The 2018 Nimon-Walker Award

On April 29th, 2018, Eagle Valley Library District and the Eagle County Historical Society will host its 17th Annual Nimon-Walker Award. The Nimon-Walker Award was created in 2001 to honor those who have made extraordinary efforts to preserve the history of Eagle County. Past honorees vary in topic and size, from family photographs, to rebuilding historic waterwheels. Enjoy this collection looking back through the Nimon-Walker Award's previous winners, and most importantly, this year's honoree: long-time local rancher, Verne Albertson. This year's honoree is Verne Albertson, long-time local and new author. Albertson compiled stories of his childhood growing up in rural Burns, Colorado, in the 1940s. Albertson's book, entitled "Beanies, Stick Horses, Marbles, & Mean Chickens: Growing Up in Burns, Colorado in the 1940s" captures a moment in time that many have forgotten or many in the valley never knew was here. It may be difficult to picture now, but Burns was once a bustling ranching area, with its own stockyard and schools. To read the history of Burns and the Albertsons is to read a list of names and places that have become enshrined in valley history: Nottinghams, Gates, railroads, stockyards, homesteading, and sets a dramatic scene for a transformation of our valley that was just around the bend. Verne isn't the first author in his family: his uncle, Orris, wrote down his memories of Burns and a history of homesteads in the area in the 1990s. Joe Albertson, Verne's father, also wrote down his own story which he entitled "The Making of A Cattleman”. Verne donated this to the library around the same time he figured out that it was his turn to try this ‘author’ gig. All three books are available at the Eagle library and online!, This is a temporary collection created for the 2018 Nimon-Walker Award event.