New Mexico Then and Now

By

William Stone

Review by

Arthur Seligman Scott

156 pages, Westlife Publishers, Englewood, Colorado 10 ½ x 13 ½ inches  

   This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read on New Mexico history. Basically it is a series of photos from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s with commentary and matched with a current day photograph. The modern photos were taken from the same vantage point as the historic photos. Even, if possible, he tried to replicate the lighting, time of day as the original. 

To read  or download the entire review click on the link below.

This is a current photo of the cabin my dad and some hired labor built on upper Cow Creek during the 1920's or 30's. I wrote about this cabin in

" Alla en "el Ranchito" Grande"

Other than the obvious modernization, the building is virtually the same. As a kid, I spent most of my summers up here. We had a couple of horses. There was no electricity, running water or bathrooms. Stairs were on the left of the porch, no railing, and front windows were much smaller and wooden sashes.s. There was no tree in the right corner and no fireplace on the small bedroom to the right. Also there was  another chiminey for the wood cook stove on the left rear. Water was hauled from the creek, heat was single massive wood fireplace made from river cobbles and light from "coal oil" lamps. There was one "bathroom" at the end of the path up the hill. one thing that still remains but is hidden by the bushes to the left of the stairs is the name "Seligman" made from embedded white quartz in the rock foundation.

Takes me back to a happy time!

Seligman Stage Coaches Revisited

by

Arthur Seligman Scott

     New Mexico Governor (1931-33) Arthur Seligman was my grandfather. He and my grandmother both died before I was born; however, I remember this photo as a child. It recently came to light once again through a family member. I also have another version taken at the same time and place but with only the woman in the rear window and the gentleman and two women on top of the coach.

    I   remember visiting The Palace of the Governors as a child in the forties, seeing the coach in the center courtyard, and being told “That is the stagecoach your grandmother donated to the museum.” As a child having been raised with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers as heroes and a vivid imagination, my only thought at the time was that I wished I had been born earlier so that I could play “cowboy and Indians” on the coach in my grandparents yard. Little did I know that sixty seven years later this coach would take me on a wonderful ride through history?

   The photo above clearly shows “Mountain Pride” above the door and a painted image of the Apache Chief, Victorio on the door. The stage had been named after the Mountain Pride hotel in Hillsboro. The woman looking out the rear window is my grandmother, Franc E. (Mrs. Arthur) Seligman. I believe the woman in the foreground on top is her daughter and my aunt, Mrs. John March, nee. Richie Seligman. This photo was taken at the Lake Valley, New Mexico train station probably around 1916-18. The stage line had closed and my speculation is that this was when my grandfather purchased this coach.  . I know he dabbled in photography, so I would guess he took this photo. He owned two stage coaches at the time of his death in 1933.

The attached article traces the ownership and tenants of the Seligman properties on the Plaza and Westr San Francisco Street  from the 1850's to present. In my mind, in many respects, it represents the evolution of the historic downtown Santa Fe. To view the entire article just click on the green link below. The photo above was taken by John E. Stephenson. Ca 1940.

This report, prepared by Gary K. Grice for the National Climate Data Center (NOAA) in 2005 contains much information of the operations of Ft. Marcy including 1800's photo and plat. The report may be accessed by clicking on the link below.

"Executive Summary

United States Army surgeons began taking weather observations in the Fort Marcy/Santa Fe, New Mexico area on January 1, 1849. Although Fort Marcy was “technically” located on a mesa approximately 600 yards northeast of the Santa Fe Plaza, the Army hospital, and location of the weather observations, was located approximately 300 yards northwest of the Plaza within the city of Santa Fe. The surgeons took the primary weather observations from 1849 until late 1871 when the U.S. Signal Service assumed weather observing responsibility. The longest gap of missing observations at Fort Marcy is from Mar 1, 1862 to Sep 8, 1862, generally corresponding to the time Santa Fe and Fort Marcy were occupied by Confederate troops (Mar 4 – Apr 7, 1862). Evidence indicates the surgeons continued to take weather observations after the Signal Service assumed responsibility - until February 29, 1892 - although availability of these records is limited. Unfortunately, no direct information could be found regarding type, or exposure of weather instruments used by the Fort Marcy surgeons. The most extensive information on weather observations at Fort Marcy is located in the National Climate Data Center, with the best sources of information on weather instruments in publications by the Army Surgeon General’s Office in 1844, 1850, 1851, 1856, and 1868 

   Since I originally posted this photo, I obtained copies of the original Park Superintendent Monthly reports to the Director National Park Service for January and May 1932. Therefore I am re-posting the photo  with more of the complete history of this photo and detailed descriptions of both the elevator dedication and Governor's Day 1932. The May report contains additional photos of the Governor's party taken  in the Caverns . These may be viewed or ddownloaded by clicking on the link below.

On Martin Luther King Day, 2013, I find this article by Marc Simmons, published in the New Mexican particularly appropriate.

www.santafenewmexican.com/Local%20News/011913traildust#.UP1hguhinbk

I remember the SFHS football team incident well. We students were very angry. During the same period the La Fonda in Santa Fe had its own issues. Louis Armstrong came to town to play a concert at Sweeny Gym. He would not be given a room at La fonda and, I think, ended up at one of the Cerrillos Road Motels. Details are fuzzy but I recall the furor.

In 1932 the Ku Kulx Klanwas active in trying to derail my grandfather's re-election as Governor because he was of Jewish decent. Also in 1932, during my grandfather's second term, there was  legislative committee investigation of discrimination agaainst Hispanics by UNM. Almost resulted in the removaal of Zimmerman as president and had anti-discrimination rallys in Santa F, Taos, Las Vegas, and Springer.

Hopefully, all these incidents from our past teach us to have better futures.

Top ID taken 1967 in Santa Fe. US GEological Survey, Surface Water Branch. Four years out of the Army.

Second Photo Santa Fe 1975 Surface Water Branch moved to Albuquerque but my research project stayed in Santa Fe.

Third photo US Geological Survey national headquarters Reston, VA (DC Suburb) 1981

Profile picture is current, 2010.

Random NM Gubernatorial Facts

By

Arthur Scott

  My curiosity was piqued by Michael Miller’s 1981 New Mexico Magazine with a very prophetic conclusion. So after some internet research, I put together the following numbers concerning New Mexico’s governors to present (2012):

Territorial 1851-1912

   From 1850 to 1912 New Mexico had 18 governors appointed by the President. The first governor was James S. Calhoun from Georgia. He served one year and resigned to return to Georgia. Of the 18 territorial governor’s 2 were Whigs, 12 were Republicans, and 5 were Democrats. Only one, Miguel A. Otero was a native-born New Mexican from Valencia and was the only one with a Hispanic surname. Miguel Otero was a prolific writer and several of his books are still available. I heartily recommend “My Nine Years as Governor of New Mexico.”

After Statehood 1912 – 2012

      From statehood in 1912 to 2012 there have been 39 gubernatorial terms. Terms were two years until 1968 when the term limits were changed to 4

  Santa Fe Nightlife or Santa Fe Kids in the Forties

By

Arthur Scott

    Let me define the term “night. I am not going to refer to some Coyote Club or the John Doe nightclub or to any of the trendy dance clubs or to any of the places to see or be seen between mid-night and two AM. “Night,” during the forties, when you were a pre-adolescent  between the ages of six and twelve, usually referred to the period  between the times one was excused from the dinner table(yes, the family all sat down and ate together) to the time when it was becoming seriously dark outside. Of course being kids once in a while we pushed the limits of the dark side of this totally unfair curfew. I also