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Dona Ana County Historical Society 1963-1994 PDF

129 Pages·2015·1.55 MB·English
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Doña Ana County Historical Society 1963-1994 Madeleine Vessel Doña Ana County Historical Society/ Publishers Las Cruces, New Mexico Doña Ana County Historical Society: 1963-1994, copyright © 1998 by Madeleine Vessel. Afterward: Reflections on the Presidency of Chuck Miles, copyright © 1998 by Robert L. Hart. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the Doña Ana County Historical Society, 500 North Water Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001. ii Click on Item to Go There CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 PART I THE FOUNDING 3 PART II SAVING HISTORIC LANDMARKS 5 Chapter 1 FORT SELDEN 7 Chapter 2 FORT FILLMORE 15 PART III SAVING HISTORIC BUILDINGS 19 Chapter 3 URBAN RENEWAL THREATENED HISTORIC BUILDINGS 21 Chapter 4 THE PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION COMMITTEE 23 Chapter 5 THE LAS CRUCES HISTORIC BUILDINGS SURVEY 25 PART IV ESTABLISHING A HISTORICAL COLLECTION 27 Chapter 6 ACQUIRING A COLLECTION 29 Chapter 7 FINDING A HOME FOR THE DACHS COLLECTION 33 PART V MARKING HISTORIC SITES 35 Chapter 8 MARKING HISTORIC SITES 37 PART VI PUBLISHING HISTORY 41 Chapter 9 GOOD PUBLISHING IDEAS THAT DIDN’T PAN OUT 43 Chapter 10 SUCCESSFUL PUBLICATIONS 45 Chapter 11 SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO HISTORICAL REVIEW 47 PART VII DACHS PRESIDENTS 51 LOUIS E. FREUDENTHAL 53 GEORGE ADLAI FEATHER 56 J. PAUL TAYLOR 58 CHARLOTTE K. PRIESTLEY 60 CALVIN L. TRAYLOR 62 LOUISE GARRETT 64 iii Click on Item to Go There JAMES MCNEIL 66 J. PAUL TAYLOR 68 OPAL LEE PRIESTLEY 69 AUSTIN HOOVER 70 CHRISTINE MYERS 73 JAMES H. POWELL 75 PAXTON P. PRICE 76 CALVIN L. TRAYLOR 78 LINDA G. HARRIS 80 APPENDIX A PROGRAMS AND FIELD TRIPS, 1963-1994 83 PROGRAMS 83 FIELD TRIPS 93 APPENDIX B ANNUAL BANQUET AWARDS, 1967-1994 95 BUILDINGS WORTHY OF PRESERVATION 95 BUILDINGS ADHERING TO REGIONAL ARCHITECTURE 96 NOTEWORTHY RESTORATIONS 97 HALL OF FAME AWARDS 98 OLD TIMER AWARDS 103 “LOS TESOROS VIVOS” LIVING TREASURES 104 PASAJERO DEL CAMINO REAL AWARDS 105 HERITAGE AWARDS 105 THE CRADLE OF COMMUNITY CULTURE 105 APPENDIX C SUGGESTED IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIETY PURPOSES, APRIL 1989 107 END NOTES 109 INDEX 118 AFTERWORD: REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESIDENCY OF CHUCK MILES BY ROBERT L. HART 123 iv INTRODUCTION DURING LATE SPRING 1992, Vice The history is divided into seven parts and includes President Linda G. Harris formed a special appendices. “Part I: The Founding” briefly describes projects committee to outline a long-range plan for how DACHS was formed. “Part II: Saving Historical the Doria Ana County Historical Society (DACHS Landmarks” relates the story of the struggle to save or Society). When the committee delivered the Fort Selden and Fort Fillmore. “Part III: Saving Historic “Long-Range Plan” on September 17, 1992, publishing Buildings” deals with the battle to save historic buildings DACHS’s history was a top priority.1 during Urban Renewal in the 1960s, the campaign to list Doña Ana County Historical Society: 1963-1994 is historic properties on the New Mexico State Register primarily the story of how DACHS has carried out its of Cultural Properties and the National Register of purposes as defined in the preamble of its bylaws on November 25, 1963: Historic Places, and the Society’s involvement in the Las Cruces Historic Buildings Survey during the to encourage in every way possible a greater 1980s. appreciation of New Mexico history, especially that “Part IV: Establishing a Historical Collection” of Doña Ana County, through aid and assistance, when practical, and as funds are available, for describes DACHS’s artifacts and the circumstances the publication of historical material, for the surrounding their collection. “Part V: Marking marking of historic routes and sites, both public Historic Sites” is the story of DACHS’s efforts to mark Pat and private, the establishment of historical Garrett’s murder site, establish a park at International collections and museums, the preservation of Boundary No. 1, and mark the Bartlett-Conde historic documents, artifacts, and published mate- Initial Point. “Part VI: Publishing History” describes the rials of historic importance, the purchase and Society’s attempts to publish historical materials, and preservation of historic landmarks, and all other finally, “Part VII: Doña Ana County Historical Society related activities.2 Presidents” briefly profiles DACHS’s presidents and their administrations between 1963 and 1994. This history also attempts to recognize those Appendices include the following: Appendix A, a who have made significant contributions to DACHS; to chronology of programs and field trips; Appendix B, kindle a sense of pride in being a DACHS member; a chronology of annual banquet awards; and Appendix to provide a basis for effective policy making and C, “Suggested Implementation of Society Purposes” planning for DACHS’s future; and to build awareness of the historical significance of Doña Ana County. compiled in 1989. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS For their help in researching this book, I would like to acknowledge the following people and collections: J. Paul Taylor, Charlotte K. Priestley, Calvin L. Traylor, Opal Lee Priestley, Austin Hoover, Christine Myers, Paxton P. Price, Linda G. Harris, Elsa Freudenthal Altshool, John L. Altshool, Ilka Feather Minter, Alice Gruver, Elizabeth Gillette, Dr. John and Betty Nunemaker, Robert L. Hart, Doña Ana County Historical Society, Linda Blazer, Patricia McCann, Tim Blevins, Rio Grande Historical Collections, Marjorie Day, Patricia Greathouse, Don Dresp, Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, Eva Artschwager, Sharon Bode-Hempton, Branigan Cultural Center, John P. Wilson, Guylynn Nusom, and Marianne Thaeler. Special thanks to J. Paul Taylor, Calvin L. Traylor, Charlotte K. Priestley, and Christine Myers, for their kind support and for reviewing the entire manuscript for accuracy; Marjorie Walton and Martin Gemoets, who reviewed Chapter 11 SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO HISTORICAL REVIEW; John Porter Bloom who edited the manuscript; and Janie Matson, who proofread the typeset draft. Credits: Rio Grande Historical Collections, New Mexico State University Library for the photograph of Hugh M. Milton, II on page 13 and the photograph of Louis E. Freudenthal on page 53. David Vessel for photograph of Fort Selden on page 6. This book is lovingly dedicated to Lucy Lawrence. A donation in her memory from her family helped underwrite the publication of this history. 2 Part I THE FOUNDING ON THE EVENING OF Thursday, Sep- Absent from this meeting, but part of the in- tember 26, 1963, an informally organized formal group, were General Hugh M. Milton II group of local history buffs met with Victor West- and Helen Caffey. Milton, a former academic and phall, President of the Historical Society of New a retired army general, was Vice President of the Mexico (HSNM), to establish a chapter of the First National Bank of Doña Ana County. And state society in Doria Ana County. The meeting Caffey was Director of the Thomas Branigan Me- was held in the back patio of Betty Bowen’s book morial Library.2 store, the Design Center, which was located on The group believed that being affiliated with the west side of Old Mesilla Plaza.1 HSNM would facilitate achieving two prima- The organizers were amazingly diverse in ry goals: Their immediate goal was to save Fort their backgrounds, representing the university, Selden, a nearby military post which was suffer- the town, and the military. Chairman Louis E. ing from the effects of vandalism and decay; their Freudenthal was a longtime Las Cruces resident long-term goal was to preserve the history and who had worked in farming, real estate, and in- culture of Doña Ana County.3 surance. George Adlai Feather was a Rhodes Westphall was pleased to encourage the Scholar linguist who came to Las Cruces in 1923 group’s goals. Organizing statewide chapters was to teach languages at New Mexico College of Ag- one of the HSNM’s most important objectives. riculture and Mechanic Arts and became an au- Through statewide chapters, HSNM hoped to be- thority on the history of the Mesilla Valley. Mar- come more effective in recording, preserving, and tin Campbell, an Amador descendant, was the encouraging appreciation of New Mexico’s social owner of the Amador Hotel. Helen Shomer and and cultural heritage. Westphall began his re- Dorothy Mechem were housewives. John L. Alt- marks by describing HSNM’s statewide projects, shool, who was Freudenthal’s son-in-law, was a particularly the newly established Annual Hall stockbroker. Major Thomas Mitman was former of Fame Banquet and efforts to discover archival military. Mark Thompson was a local business- materials from around the state. Then he gave a man who owned H &K Trucking and Mayflower. detailed explanation of how a Doña Ana County Betty Bowen ran the Design Center and reviewed Historical Society could be organized and affili- Southwest books on KWRG. Ira G. Clark was a ated with HSNM.4 history professor at New Mexico State University When Westphall concluded his presentation, (NMSU). J. Paul Taylor was the Elementary Cur- Freudenthal appointed two committees to for- riculum Coordinator in the Las Cruces School’s mally organize the Doria Ana County Historical Administrative Office. David Streeter was a ref- Society: a committee to nominate a slate of offi- erence librarian at NMSU, and Laiten L. Camien cers and a committee to draw up articles of in- was a sociologist at NMSU. corporation. 3 On October 3rd, articles of incorporation and the HSNM, and on November 25th, the Society app roved following slate of officers were accepted: Presid ent Louis its first set of bylaws.5 E. Freudenthal, Vice President George Adlai Feather, By the time the bylaws were accepted, DACHS was Recording Secretary J. Paul Taylor, Corresponding well established with a well defined purpose and thirty- Secretary Helen Caffey, and Treas urer General Hugh one members. New additions were Jay Weir, Jennalee M. Milton II. Betty Bowen and David Streeter were Clark, Sam Shomer, Mr. And Mrs. W. E. Flint, Colonel named first and second alternates, respectively. In Ralph Cruse, Jerome Hartger, John Hawley, George addition, Milton was appointed acting custodian of all Helfrich, Mary La Barre Hignett, Mrs. Earl Jones, material belong ing to the newly formed DACHS. On Chester Linscheid, Char lotte Priestley, Joe Priestley, October 22nd, Freudenthal and Westphall signed the Virginia Spruiell, and Richard White .6 offi cial affiliation agreement between DACHS and 4 Part II SAVING HISTORIC LANDMARKS WHEN THE DACHS WAS FOUNDED IN 1963, saving Fort Selden, an old military post which was moldering away from the effects of wind, rain, and vandalism a few miles north of Las Cruces, was its primary purpose. In 1965, the Society began efforts to preserve old Fort Fillmore as well. At that time, Fort Fillmore, which was situated on private land south of Mesilla Park, was about to be plowed under for agricultural purposes. The following is the story of DACHS’s efforts to save these two historic landmarks. 5

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CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. 1 . when practical, and as funds are available, for Scholar linguist who came to Las Cruces in 1923 to teach reau of Land Management.15 .. al parking space for stores in the Loretto Towne.
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