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PIIUME 13031 356-4000 EXT. 200
WI I II P.O. BOX 758
C. GREELEV COLORADO 80631
COLORADO
October 18, 1979
Mr. William R. Kelly
Bonell Retirement Home, Room 210
708 22nd Street
Greeley, Colorado 80631
Dear Mr. Kelly:
Please allow me to express a belated thank you on behalf of the
Board of Weld County Commissioners for your accounts of the
"Island Grove Park Grandstand" and the "Weld County Cruise. "
Your recollections of the building of the former grandstand were
of great interest and will remain on file among the Commissioners '
public records for all to read. The Weld County Commissioners of
today can appreciate the problems with which you and the City and
County officials were faced in 1925. The same concerns of financing
and City/County cooperation exist today.
The new grandstands should be of great benefit to Weld County citizens
for many years to come, but it is important to remember those people
who first envisioned the Island Grove facility and its potential role
in our community.
The Board appreciates your sharing this part of Weld County's history
with us, as well as your very enjoyable observations of life in Weld
County. Please accept our thanks and very best wishes.
Sincerely,
Ars
Norman Carlson, Chairman
Board of Weld County Commissioners
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Bonell Retirement Home
Greeley, Colorado
June 27, 1979
Honorable Norman Carlson, Chairman, and
Board of County Commissioners of
Weld County, Colorado
Gentlemen:
Mere is a Weld County, Colorado script by me. A tribute
I thought I owed. You have my "Island Grove Park Grandstand"
which included an auto tour of Greeley, Now is enclosed a
helicopter wide Weld County Cruise.
I have used rhyme to better express sunshine and blue
skies of all Weld County. There is more to be said but my
space got small. Let the Chamber of Commerce write of industries
and Agricultural incomes of Weld County.
This comes soon after my Island Grove2 to you, but do not
fear a cloud of writing 'Thr me. This is my last, it does not
deserve recording.
A man of 96 years does not think it well to put things off.
Now waiting, with a hearing aid, for The Call.
Respectfully,
/71(1)/I • i•
. t e
WILLIAM R. KELLY J
WRK: rk
WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
The sun shines bright on .Old Weld County. Its wide extended
plain gives man it 's bounty, streams , Lonetree and Pawnee ,start in
Weld County's nort,, near Wyoming's and Nebraska 's so"tt . ' Logan
and Morgan Counties ma'-e weld 's eastern line, 'ounrise, early, does
there shine. Boulder and Larimer Counties on our West definq4 Longs
Peak there stand guard alway. Adams worth Baseline is our Sough.
To the North and the East a million acres graze cattle and
sheep. Another million are in wheat fields rolled .
Four hundred thousand acres are tilled in so"t'" and west level
lands big", yield. Irrigation ditches their crops enfold, ',yuaar
beets, grain and hay, potatoes , onions , tomatoes, garden crops
galore there stand sway.
Corn grows too, and its tall in Wcld today. Water does their
yield expand, wit'' cities to _serve them on every hand. Here good
land Gives man its increase . blue skies and sunny days never cease.
Kindly climate, spring, summer, fall and winter give suns bright
days . The sunset breeze from Mountians west cools off the air for
good nights rest.
The horizon west line is not far away, there pea'-s eternal
vigil keep and snowy summits do display.
Horace Greeley's New York Tribune did wisely let snbscri',ers
know, one hundred ten years ago: "Go West Young Man and with the
Country grow" .
Readers came, ready to accept the life of pioneers , to build
life anew. From New England, New York, Atlantic States , Pennsylvania
Illinois , Iowa, Michigan and Ohio. They came from war-torn south too.
The started the Union Colony site near the Cache LaPoudre River.
They broke the prairie hare, built homes , planted trees . dug bia
ditches there to carry the rivers flow to high plains fields. They
built schools , chord es , meeting Hall, Oasis Hotel a host for all,
built a Court House worthy of red brick of design said to be a
Rhode Island duplicate. It served until 1916, when the larger,
stone, Court Mouse was built, where now seven co 'rts preside to
more adjudicate.
Later generations have gone ahead, with Opera )souse, `ospitalss/
bigger schools , college, University playing fields _.•for education and
diversity.
weld County's Fair and rodeo . are of size enough to meet a later
time.
Others to enjoy these things 'have come from other states from
British Isles and Europe. have heen attracted by Weld Land, sunny
days , good soil yields mountain view. They have ' ept coming along
until now Weld County is a hundred thor:saud ;strong a growth , in
nation celebrated.
They named t' eir first town Greeley. It ' ecame t 'e ro^nty
seat. Now wit ! m nicipal facilites replete. From 6007 Greeley' s
first year ! now o 'er 60 . 000 are tere.
Ot'"er towns ',aye crown to cities. Evans next, t en Erie Ft.
Lupton Windsor and Eaton. T' elr shoolsc facilities, factories.)
1arets and ] 'omes pro' ide. Wit i n .;twent• min tr.s\„\dr-4 P fro'n\Co+o,nty
seat are Jo lnstown iKersev , LaSalle ,, Platte•-' lle - A"lt, anr1 Pierce
all do thrive. All afford good water supply, marry from Colorado
Big Thompson districts source.
Less than 40 miles away are a dozen more towns today to serve
neighborhoods with schools , stores for community recourse.
But enough of towns. Back to the land". Its product is show-
ing on every hand. We 're "Knee deep in June" , On pastures green
are cattle seen, a sturdy calf at each cows side. The wheat fieldd
stalks are in the:tboot, for August combine. The sugar beets four
leaves are being thinned by workers glad )with names from ancient
Spain.
The Farm youth sings as to the field he swings to drive the
tractor mower and the windrower. He cultivates the potatoes rows,
He knows , as he goes , that Dads industry in planting has been the
factor.
The farmer himself will the close rows of beets and corn fields
cultivate. He will also be the irrigator, He sees his faith in
nature justified by prospects of good growth in sight for barley
harvest in early July. Then the corn will be " as high as an
elephant 's eye" .
September will potatoes,,round and smooth skin ,roll from the
digger screen. October early will the beet harvest begin. The
two-row machines have made the work shorter. Till then he will
only stop there for 4th of July parade: and rodeo a= d a half day
at fair. He and his helper wife will have winter travel for their
vacation.
Now an old resident is here to declare that " to live in Weld
County 41 great , anywhere" .
And so we do Weld County praise, 'The have good earth, good sky,
sunny days , good mountain water, good mountain view. /We have good
cities too, good county services , good government, good citizenry)
of people varied. We are glad we tarried, it was the place for
good stays all our days , it 's in Colorado:
More, in Mitigation:
As a sitter now, with lengthened years , I try to tell, with
this lame rhyme, this dogger4b, my appreciation. Beside that, it
was /something to dot itself a compensation.
It 's an offering valedictory from an old devotee. One who
learned to use an irrigating shovel.
Greeley Colora& T i
"Bonell" ���. , /
,
June 27, 1979 William R. Kdlly
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