1951
10/12/51 In their ongoing effort to install street markers in town, the Ruidoso Business and Professional Women’s Club announced that the would do the painting themselves. Postmaster Jack Hull made a building next to the post office available, and the club received donations for utilities and materials.
Only 40 per cent of rural homes in New Mexico had electricity, compared to 84 per cent nation-wide.
Insurance agent Warren Barrett offered “polio insurance policies for as little as $2.50.”
1976
10/7/76 The $2 million International Space Hall of Fame in Alamogordo opened. Thirty-five people were inducted, including astronaut Neil Armstring and rocket pioneer Dr. Robert Goddard. Exhibits included a model of the Soviet manned space craft Vostok.
10/11/76 Aspencade’s Mule-O-Rama was pronounced a success. Events included mule races, mule saddling and shoeing contests, a fiddling contest and a braying contest (for humans only). Former New Mexico governor Bruce King rode in the parade in a mule-drawn buggy. Ray Reed served as emcee. Many of the events were held at the Chaparral Lodge.
2001
10/05/01 Work on the $30 million Mescalero School complex neared completion.
A property on Porr Drive was rezoned for a 6300-sq. ft. medical office building, the future offices of Dr. Frank DiMotta and Dr. Frederick French.
10/12/01 Roy Parker, manager of Ski Apache, reported two inches of snow, and that “means we’re on the way to winter.”
The 1918 LaFrance fire engine made its first public appearance in the Aspenfest parade. The vehicle reportedly did well during the parade but later broke a fan belt. Volunteers carrying donation buckets collected more than $1000 for the continuing restoration of the fire engine.
Sierra Contracting Co. of Ruidoso Downs sold its first batch of compost—500 cu. yds.–to a mine reclamation project near Lordsburg. The company had switched from burning forest waste to composting several years earlier, and expected to produce 30,000 cu. yds. in the next year.