson. In the 1970s the discovery of old bridge pilings on the creek west of Larimer County Road 23 led historians to speculate that one of the valley’s early bridges sat at that location. One of the valley’s first residents, a rancher named Dick Blore, lived nearby. When the Little Thompson Valley began to attract homesteaders in the early 1870s bridge construction began in earnest. One of the first bridges, a toll bridge operated by William and Oliver Carwile, spanned the Little Thompson one mile south of presentday Berthoud. In 1871 the bridge at the “Carwile’s Crossing” was bought by Larimer County for $75. After its purchase, the bridge was opened to the public. In 1875 the most heavily used bridge over the Little Thompson River was located on present-day Larimer County Road15B. The bridge spanned the creek to speed travel on the Longmont-St. Louis Stage Road. The homestead dwelling of Lewis Cross sat near the bridge as did a large barn that was used by a stagecoach line that passed through three times each week. The bridge, a crude wooden structure that was also
used by teamsters and their freight wagons, was replaced with a new bridge in 1883. The bridge’s original sandstone abutments were exposed to view by the raging waters of the great flood of September 2013. Another early bridge was located on the road that followed the Larimer-Weld County line southeast of Berthoud. A series of bridges over the Little Thompson in Weld County were located on present-day Weld County roads 1, 3, 5 and 7. From an early day the roads were critical to rural residents who hauled everything from coal to sugar beets and wheat on them. The bridge on present-day Weld County Road 1 that has yet to be repaired has been one of the valley’s major thoroughfares for more than 140 years. In June of 1921 a five-day storm dropped four inches of rain and destroyed seven of nine bridges spanning the Little Thompson. The “Lincoln Highway Bridge” (presentday Highway 287 bridge) southwest of Berthoud and the bridge on Larimer County Road. 17 were among the bridges that were swept away. Within a month temporary bridges were built at those crossings, including one on Road 17 that was financed by the Berthoud Lions Club and built by local contractor John Bell.
OBITUARY
Dean lived in the Loveland/ Berthoud area and worked as a farmer and rancher all of his life. He was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church. Dean was very involved Dean Anderson with many organizations, serving on the board of directors for the Colorado Cattle Feeders, The Farm Service Agency, The Poudre Valley R.E.A. (for 27 years), The Big Thompson Conservation Board, The Little Thompson Water District and Larimer County Planning Commission, as well as being a co-owner of Loveland Feed and Grain. One of his big passions and hobbies was working and ranching up at his Sheep Creek Ranch in Rock River, Wyo. Dean is survived by his wife, Betty Anderson of Berthoud; daughter, Laurie Schlagel and husband Michael of Loveland; son, Steven Anderson and wife Laurie of Berthoud; grandchildren, Tyler Schlagel (Arika) of Berthoud, Aaron Schlagel of Evans, Colo., and Suzanne Hull (Tyson), Emmy Phillips (Tim) and Matthew Anderson (Amanda) all of Berthoud. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Dallas Schlagel, Braden Hull, Jordan Hull, Trevin Hull, Riley Anderson and Kash Anderson, all of Berthoud. He is preceded in death by his brother, Fred Anderson. Funeral services were at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Loveland. At the families request there was no viewing. Interment at Loveland Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or House of Neighborly Services in care of Kibbey Fishburn Funeral Home.
Jupiter takes center stage throughout March
Dean Anderson June 23, 1930 — Feb. 22, 2014 Dean G. Anderson, 83, of Berthoud, Colo., died on Feb. 22, 2014, at home. He was born on June 23, 1930, in Loveland, Colo., to Edwin Swan and Helen Josephine (Peterson) Anderson. Dean graduated from Loveland High School in 1948 and attended the University of Colorado in Boulder. He married Betty Jo Janssen on Sept. 15, 1950, in Loveland.
J
upiter is high in the eastern sky as evening twilight darkens. Shining at a bright magnitude of -2.4, Jupiter will be the brightest “star” in this part of the sky. This Eye on the Sky month is the best time to Surveyor Columnist view Jupiter through a telescope. With the availability of telescopes at the public events at Chamberlin, SommersBausch and Little Mike Thompson Hotka Observatories, you will be able to see the red and white cloud bands on the planets’ surface as well as its four largest moons. Venus, Mars and Saturn are found in the morning sky this month. Venus is low in the southeastern sky just before morning twilight begins. Shining brilliantly at a magnitude of -4.8, Venus is easy to find. On the morning of March 27, find a slender crescent Moon near and to the left of Venus.
I focus all of my energy on only a few things that make a drama c impact: • Crea ng a financial plan to help you accomplish your financial goals. • Inves ng your money in alignment with your financial plan. • Keeping you disciplined, in good mes and bad. Please consider Indelible Wealth Group for your Investment and Planning Needs • When funding your re rement account or conver ng to a Roth IRA • If you are experiencing excessive trading ac vity or capital gains out of alignment with your tax bracket • If you feel you’re paying too much for your investment and advisory fees • If there is a lack of integra on between your tax and estate planning strategies • If you experience a life changing event (re rement, death, divorce, birth of child/grandchild) • Investment Fiduciary services for small and mid-sized businesses
Indelible Wealth Group — Jason M. Brooks CFP AIF 440 Mountain Ave., Berthoud 877-226-6575 IndelibleWealth.com
Photo by Mark French
The bridge over the Little Thompson River on Weld County Road 1 southeast of Berthoud was damaged during the September 2013 flood. The bridge on the historic and heavily-used thoroughfare still awaits repair by the Town of Berthoud.
Six months after the great flood of 2013 the bridges over the Little Thompson on Larimer County Road. 17 and Weld County Road 1 have yet to repaired and continue to pose a considerable inconvenience to residents living in the rural area south of Berthoud. Larimer County is responsible for the repair of the bridge on Road 17 and the Town of Berthoud is accountable for the bridge that is out
on Weld County Road 1. In 2014 it is impossible to break off the trail and find another river crossing like travelers on the Cherokee Trail did in the 1850s. It’s a sure thing that Berthoud’s rural residents have considered that possibility during the past six months, but that’s not the way of the modern world.
Mars brightens significantly this month, reaching a magnitude of -1.3. Mars rises about 3 ½ hours after sunset as the month begins, where you will find it high in the southwestern morning sky as morning twilight begins. Its brilliant red color is unmistakable as it spends the month in the constellation Virgo, the Maiden. On March 19, the Moon will be to the left of Mars. Saturn rises in the east, in the constellation Libra, the Scales just before midnight on March 1. Shining at a magnitude of +0.4, Saturn’s golden glow will distinguish it from nearby stars. Saturn is high in the southern sky about an hour before sunrise. You will find the Moon just to the left of Saturn on the morning of March 21. The Little Thompson Observatory is having their monthly open house event on March 21. The evening starts out at 7 pm. with an exciting astronomical talk. Telescope observing follows the talk, weather permitting. The observatory is at the northeast edge of Berthoud High School. More information can be found at http://www.starkids.org or by calling 970-613-7793. The Denver Astronomical Society will be hosting its monthly open house on March 8, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at DU’s historic Chamberlin Observatory, located near the Denver University campus at 2930 East Warren Ave. Telescope view-
ing through the 20-inch Alvan Clark refracting telescope will also be available, along with several smaller telescopes on the lawn of the observatory, weather permitting. Call 303871-5172 for more information. Every Friday night of March, on the CU Boulder campus, the Fiske Planetarium and the SommersBausch Observatory will be open to the public. On March 7, Dr. David Brain will talk about “Was Ancient Mars Like Earth?”. On March 14, the show is called “The Other Side of Infinity: Black Holes.” On March 21, the show will be “Dynamic Earth” again. And on March 28 the show is called “The Other Side of Infinity: Black Holes.” All planetarium shows start at 7 p.m.. After the Fiske show, hosts at the Sommers-Bausch Observatory will guide you while you view celestial objects through their 16-inch and 18-inch telescopes. For more information, call 303-492-5002. A magnitude 1 star is about 2.5 times brighter than a magnitude 2 star. A magnitude 0 star is about 2.5 times brighter than a magnitude 1 star. The Sun shines at about magnitude -26 and a Full Moon shines at about magnitude -12. The Hubble Space Telescope can look at objects that are as faint as 31st magnitude. Magnitude numbers range from -26 through zero, then 1 through the largest number that current instruments can detect, which is 31.
Community News and Notes Katherine Workman of Berthoud, is a freshman majoring in nursing at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Ill., and was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester 2013. She is the daughter of Rob and Laurie Workman of Berthoud. To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must have a 3.5 grade point average and be a full-time student. Stephanie Heaton of Berthoud was named to Colorado State UniversityPueblo Dean’s List for the fall 2013 semester. Heaton’s major is business management and is set to graduate in the spring of 2014. Carly Ann Smith of Berthoud was named to the University of NebraskaLincoln Deans’ List/Honor Roll for the fall semester of the 2013-14 academic year. Smith is a senior political science major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Larimer County Workforce Center to host Larimer County construction event on Thursday, March 6 from 1 - 5 p.m. at the Larimer County Workforce Center, 200 W. Oak Street, first floor hearing room, Fort Collins, Colo. No cost to attend. http://coptac.ecenterdirect.com/ Conferences.action Did you know any federal construction contract worth over $1.5m that is
awarded to a large contractor requires the use of small subcontractors? For this reason it is important for the large construction firms and government agencies to maintain a strong pool of small contracting resources at the ready. Further, there is an increasing need for construction firms as Colorado continues its recovery efforts from the September 2013 floods. Construction subcontractors are invited to participate in this key outreach forum where large construction prime contractors, federal agencies, state agencies, and local organizations will discuss what it takes to do business with them as vendors and subcontractors. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to learn and network with large businesses, agencies, and other construction contractors. The Colorado PTAC, the Larimer County Workforce Center, the Larimer Small Business Development Center and the Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation have partnered to offer this event to the Larimer County community. For more information call the Larimer County Workforce Center at 970-61--4650.