NEW MEXICO: THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT
BY CLAY
LARROY
There is nothing more
exciting than traveling.
Whether you are going for a road trip to see something new in your own state,
or heading off to somewhere for the very first time to visit a city you have
always dreamed of, there are some travel
basics that you should know. Travel in the
off seasons from November to April, to avoid crowds,
save money and enjoy temperate weather. In those months, many families with
children cannot travel due to school commitments, making many tourist
attractions much less crowded. This may also result in lower costs for airfare
and hotels. When
you are ready to plan a vacation contact me!
New Mexico Travel Guide
New
Mexico history, language & culture
The land now known as New
Mexico was originally occupied by members of the Clovis cultures of
Paleo-Indians and Mongolian Indians, as well as American Indians. By the 16th
century there were also Navajo, Ute and Apache, who had settled together.
The first explorer that set out to find the land was Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. An enormous expedition was assembled at Compostela in 1540-1542 to find the magical cities of gold as described by Fray Marcos de Niza as the mystical ‘Seven gold cities of Cibola.' It was widely believed, among explorers at the time, that New Mexico was filled with gold. Coronado was unsuccessful in his quest to discover the land and was unable to find any gold.
The name New Mexico was decided upon by Juan De Onate when he was appointed first governor of the province of New Mexico in 1598. In the same year he founded the San Juan de los Caballeros colony, the first permanent European settlement in New Mexico.
Once appointed, governor Onate extended the road from his remote colony to Santa Barbra Chihuahua. This road was 1130km (700 miles) long and named El Camino de Real Tierra Adentro (The Royal Road of the Interior).
From 1680 to 1692 as a result of an uprising by the Pueblo people the settlement was abandoned by the Spanish. The uprising had been led by Pueblo leader Popé and the area was restored to Spanish rule after his death. Once resettled, the Spanish settlers founded Albuquerque and set out to develop it as a trade center.
Following the Mexican war of Independence in 1820 the claims for the province of New Mexico passed to Mexico. New Mexico was separated from Texas by the Comanche and its only attempt was the failed Texas Santa Fe expedition. The extreme northeastern part of New Mexico was originally ruled by France but was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Spanish population had reached 25,000 by the 19th century but Comanche and Apache raids on Hispanic settlers in the region were common until much later.
The New Mexico territory on September 9th 1850 was established to recognize the settlement of New Mexico which today includes Arizona and parts of Colorado. In the Gadsden Purchase of 1853 the US acquired the heel of southwestern Arizona below the Gila River for the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state in the union on January 6th 1912.
The first explorer that set out to find the land was Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. An enormous expedition was assembled at Compostela in 1540-1542 to find the magical cities of gold as described by Fray Marcos de Niza as the mystical ‘Seven gold cities of Cibola.' It was widely believed, among explorers at the time, that New Mexico was filled with gold. Coronado was unsuccessful in his quest to discover the land and was unable to find any gold.
The name New Mexico was decided upon by Juan De Onate when he was appointed first governor of the province of New Mexico in 1598. In the same year he founded the San Juan de los Caballeros colony, the first permanent European settlement in New Mexico.
Once appointed, governor Onate extended the road from his remote colony to Santa Barbra Chihuahua. This road was 1130km (700 miles) long and named El Camino de Real Tierra Adentro (The Royal Road of the Interior).
From 1680 to 1692 as a result of an uprising by the Pueblo people the settlement was abandoned by the Spanish. The uprising had been led by Pueblo leader Popé and the area was restored to Spanish rule after his death. Once resettled, the Spanish settlers founded Albuquerque and set out to develop it as a trade center.
Following the Mexican war of Independence in 1820 the claims for the province of New Mexico passed to Mexico. New Mexico was separated from Texas by the Comanche and its only attempt was the failed Texas Santa Fe expedition. The extreme northeastern part of New Mexico was originally ruled by France but was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. The Spanish population had reached 25,000 by the 19th century but Comanche and Apache raids on Hispanic settlers in the region were common until much later.
The New Mexico territory on September 9th 1850 was established to recognize the settlement of New Mexico which today includes Arizona and parts of Colorado. In the Gadsden Purchase of 1853 the US acquired the heel of southwestern Arizona below the Gila River for the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state in the union on January 6th 1912.
Things
to see and do in New Mexico
Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway
Ride the Sandia Peak
Aerial Tramway (www.sandiapeak.com), 4.3km (2.7 miles) above the
deep canyons of Albuquerque on the world's longest single-span tramway.
Santa Fe Trail
Travel the Santa Fe Trail (www.nps.gov/safe)
and visit the San Miguel Mission, one of the oldest churches in the country,
and Loretto Chapel (www.lorettochapel.com), with its 'Miraculous
Stairway', so called because elements of its design baffle experts to this day.
Santa Fe
Tour the southwestern town
of Santa Fe, the 'City of the Holy Faith', with its adobe-style buildings and
quaint town square filled with galleries, Native American crafts and jewelry.
The oldest and highest capital in the country, it boasts more than 150 art
galleries.
Ski and
snowboard
Ski and snowboard fresh
powder snow at one of the nine major skiing areas in the state. The high
mountains and dry air make for great downhill and cross-country skiing (www.skinewmexico.com).
Taos
Rediscover the Old West in Taos at
the home of 19th-century scout, Kit Carson. When Carson's brother-in-law and
governor of New Mexico Territory was murdered in a nearby house, the governor's
wife and children escaped by digging through the wall of their adobe home using
kitchen utensils.
Traditions
Festival Marketplace
Enjoy the Traditions
Festival Marketplace (www.traditionsnewmexico.com),
dedicated to selling products and services made in New Mexico. Performances and
exhibitions in the outdoor plaza and gazebo showcase New Mexico culture.
Trout fishing
Cast your line in the
Animas and San Juan rivers known to provide some of the best trout fishing in
the nation.
Turquoise Trail
Travel through deserted
mining towns on the Turquoise Trail (website: www.turquoisetrail.org).
Ghost towns Madridand Golden were abandoned when
supplies of gold, turquoise and coal mines ran dry.
White-water rafting
Go white-water rafting on
the wild rapids of the Rio Grande or calmer waters of the dam-controlled Rio
Chama Rivers.
REFERENCE SITES:
It's hard to believe a kid
hitting golf balls in the cow pastures of New Mexico could have accomplished
what I have accomplished.
Billy Casper
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