The Chronicles Of Grant County

Yes, this is an April Fools Day news column. Happy reading.

No, there are no current plans by President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to move 94,198 people into Grant County.

But this news column is based on a number of facts.

President Biden has committed to immigration reform and changes in American policies to deal with climate change.

The President has designated Vice President Harris to supervise plans to solve the crisis at the border.

It is true that the Federal government had plans – real, actual plans – to move 94,198 residents of El Paso, Texas, into Grant County if the Soviet Union was planning to bomb the United States with nuclear weapons. Of that number of people, plans – real, actual plans – had 55,000 of those residents moving into the Ground Hog Mine.

Thankfully, the Soviet Union never bombed El Paso and the Federal Emergency Management Agency never implemented those plans to increase the population of Grant County.

"San Jose" really is the name of the mine that was later incorporated into the Ground Hog Mine operations.

Without joking, the image detailing the Ground Hog, Lucky Bill, and San Jose Mines was actually produced by the United States Geological Survey on April 1, 1933.

What is that saying? Ah, yes:

"Truth is stranger than fiction."

Do you have questions about communities in Grant County?

A street name? A building?

Your questions may be used in a future news column.

Contact Richard McDonough at chroniclesofgrantcounty@mail.com.

If your email does not go through, please contact editor@grantcountybeat.com.

© 2021 Richard McDonough