Yet another Alamogordo thread (Las Cruces, Mesilla: construction jobs, restaurants, shop)
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Elko, I will take the book with me when I fly down to ELP for a look at Alamo real estate first week in September. I enjoy reading a book describing the history of a place I am visiting.
Reading Robert Utley's "Billy the Kid: A Short and Violent Life" while visiting Lincoln County many years ago made that country come alive.
Joqua, seeing the TBHS museum will be a priority.
Good idea, Oregon Bill. The Alamogordo - Ruidoso - Capitan - Lincoln - White Oaks area is my favorite historical area in all of New Mexico. Billy the Kid liked to hang out in White Oaks and no doubt favored the 'No Scum Allowed Saloon.'
There is a lot more going on in the area both at Holloman and White Sands than is publicized. One large-scale program not mentioned here is military drone development and training of drone pilots. IOWs, Holloman provides quite a lot of logistical support to White Sands and McGregor range programs. The vast desert region surrounding the AFB is ideal for fighter/bomber training runs in support of ground troop maneuvers carried on at McGregor range.
Tucson and Nellis do the same and would probably stay open before Holloman.
I cannot recommend Sonnichsen's Tularosa book highly enough. It's just a rip-snorting good read if you have any interest in history at all, and especially rewarding if your Texas ancestors from the Buffalo Gap/Taylor County area drove cattle to La Luz in 1884 as mine did. I'd bet gold that young Oliver Lee's school teacher in Buffalo Gap was my great-grandfather, Champion Travis Traylor.
Tough and fascinating characters wrote the story of what would become Otero County in blood, sweat and tears in the last part of the 19th century. The chapter on Gene Rhodes is especially good.
I found my great-great grandmother's grave in the Monte Vista Cemetery, and found her obituary in the Feb. 7, 1918, issue of the Otero County News on microfilm in the Alamo library. I was pleased, to say the least.
I cannot recommend Sonnichsen's Tularosa book highly enough....found her obituary in the Feb. 7, 1918, issue of the Otero County News on microfilm in the Alamo library. I was pleased, to say the least.
You likely didn't have time to visit the Tularosa Basin Historical Society museum in their new location in Alamogordo, but they have a wealth of documentary and photographic information, to say nothing of the various exhibits.
Joqua, the docent taking the admission fee told me their archives are mostly first-hand reminiscences by pioneers. Should be some nuggets to be panned once I have some time. I tried to make the most of my visit, and even drove to Oliver Lee State Park, but the interpretive center was closed due to a staffing shortage. I didn't have the proper footwear to do any hiking.
Should be some nuggets to be panned once I have some time.
The small compact model train museum is another nugget for those who never outgrew their first model train (like ME?). It's manned by volunteers and last time I visited did not charge admission. I particularly admire all the effort someone put into the layout representing the former (now defunct) lumbering RR that ran from Alamogordo to Cloudcroft, which was still in operation in my childhood days. A good read on that subject is a small paper-back book titled: The Cloud Climbing Railroad which may still be obtainable in local book stores and from the Historical Society museum and possibly here:
That book looks like a must read. Thanks for suggesting it! I was a bit surprised not to be able to find a bookstore in Alamo, although the friends of the library apparently have a used book shop in one of the malls that I was unable to visit. Drove up to the one in Cloudcroft, but he had just a few local history titles.
I was a bit surprised not to be able to find a bookstore in Alamo...
I'm surprised too since I had not realized the Hastings closed up shop last fall after serving Alamogordo with books and other media for many years. Same goes for Wally's Paperback Exchange. Here's an article on the Hasting's loss to the community:
My favorite book store, especially for hard to find books on local subjects, is located on the Plaza in Old Mesilla. It's got all the ambiance of an old fashioned book store - mustiness included.
Quote:
Mesilla Book Center: Housed in an historic mercantile building on the Plaza, circa1856.
A full service bookstore specializing in Southwestern Americana;
large selection of children's and general titles. Also, Navajo rugs and Chimayo blankets, Indian arts and crafts , and maps. Tue.- Sat. 11-5:30, Sun. 1-5, closed Monday. (575)526-6220
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