Childhood Porcelain Portrait of Otis Seligman

by

Arthur Scott

   This portrait of my dad at age three was a 1901 Christmas present. It is inscribed on the back "From Franc(Seligman) to Arthur (Seligman), Christmas Dec. 25, 1901." The porcelain, aproximately eight inches long,  is signed  S. R. Twitchell 1901. (Not the NM Historian). Based on other pictures of the period, there was a lot f artistic license taken on this. However, it is possible it was photo-based.

Simon Nusbaum, a little-known Jewish pioneer in Santa Fe

 by

Arthur Scott

   I begin this story at the end. Currently(2015) at 123 Washington Avenue, in Santa Fe, stands the Hotel de Chimayo owned by Heritage Hotels and Resorts. Formally it was the Hotel Plaza Real constructed around 1988 by Santa Fe hotelier Mike Cerletti on the site of a former City parking lot. In 1960 the Santa Fe New Mexican reported that the city Council voted to lease the Nusbaum property on Washington Avenue for $600 per month, demolish the hundred plus year old house, and establish an 85-car, off- street,  parking lot.  

  The property was then owned by John and Ester Nusbaum. John was the son of Simon Nusbaum. At the time, they were living in Albuquerque and agreed to the

Franklin D. Roosevelt visits New Mexico

by

Arthur Scott

   The photo above, from my private collection, was taken on September  27, 1932 at Lamy, New Mexico. Then New York Governor Roosevelt was on a "whistle-stop" campaign railroad tour after receiving the Democratic presidential nomination at the Chicago convention in June. He spoke to a group from the state Democratic

New MexicoLost Highway Photos

1905-2012

by

Arthur Scott and Mike Lord

   The following photos were taken from New Mexico State Library newspaper archives, various photo archives, and the latter by Mike Lord. They depict the interest in and construction of the highway described in "New Mexico's Lost Highway" published by the authors on this website.

Santa Fe Glider Club

by

Arthur Scott

   Albuquerque now has its Balloon Fiesta but in 1930 there were an intrepid group of daring men and women in Santa Fe. We are not talking simple baloons here these are GLIDERS! Fome the April 29, 1930 New Mexican.

Photos of Taos Pueblo during the 1920's

by Arthur Scott

   The following are family photos from my personal collection. Probably taken between 1920 and 1925 by my grandfather.

   This is my great grandfathers passport applicatio in Philidelphia in 1873. It states he baecame a naturalizes US citizen in New Mexico Territory in 1870. He was Governor Arthur Seligman's father. Surprised he was only 5 foot 2 inches.

Photo courtesy of Any Cohen. Citation folows:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Passport Applications, 1795-1905;

Collection Number: ARC Identifier 566612 / MLR Number A1 508; NARA Series: M1372; Roll #: 191

Description

Volume : Roll 191 - 14 Mar 1873-10 Apr 1873

Coming Of Age And/Or Growing Up As An Aggie

In Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico

by

Arthur Scott

   To paraphrase a Willie Nelson song; " I got a degree at NMSU but, I received my education on the highways, streets, byways and hills of old Juarez " Todovia estoy agui!

   The current Santa Fe Street bridge  did not exist while I was a student. The freeway and connecting bridge span to Mexico was completed during the 1970's. This connected to the Mexican portion of the old Santa Fe Street  bridge. The chnge was required after the signing by the US and Mexico of the Chamizal treaty. This treaty, signed in 1964, that annexed to Mexico 600 plus acres of south El Paso because of the shifting of the Rio Grande. Subsequently the Rio Grande was routed thorough a concrete channel. This treaty resulted in the razing of a large industrial part of south El Paso and the relocation of  3700 El Paso residents.

     I received my "Golden Aggie" certificate several years ago. I entered New Mexico A & M in 1956, a year after I graduated from high school. I graduated from New

Santa FeFiestas Early 1920's

by

Arthur Scott

   The two photos are personal family photosgraphs from 1919-1922? These were taken on "The Santa Fe Trail" day of the then four day Fiestas.  The photo above was taken at the corner of Shelby and San Francisco streets with Capital Pharmacy in the background. The coach is my grandfather's stage, "The Mountain Pride. The head of Chief Victorio is painted on the door. This coach is currently exhibited at the Lincoln County Courthouse at the Lincoln State Monument. You may read the history of this coach at:  http://vocesdesantafe.org/explore-our-history/santa-fe/item/829-seligman-stage-coaches-nm-history-museum

   U. S. Forest Service photo, 1922. Caption states " Rear of Beatty's Cabin at junctipn of Padre and Pecos creeks. Looking up Pecos. Photo by R. King."

    In "Beatty's Cabin" written in 1952, author Elliot S. Barker reports seeing, in the late 1800's, the ruins of the original two-room cabin built by George Beatty on "the grassy flat below a rock ledge, between, the main or Falls, fork and the west or Rito del Padre fork of the Pecos River" Beatty was a prospector and miner in the upper Pecos and Gallinas. Barker goes on to describe a trip to the cabin from Harvey's Ranch in 1884 described by Professor L. L. Dyche. "The U. S. Forest Service and State Game Department administrative cabins, located just across the creek also are referred to as Beatty's Cabin.
    Barker describes the cabin ruins as having an earthen roof so obviously this is the Forest Service Administrative cabin.