First News Fall 2009

Open House, Calendar Distribution Planned
 

   As another year end approaches, the staff at the First National Bank in Trinidad, along with its branch facilities, are busy making final preparations for its open house reception and calendar distribution. The 2010 Historic Collector's Series Calendar will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the open house reception scheduled for Thursday, December 3rd from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. As in past years, separate receptions will be held in Trinidad, Walsenburg, and Raton, New Mexico.

   The 2010 calendar profiles the professional photography of Trinidad resident, Duane F. Sehon, who over time, opened studios in Trinidad, Walsenburg and Raton. His vast collection of images includes studio photography, home, group, sports, school, aerial, and commercial images taken over a forty year time frame. His imagery chronicled ordinary life in southern Colorado and northern New Mexico during the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. His subject matter, now considered historic by nature, includes the early days at radio station KCRT, curb service and car hop restaurants of the period, the Walter Brewing Company, school portraits from Walsenburg, retail sidewalk sales of the era, and rare aerial photography depicting area growth patterns and a bird's eye view of the Municipal Golf Course.

   Sehon fashioned a career based on his military training when he joined the U.S. Army in 1942 and later graduated as an aerial combat photographer from Lowry Field photography school in Denver. Assigned to the Fifteenth Army Air Force based in Italy, Technical Sergeant Sehon flew over fifty bombing missions with a veteran B-17 Flying Fortress group. He captured aerial photos of bomb strikes used to evaluate damage assessment in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Austria, Germany and southern France. By 1947, Sehon arrived in Trinidad where he opened a studio known as Tru-Life Photographs. He passed away in 1983, and daughter Dona continued to operate the studio until 1989. Currently, Duane's enormous collection of Tru-Life photographs and negatives are archived at the A.R. Mitchell Museum in Trinidad.

   As always, the 2010 Collector's Series Calendar is distributed as a gift to the community and all residents are encouraged to attend the open house. Again this year, area author and historian, Ken Fletcher, found and researched the photography and wrote the text. He will be in attendance to sign calendars at the main bank in Trinidad. Mark your calendar and plan to attend the festivities.