QR AI: A New Mexico Miscellany

Railroad facilitated growth in Tucumcari

2011-11-30T07:29:00.002-04:00

(Quay County Sun) During the territorial days, the Tucumcari Commercial Club printed a folder to advertise the town and to make a few predictions for the future. Obviously, the club was an active civic organization whose major purpose was to create interest among the business people and to advertise the area. Their enthusiasm shows in some of their predictions for the future.
“Tucumcari has her head above the level. She has forged ahead and is a full length in the lead of any town within a radius of 300 miles and gaining by leaps and bounds. She has passed the experimental stage and is destined to become the metropolis of Eastern New Mexico.” Continued

Go West, Young Confederacy

2011-08-24T17:06:00.006-04:00

(NYTimes) In the blistering August heat of 1861, an ambitious 45-year-old officer arrived in the dusty streets of San Antonio to organize one of the most daring Confederate offensives of the Civil War.
Freshly promoted to brigadier general by none other than President Jefferson Davis, Henry Hopkins Sibley was a distinguished soldier who had spent 22 years in the West. And Davis was suitably impressed with his plan: to cross 1,300 miles of forbidding desert, capturing New Mexico, present-day Arizona, the California gold fields, and the ports of San Francisco and San Diego. Continued

Photos: 1. Fort Union, NM 2. Henry Sibley

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT: SOUTHWEST U.S.A

2011-02-19T08:10:00.002-04:00

(PublicResourceOrg) 1948 Documentary: Depicts traditional crafts in an Indian settlement in New Mexico. R.1. Visits the home of artist Georgia O'Keefe, examines her art and shows Navaho artists making pottery. Indians perform ritual rain dance. R.2. Men illustrate adobe construction. Scenes of the Rio Grande River. Modern irrigation methods insure a harvest of corn, peppers and wheat. R.3. Wheat is ground by water power. Scenes of family life in the settlement's Spanish enclave. Georgia O'Keefe returns to the desert, the inspiration for her work. U.S. Information Agency. (1982 - 10/01/1999). Made possible by a donation from Andrew Gray.

No pardon for Billy the Kid

2011-01-01T20:11:00.000-04:00

(CNN) Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico will not pardon legendary Wild West outlaw Billy the Kid in the death of a law enforcement officer more than a century ago, he said Friday.
Richardson made the announcement on ABC's "Good Morning America" the same day he leaves office.
The issue facing Richardson was whether one of his predecessors, Gov. Lew Wallace, promised about 130 years ago to pardon Billy the Kid -- known more formally as William H. Bonney -- for killing Sheriff William Brady of Lincoln County, New Mexico. Continued

Billy the Kid: a pardon at long last?

2010-07-15T05:15:00.003-04:00

(L. A. Times) "I expect you have forgotten what you promised me," Billy the Kid wrote to New Mexico Territory's governor, Lew Wallace, in 1881. The Kid was writing from a Santa Fe jail cell. He was there because of the dogged efforts of Pat Garrett, who had been elected sheriff of Lincoln County, which comprised the southeastern part of the territory, on the promise that he would put a stop to Billy and his gang of rustlers. Now Billy was waiting to be transported to Mesilla, where he would be tried for the murder of another Lincoln County lawman, Sheriff William Brady. Continued

Before McDonald’s there was Fred Harvey

2010-03-28T00:57:00.005-04:00

(NYTBR) How important was Fred Harvey? Stephen Fried’s “Appetite for America” says that as the nation’s first popular champion of fine dining, he invented chain restaurants, chain hotels and chain bookstores; glamorized train travel; pioneered cultural tourism; and as the writer Frank Waters put it, “introduced America to Americans.” Harvey Girls, who staffed company restaurants at railroad depots throughout the West, were “the first major female work force in America.” Prior to Coca-Cola, “Fred Harvey” was our biggest brand name. Continued

Photo: Harvey House, Belen, New Mexico (Kim Choate/MDRails)

The Plow That Broke the Plains

2009-12-17T06:01:00.000-04:00

"The film presents the social and economic history of the Great Plains -- from the time of the settlement of the prairies, through the World War I boom, to the years of depression and drought. The first part of the film shows cattle as they grazed on grasslands, and homesteaders who hurried onto the plains and grew large wheat crops. The second part depicts the postwar decline of the wheat market, which resulted in overproduction. Footage shows farm equipment used, then abandoned. The third part shows a dust storm as it rendered a farm useless. Subsequent scenes show farmers as they left their homes and headed west. Department of Agriculture. Farm Security Administration. Information Division."

Railroad underwent turmoil during early 1920s

2007-05-05T04:12:00.000-04:00

'On Oct. 30, 1921, some of the workers in the railroad yard of the Santa Fe Railroad went on strike.

Back in May of 1921 the railroad had ordered a 20 percent wage cut. Dr. I. D. Johnson, a retired Clovis dentist, in 1982 said he went to work for the Hammond Supply Co., a dispenser of food and drinks at the railroad, about then.

“The railroad hired some cowboys from down in the sand hills to ride around a high wooden fence topped with barbed-wire, to protect railroad property,” said Johnson.' Read on.

Movie: "TR in New Mexico"

2007-03-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

On Oct. 23, 1916, Theodore Roosevelt campaigns for Republican presidential nominee Charles Evans Hughes and assails the Wilson administration in Albuquerque, N.M. A young woman rides on horseback carrying a bouquet of flowers. There is an auto parade. Roosevelt passes by in an open touring car. Seated next to him is a man who appears to be Albert B. Fall, one of New Mexico's first U.S. Senators (1912-1921) and later secretary of the interior until exposure of his involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal.
There are long and close-up shots of Roosevelt seated on a stone pillar in front of the Alvarado Hotel in downtown Albuquerque, as he amiably talks with men gathered around him, including Sen. Fall, with cigar in hand, and George Curry, the tall man in a light hat, former territorial governor of New Mexico (1907-1911) and U.S. Representative (1912-1913). There is a long shot of Roosevelt speaking to a large crowd from a narrow platform in front of the Alvarado Hotel. Two young women on horseback bring flowers to Roosevelt. Download here, for free, from the Library of Congress.

Governor plans state monument to preserve Fort Stanton

2007-02-24T07:10:00.000-04:00

FORT STANTON, N.M. - Governor Richardson says a state monument will be established to protect and interpret the parade grounds, stables and other historic portions of Fort Stanton.
... Established in 1855, Fort Stanton played a prominent role in opening southeastern New Mexico to settlement. The fort also had roles during the Civil War and during the Lincoln County war and the life of famed outlaw Billy the Kid.

Mescalero Apaches at Fort Stanton

Some Dawson scenes

2007-02-23T06:43:00.000-04:00

Photos courtesy of the Library of Congress

Mesas

2007-02-15T23:20:00.000-04:00

"La Marranita" railcar returns home to New Mexico

2007-02-10T13:30:00.000-04:00

SANTA FE - A railcar dubbed the Doodlebug, which once carried commuters between Clovis and Carlsbad, has been returned to New Mexico from California.The No. M-190 railcar from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway had been stored for 20 years in the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento.It has been returned to New Mexico as a gift to the state history museum at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe and to the people of New Mexico.
... The self-propelled M-190s, also known as La Marranita or the Little Pig, had 22 seats and carried up to 44 passengers as well as the mail. A second passenger car was sometimes attached to the lead car. Read on.

Rodeo at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair

2007-01-28T21:55:00.000-04:00

Russell Lee: Farm Security Administration (FSA) 194o

Laguna 1943

2007-01-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

Laguna Pueblo, Jack Delano: Farm Security Administration (FSA) 1943

Brindle

2006-12-31T23:39:00.000-04:00

Caption: "Spring 1916, Florence Mabel and their cow "Brindle" near Tucumcari, New Mexico

$400,000 grant for Tucumcari train station in works

2006-12-20T21:06:00.001-04:00

The centerpiece of Tucumcari's downtown redevelopment will be its railroad station, which next month, will have $400,000 for improvements. The improvements of the Tucumcari Train Station will be working in tandem with the MainStreet project, said Pete Kampfer, director of the Greater Tucumcari Economic Development Corp. Read On.

Thanx to MDRails for the photo.

The biggest killer in the Southwest SMALLPOX

2006-12-09T15:55:00.000-04:00

Sheriff Holm Bursum and Socorro Mayor Elfego Baca (yes, THAT Elfego Baca) finally decided to quarantine Socorro, with the proclamation printed in the Dec. 24, 1897, Socorro Chieftain. It read as follows:
"QUARANTINE PROCLAMATION — To protect the citizens of Socorro against the spread of smallpox. All persons are prohibited from coming into, locating or staying anywhere within Socorro from San Marcial, Old San Marcial, Valverde, San Antonio and Sabinal. AT&SF Railroad directed not to sell tickets between any aforementioned points to or from Socorro. The City Marshal, Jose de La Luz Gonzales, Rozendo Gomes and Alfredo Gallegos are hereby appointed special officers with power and authority to prevent any person or persons from entering said town of Socorro. Signed: Elfego Baca, Mayor." Read on.

We Do Emu Right!

2006-12-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

Christmas card

2006-12-02T12:39:00.000-04:00

Reads, "A happy Christmas greeting to you from the land of sunny winters and skies of summer blue" Created by J. R. Willis ca. 1930's

Almost gone

2006-11-29T17:29:00.000-04:00

On the road to Clovis, from Tucumcari.

Canon 20D

Dressed for?

2006-11-10T12:38:00.000-04:00

I don't know what they're dressed for. Maybe a WW1 aid society, or fraternal organization? If you know, please leave a comment.

Blue Swallow at night

2006-11-08T10:56:00.000-04:00

BTW, the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari isn't just a pretty place; it's a pretty nice place to stay. It's clean, the owners are friendly, and there's a genuine 1939 Bell Telephone in each room.

1906

2006-11-07T05:09:00.000-04:00

Runnin' on faith

2006-11-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

©QR AI 2006

Salinas Pueblo Missions

2006-11-03T11:49:00.000-04:00

1936

First/Last Motel In Texas

2006-10-21T16:14:00.000-04:00

Glen Rio Texas/New Mexico on old Route 66.

©QR AI 2006

Matador Cattle

2006-10-03T05:24:00.000-04:00

"One of the Matadours thoroughbreds." Perhaps a reference to The Matador Land and Cattle Company in Texas?

Lonesome

2006-09-28T20:14:00.000-04:00

Along I-40 between Tucumcari and the Texas Line.

Old House #2

2006-09-26T20:47:00.000-04:00

Another mystery house. It looks fairly unusual for New Mexico and I'm guessing it dates from around the turn of the 20th century or so. Does anybody recognize it? Is it still standing?

An old oasis

2006-09-24T08:51:00.000-04:00

A bit west of Glen Rio, I think.

Pueblo: A thriving city with a lasting prosperity

2006-09-22T17:52:00.000-04:00

"Pueblo: A thriving city with a lasting prosperity," says the card, and I don't doubt it one bit. The building is the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company's YMCA building. The CF&I had an interesting, some would say checkered, history that both reflected and sometimes shaped America during the 20th century. The Wikipedia has a short introduction to the CF&I here.

Scene near Las Vegas

2006-09-01T18:18:00.000-04:00

"Scene near Las Vegas, New Mexico," postmarked 1912.

Windmill (and cows)

2006-08-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

"Windmill Surguy Ranch" circa 1910. The writing on the tank reads: "Made by J T Morris Tucumcari NM"

Wrinkly youth

2006-08-22T22:55:00.000-04:00

This Southwestern fellow was part of the 141st Infantry ("First Texas") AEF. I do know that he survived the war, but I don't know if he ever learned to use an ironing board. WW1 never gets much attention in the U.S., perhaps it will during the upcoming centennial.

The 141st, part of the 36th Division, faught well at the Meuse-Argonne, and other places in France through the end of the war. See here for more info.

"The Summit"

2006-08-21T18:16:00.000-04:00

"The Summit, Cloudcroft, New Mexico." Publisher: Bailey's Pharmacy, Cloudcroft. Postmarked 1916.

QR AF .5

2006-08-11T17:18:00.000-04:00

Report Card: 1911

2006-08-10T21:20:00.000-04:00

This handsomely aged bit of ephemera is from the 1911-12 Tucumcari public school year. Back then, the best grade was an E, the worst was a P, and you needed an overall average of 80% or above to move up to the next grade.

Old Children #2

2006-08-05T15:49:00.000-04:00

New Mexico circa 1910

If you like trains ...

2006-08-05T14:32:00.001-04:00

If you like trains, you may want to visit two of our other sites: MDRails is a photographic look at American railroading, while National Railroad News, is just the news - in volume.

Lady Magdalena

2006-08-03T00:20:00.000-04:00

Can you see the lady's face in the mountain? Click on the picture for a better view.

Photo: Postcard "Lady Magdalena, near Magdalena, New Mexico. Copyright by W. M. Borrowdale" circa 1916.

The Road to Las Vegas

2006-08-01T04:12:00.000-04:00

"Upper & lower scenic roads near Las Vegas, New Mexico" 1918

Old Children #1

2006-07-28T22:37:00.000-04:00

Dawson, New Mexico ca 1910.

A View of Grants

2006-07-27T22:59:00.000-04:00

Photo: Postcard "U.S. 66 through Grants, New Mexico" circa 1955.

The Belen Cutoff

2006-07-24T16:35:00.000-04:00

In 1907 the AT&SF Railroad completed the Belen Cutoff, a line that bypassed the old route through Raton, in favor of a flatter route through Belen and Clovis. Today it's part of the BNSF "Transcon," one of the busiest freight lines in the nation.

© 2006 QR AI

Jumping to Conclusions

2006-07-21T15:59:00.000-04:00

The inspiration for the postcard above is, as stated on the back, a stunt performed by a park ranger at Grand Canyon, Arizona. However, it looks suspiciously similar to a famous photograph (pictured below) taken by H. H. Bennett of Wisconsin in 1885. The card is postmarked 1948, 63 years after Bennett's effort - and 40 years after his death. Is it just a coincidence? I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared to make that leap.

"Oldest House in the U.S."

2006-07-20T21:25:00.000-04:00

I wonder if they get more calls about second mortgages than I do?

Photo: Postcard ca 1940 "Oldest House in the U.S. Santa Fe, New Mexico"

Belen High School 1937

2006-07-18T10:21:00.000-04:00

Today we have a bit of ephemera from the high school in Belen, New Mexico - a student's registration card from 1937. The front of the card shows the student's name, address, & her parent's occupations: father unemployed (tactfully left blank), mother comptometer operator. The back of the card shows her teachers and schedule.

Pig Pen Scenery

2006-07-17T11:31:00.000-04:00

With the advent of roll film, photography became affordable to the masses. No longer did one have to hire a professional to have a picture made, though the pro's still made a better photograph. People took to casual photography with enthusiasm, snapping images of everything in sight. They were so casual about it that a strange thing happened, they began to smile for the camera. The dour poses of old were forgotten; one could always take a serious picture later on. This explosion in image making has been a boon for historians and the such, who now have millions of pictures from the last hundred years to mull over. Even from the picture above we can learn that, A. Small Southwestern framers raised pigs, and B. Yes, pioneers did smile - at least occasionally.

Photo: "Pig Pen Scenery" Quay County, New Mexico ca. 1913.

Howling Coyote

2006-07-16T10:34:00.000-04:00

The imagery used in the tourism industry hasn't changed much over the years. Even though our ideas on race, and history, and wildlife have changed, the pictures remain the same. And why wouldn't they? People still go to the Southwest to see coyotes, pueblos, and old missions, just like they still go to Washington D.C. to see the White House, or to Lancaster, PA to see the Amish. Our attitudes have changed, but not our curiosity.

Photo: Postcard 1930's

The Old Court House & Jail

2006-07-15T08:36:00.000-04:00

Just looking at this scene makes me want to be more law abiding, and I'm already law abiding. Grim.

Photo: "Tucumcari Court House & Jail" Postmarked 1916.

Katson's Drive-In

2006-07-14T06:19:00.000-04:00

Back in the middle part of the twentieth century, it was popular to be waited on by majorettes. It was around this same time that comic book heroes, dressed in union suits, became all the rage. Somehow I think there's a connection.

Photo: Postcard Front, "Katson's Drive - In, Albuquerque, N.M." Rear, "Katson's Drive - In Restaurant and Curio Shop. Curb, Coffee Shop, Dining Room. Around the Clock Service. On U.S. HiWay 66 West of Albuquerque. In the center of the fine Tourist Court Section." Postmark: 7/21/41

Mesa Redonda

2006-07-13T06:50:00.000-04:00

"Mesa Redonda" is Spanish for "round mesa," but this is actually two mesas facing each other. One is shaped like a horseshoe and the other is slightly rounded. At one time, Mesa Redonda was the ideal hangout for a gang of outlaws and cattle thieves, which was broken up by posses in the early 1890s. The area was also used by the early settlers for ranching, and it was described as having only two cattle trails leading to the top." (From nenewmexico.com)

Photo: Postcard "Sand Rock Sisterns, Mesa Redonda, N. Mex." (cisterns is spelled wrong) Nowell Photo (Dawson, New Mexico) ca. 1916

A View of Tucumcari Mountain 1906

2006-07-12T02:20:00.000-04:00

Taos Pueblo Circa 1912

2006-07-11T02:52:00.000-04:00

Photo: Postcard "Indian Pueblo. Taos N.M. Occupied by over 300 families." No back caption.

Fort Bascom 1907

2006-07-10T09:25:00.000-04:00

Fort Bascom had a short life, lasting only seven years, 1863 - 1870. By the time these pictures were taken (March, 1907), the old fort was in a sorry state. I have also blogged about this fort here & here.

Vacations for all

2006-07-07T23:22:00.000-04:00

Going through these old photographs, I'm often struck by what a time of transition the turn of the twentieth century seemed to be for homesteaders. A person may be slopping the pigs in the morning and on vacation in the afternoon. Granted, there was much more hog tending than pleasure trips, but the evidence in these and other pictures seems to point to the fact that 20th century concepts like tourism and consumerism (for the masses), came very rapidly - even to the Southern Great Plains.

Photo: Seven Falls, Colorado 1913

Federal Land Patents

2006-07-06T06:32:00.000-04:00

If you have relatives or ancestors who were homesteaders, or perhaps you live on land that was once under the Homestead Act, you can get free copies of the original land patents from the U.S. Government. Just go to the The Official Federal Land Records Site and click on "Search Land Patents" at the bottom of the page. If your search is successful, you will be presented with the basic patent info and several choices of downloadable images of the document, or for the very reasonable price of $2.00, you can even have a "Certified Copy" of the original patent mailed to you. There is also a good FAQ that can answer anything I haven't already mentioned.

Little houses

2006-07-05T03:50:00.000-04:00

I think sometimes people subconsciously substitute the word "cute" for the word "little"; as in "Cute House on the Prairie." Well those houses were cute sometimes, and small most of the time, very small. At the time, nine people lived in the house pictured above.

Quay County, New Mexico ca. 1910

Rain on demand

2006-07-03T05:03:00.000-04:00

What would all those old dry-farmers have thought of this? {I think they'd of liked it very much.}

Quay County, New Mexico (both pictures).

NPS Historical Handbook: Fort Union

2006-07-02T05:12:00.000-04:00

"THE RUINS OF FORT UNION graphically commemorate the achievements of the men who won the West. Located on the route of the Santa Fe Trail where the mountains meet the plains, the fort is centered in a region full of historic events and brimming with the romance of the frontier. As a base of operations for both military and civilian ventures in New Mexico for 40 years, 1851 to 1891, Fort Union played a key role in shaping the destiny of the Southwest." Read On.

Girl With Dogs

2006-07-01T00:32:00.000-04:00

December, 1913

Saint Michael's Institute of Liberal Education

2006-06-29T00:00:00.000-04:00

The sign in the background (click on photo to enlarge) says "Saint Michael's Institute of Liberal Education: Stenography, Music, Language, Elocution. Maybe it's where my grandmother and her sisters (pictured above) learned photography.

Tucumcari, New Mexico circa 1912.

The Silversmith's Daughter

2006-06-26T19:19:00.000-04:00

Talk about a popular print, this image has been reproduced over and over for decades. This particular version is from the 1930's. Today, copies of the original photo have become popular again. I wish I knew who the original photographer was.

News from Fort Stanton: Mescalero Apaches break out of the Bosque Redondo

2006-06-24T00:09:00.000-04:00

HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., November 12, 1865.

Major EMIL FRITZ,

Commanding Officer, Fort Stanton, N. Mex.:

MAJOR: You have doubtless heard of the escape of the Mescalero Apaches from the Bosque Redondo. Now is not the time for yourself or Your command to swap horses. Keep everything in order for fighting-everything on the alert. Help the people with all possible protection. Show in Your own person no boy's play now. Those Indians have got to be recaptured or killed, the men, and I want Your zealous help at once, and with no relaxation, to do it until it is done. Raise the whole of that part of the country to a determined spirit to get these Indians now, or they will never enjoy quiet or security. Keep a record of all You do. If the people will rise as one man the Indians will soon succumb; but if there is dillydallying and talk and no energy on the part of the troops and the people that part of the country might as well be given up to the Indians first as last. Tell the Aldoretes that I cannot use any clemency until the brother has given himself up and is with his company. Then I will consider the case. I want Lieutenant Edgar to do company duty and take the field. Lieutenant Haberkorn can act as adjutant as well as quartermaster and commissary, and when You are away, if necessary, as commanding officer. I wish You to see that Captain Baca takes the field and does his share also. You can have no drones about Your hive now; all must work.

Respectfully, Your obedient servant,

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier General.

Pictured above is Emil Fritz, who would later go on to play a small part in the Billy the Kid saga.

Proud Grandparents

2006-06-22T19:43:00.000-04:00

Though photography had reached the masses by 1910, flash and other lowlight equipment had not. Instead people posed outdoors in the sunlight. Occasionally they brought some furniture out with them, like in the picture above.

Quay County, New Mexico 1910.

Grasshopper ...

2006-06-21T22:39:00.000-04:00

... on my windshield.

Origins of Fort Bascom

2006-06-21T02:22:00.000-04:00

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., August 5, 1865.

... Fort Bascom is on the right bank of the Canadian River. This post will accommodate three companies. It was established by myself in 1863 to help guard the eastern frontier of New Mexico from Comanche raids and to protect the people who desired to extend settlements farther down the Canadian. The post is building, but will be nearly completed this fall ...

JAMES H. CARLETON,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

From THE WAR OF THE REBELLION: A COMPILATION OF THE OFFICIAL RECORDS OF THE UNION AND CONFEDERATE ARMIES

Girls Basketball 1909

2006-06-19T22:33:00.000-04:00

If you look closely (after clicking on the image to enlarge it), you can make out a bit of Tucumcari's skyline.

Father's Day

2006-06-18T06:24:00.000-04:00

Monument Rock

2006-06-16T07:47:00.000-04:00

Monument Rock was a popular destination for tourists and residents alike, back in the day. It stood four miles west of San Jon, New Mexico, and was also called Apple Core Rock. It eventually fell over, though nobody is quite sure when.

Deer Dance

2006-06-14T15:58:00.000-04:00

"Pueblo Indians, rehearsing for the Deer Dance." Circa 1937

Tourism 1937

2006-06-12T15:58:00.000-04:00

Back then you could climb on the ruins, which was probably a bad idea, but it sure looks like fun. Quarai ruins, Salinas National Monument.

A fine brace of mules

2006-06-10T19:58:00.000-04:00

Location: New Mexico. Date: unknown.

Logan Railroad Bridge

2006-06-08T01:57:00.001-04:00

The bridge crossing the Canadian River at Logan was built in 1902 and has seen 104 years of continuous service. You don't see many of these types of steel trestles anymore. They are beautiful in their own spindly way.

Photo courtesy of MDRails.

Ephemera: Becker-Dalies

2006-06-06T16:03:00.000-04:00

This is a receipt from the Becker-Dalies Company in Belen, New Mexico. It dates from 1937. It's interesting to see that it is printed in both English and Spanish. People who think bilingual documents are something new, just don't know their American history very well. Sometimes it's the little scraps of history that can be the most revealing.

Roadrunner

2006-06-05T19:13:00.000-04:00

Roadrunner: near Endee, New Mexico. Camera: Canon EOS 10D.

WPA Guide

2006-06-04T20:06:00.000-04:00

Back during the Great Depression the government had to get everybody back to work, including writers. One project was the WPA Guides to America, which consisted of a travel guide for every state in the union. Above is a sample page listing Tucumcari, Endee, Bard, and a few other towns along Route 66. If you want to see more, you'll have to get your own copy. It's still in print and available at most good libraries & bookstores.

Socorroans at war

2006-06-03T01:08:00.000-04:00

Socorroans at war

Paul Harden For El Defensor Chieftain

"Last weekend was Memorial Day — a time to reflect on those who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice. Many people, and the communities in which they live, are deeply affected during times of war. Throughout history, Socorro has been no exception. Socorro, Magdalena, San Antonio, Alamo — all of Socorro County's communities have made sacrifices during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam and now Iraq." Read on.

Migrations

2006-06-02T17:49:00.000-04:00

This woman's family traces its American origins to Pennsylvania, around the time of the French & Indian War. From there they moved to North Carolina and then westward, generation by generation: Tennessee, Arkansas, Kansas, Indian Territory (Oklahoma), New Mexico, and finally California. The girl herself married, had three sons (at least two were killed fighting for the Confederacy in the Civil War), and two daughters who married Union veterans. She died many years later in San Francisco.
Photo: "H. Desnoues, Photographer Clarksville, ARK."

Parade

2006-06-01T15:20:00.000-04:00

Parade: Tucumcari, New Mexico, undated.

Radishes

2006-05-31T18:39:00.000-04:00

Quay County, New Mexico, ca 1912

Watering the horses

2006-05-30T11:32:00.000-04:00

Movies about the Old West seem to always feature store-bought frame water troughs, often so that an actor can fall in one. The photo above shows us a trough made from dugout logs. I'm not saying the movies are wrong, but I do know that people back then often didn't buy things they could make themselves.
Photo: New Mexico, undated.

Still a sound policy

2006-05-28T05:40:00.000-04:00

This vintage sign, on display at the Tucumcari Historical Museum, reads "We do not discuss Politics, Religion, or the Civil War."

Who's really in charge?

2006-05-27T03:41:00.000-04:00

So what, if you end up a rib-eye at Del's, your species is one of the most successful in history. Sneaky cows.

Oil in Tucumcari?

2006-05-26T00:15:00.000-04:00

Mary Lynn Moncus wrote in her "History of Quay County, New Mexico," that "the McGee Well created much excitement before it was abandoned." I wonder how many people lost money on that one. It made a certain amount of sense; after all, oil rich Texas was just down the road. The date? I'm guessing 1915, give or take a few years. This is the grimiest postcard I've ever seen.
Special thanx to the Fallston Almanac for this post.

Old House #1

2006-05-25T04:17:00.000-04:00

I don't know who or where or when. Do you?

Parker House

2006-05-24T03:29:00.000-04:00

Parker House, Tucumcari, New Mexico. I think this home is still standing?

That's it for the Horses

2006-05-23T00:57:00.000-04:00

Automobiles replaced horses much faster than is often remembered. Railroads attributed lost revenue, both passenger and freight, to cars and trucks as early as 1914. Photo: Quay County, New Mexico, ca 1915.

Traveling by Train to Colorado

2006-05-22T03:25:00.000-04:00

Cripple Creek, Colorado on what I assume is the Denver & Rio Grande Western. I wonder if they transferred from the Santa Fe, or the Dawson Line?

The Blue Swallow

2006-05-21T05:16:00.000-04:00

Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari.

Harvest Time

2006-05-21T05:11:00.000-04:00

Rice Township, New Mexico, ca 1907.

Spread it all around

2006-05-20T22:32:00.000-04:00

The proud owners of this new manure spreader end the letter with "pretty swell, huh?" Quay County, New Mexico, ca 1914.

La Nora Courts

2006-05-19T17:04:00.000-04:00

La Nora Courts, Tucumcari, New Mexico

Located on North Side of U.S. Hiway 66 (Route 66) near East side of City 5 Minutes to Shopping District

Bank Failure

2006-05-19T02:19:00.000-04:00

"She put it in the bank and the bank failed, isn't that awful? It is worse than not having any to lose. Mother said not to mention it when I write so don't you, if you happen to write to mother."

Typesetters: Tucumcari

2006-05-17T01:22:00.000-04:00

Typesetters: Tucumcari, New Mexico circa 1917

Typesetter: Cimarron

2006-05-15T00:07:00.000-04:00

Linotype: Cimarron, New Mexico, circa 1917.

"In printing, the Linotype machine (pronounced "LINEotype") uses a 90-character keyboard to create an entire line of metal type at once. This allows much faster printing than with the Gutenberg-style system, in which operators place down one letter, punctuation mark or space at a time. The machine revolutionized newspaper publishing, making it possible for a relatively small number of operators to set type for many pages on a daily basis." (from www.wikipedia.org)

Watermain break, Tucumcari

2006-05-13T00:32:00.000-04:00

A lot of these photos are undated. I can safely say that this picture dates sometime between the time that Tucumcari installed water & sewer and the time that knickers went out of style.

Sidesaddle? I think not.

2006-05-11T00:36:00.000-04:00

J. D. Gray

2006-05-09T14:10:00.000-04:00

Today, everybody has a website, back then, everybody had a postcard. Caption reads as follows:
J. D. (Pop) Gray, Peace Officer
of N. Mex. and West Texas for 25 yr.
- 6ft. 2in. - 210 lbs. -
Hobbs, New Mexico