This is the official program of the Santa Fe Fiesta, 1922.  In the early days of the Fiesta, the events were catorigized daily per the page shown below.  Santa Fe Trail Day, De Vargas Day, and Indian Day, which featured the first Indian Market.  The Entrada was celebrated, as well as the Santa Fe Trail, which had ceased operation only 45 years previously and was still remembered by many folks.  There was no Zozobra, Pet Parade, or Historical/Hysterical Parade.  The State Armory mentioned was on Washington Avenue, right behind the Palace of the Governors, where the Fray Angelico Chavez library is today. Thanks to Ron Trujillo for providing the program.

Program of events, Santa Fe Fiesta, 1922

New Mexico State Armory, 1919

Indian Day display, State Armory, Santa Fe Fiesta, 1922 

In 1946, the New Mexico Tourist Bureau issued this map showing off the recreational, historical, and otherwise interesting places in the Land of Enchantment.  Click on the green link below to download a high-resolution copy that can be examined in detail.

Thanks to Sam Jackson for finding this.

--Mike Lord

Santa Fe's Frank Gormley was one of the first people to sell piñon nuts on a large scale.  Between 1915 and 1939, 16,000 tons of piñon were legally harvested in the forests of New Mexico.  Most of these were shipped to New York and other major east coast cities, primarily to satisfy the demand of new Italian immigrants who used pine nuts as part of their diet.

Gormley piñon room, 1925

Gormley piñons on the Plaza, 1925

In 1961, Ewen Enterprises published a small book featuring Tommaso Macaione highlighting Santa Fe businesses.  It is a delightful look at the Santa Fe of 50+ years ago.  The entire book can be downloaded at the green link below.

This small wagon trace was found at the site of the ghost town of El Chato, NM, located at the western edge of the Estancia Valley in central New Mexico. Abandoned in the 1930s. El Chato was a farming community that contributed to New Mexico's pinto bean dominence. The trace was severely damaged and then repaired by a local blacksmith. He straightened and reshaped the right side, adding a hand made U-shaped piece. While not elegant, the repair is perfectly functional and illustrates the resourcefulness of the person who created it.

This is a page from the Santa Fe New Mexican in the spring of 1898. Attached is a high-resolution image that can be downloaded, enlarged, and read.  A fascinating look at the news and ads from 120 years ago.

Medallion trees. They were begun by an unknown person in the 1920s.  Whoever did it took core samples and then placed a medallion commemorating an event that was as old as the tree. The tradition has continued and there are now 84 known trees. The old medallions were covered by a cap which is why they are in such good shape. This medallion was placed in 1928.

Below is a downloadable PDF file showing the location of all of the trees.

Click Here for a photo album by Vivian Heyward showing many of the medallions.

This is a part of our Montoya Family History:

Los Ladrones
Friday; August 9, 1907

Dates and Events of the Era
1861 to 1865: Civil War
1846 to 1848: Mexican American War
Sept 9, 1850: NM Became A Territory
1852 to 1942: Don Jose Mauricio Cipriano Chavez Baca (Chavez—Nina’s Father)
Dates Unknown: Cilvestrita Castillo Chavez (Mama Cilvestra—Chavez’ Wife)
1874 to 1965: Juan de Jesus Montoya y Castillo (Nino): Marish Giddings, Territorial Governor; US Grant President
1880 to 1953 Nina: Lewis Wallace, Territorial Governor; Rutherford B. Hayes, President

One of the family tales we often heard from Nino and Nina, and many of the tios and tias was about when los bandidos went to El Rancho del Carrizal. El Rancho de Carrizal was a huge ranch that was originally part of the largest land grant of New Spain. The land grant was granted by El Rey de Espana The King of Spain with a total of 2.2 million acres. Over the years, the land grant had been divided equally among three brothers: Miguel Antonio Chavez; Jose Miguel Chavez; and Antonio Jose Chavez. Miguel Antonio Chavez was Governor of New Mexico when it was 1829 to 1832 and was under Mexican rule. Antonio Jose Chavez was a Congressman representing New Mexico from 182 to 1828 while NM was under Mexican rule.

Tia Maria Lopez, 1947.

This picture was taken by a photographer as she was herding her families goats on Cerro Gordo Rd. The actual picture shows the herd to the right.

The family was unaware of this beautiful picture until the photographer died and it ran on the front page of the New Mexican in 1992. My grandmother and her sister couldn’t believe their eyes when she opened the paper. “Mi hermana Marieita” she said in disbelief. It is one of my favorite pictures.

Maria’s husband was Lorenzo Lopez who built the Capilla de San Isidro which is to the right of this picture.

This little recipe book was published in 1941 by Doña Eloise Delgado de Stewart in honor of her mother, Doña Modestita Lopez de Delgado, and her sisters, Petrita Delgado de Lucero, Lencha Delgado, Lala Delgado de Rodriguez, and Josefa Delgado Kirby.  Click on the link below for a downloadable pdf file of the entire cookbook.  It's a large file, so give it several minutes to download.