There will be a lot of folks out celebrating the new year tonight, and some may get more than a little rowdy. But they are unlikely to rival the parties of old in the
dance halls that once were popular in the Grand Valley and around the Western Slope.
Consider this description of the old COPECO dance hall northwest of Grand Junction:
“It seemed like the devil had been turned loose,” said one visitor. “Drinking and dancing was the only thing left. Even nearby homes had been broken into because of the rough bunch that came to the place.”
The newspaper ad here is for a spring dance, but COPECO had New Year’s parties as well.
For more history on COPECO, check out the entry under “My Columns” in the menu above.
Happy New Year, and don’t let the devil to be turned loose in your celebration.
