By Brenda Wilkinson Socorro Field Office Archeologist George McJunkin was born a slave near Midway, Texas in 1851. George was freed at the age of 14 after the Civil War ended. He was already fluent in Spanish, experienced with horses, and used to helping his father in his blacksmith…
The stereotypical cowboy most people think of today actually began with Spanish traditions, and before that, the Moors. During the 16th century, the Conquistadors and other Spanish settlers brought their cattle-raising traditions as well as both horses and domesticated cattle to the Americas, starting with their arrival in what…
What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865 that the Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were…
10 3 1934 Jerry Apodaca was born in Las Cruces, NM in 1934. He attended the University of New Mexico earning a Bachelor of Science degree. A veteran of the Marine Corps., Apodaca returned to Las Cruces and opened his own insurance business with his bride, Clara. They would…
6 28 1866 “Buffalo Soldiers” Act of Congress authorized the creation of six regiments of Black troops, two of cavalry and four of infantry. These troops went on to play a major role in the history of the West, as the "Buffalo Soldiers." In 1875-76, the 9th Cavalry Regiment…
Victory for Gallegos, 1853 On September 5, 1853, Padre José Manuel Gallegos, an Albuquerque priest, defeated Gov. William Carr Lane in a hotly contested congressional election. Padre Gallegos had been educated in Durango, Mexico, as many priests from New Mexico had. During the late Mexican period, Gallegos had become increasingly…
By Juan Estevan Arellano With the colonization of the Americas by Spanish settlers, New Mexico was introduced to new peoples including assorted Europeans, Tlaxcalteca Indians and mestizos from Nueva España or Mexico. In addition, New Mexico saw the introduction of different fruits and vegetables never before seen in this…
In 1924, renowned Santa Fe artist Will Shuster added Zozobra to the Santa Fe fiesta celebrations. Local artist William Howard Shuster, Jr. – "Will" (1893-1969) conceived and created Zozobra in 1924 as the focus of a private fiesta at his home for artists and writers in the community. His…
Shalam, the Land of Children By Lee Priestley, 1978 Shall I begin by my lack of qualification as a historian? I am only a writer in pursuit of a story. There are two ways of going about historical research. There is the correct way. A careful collection of facts,…
Shalam Colony, A Utopian Experiment Research by Linda Blazer Shalam was founded by a New York dentist and doctor named John B. Newbrough and a group of his religious followers called Faithists. Newbrough claimed to have written a new Bible, called Oahspe, while under spirit control. Contained in this…
