Friday, July 13, 2012

Mountainair, NM

This morning I awoke to the wonderful smells of a pine forest that were unlocked by a light rain last night, what an aroma. Today's journey brought me south to Mountainair, New Mexico with a short visit to Las Vegas. No, not the one that takes your money, but the one that was the first important city on the Santa Fe Trail after leaving Missouri. Las Vegas New Mexico was founded in 1835 with the issuance of the Las Vegas Land Grant by the Mexican government. The first town was on the west side of the river that passes through here and later, with the coming on the Santa Fe Railroad in 1879, a second town sprang up on the east side. These two towns existed  as separate entities until 1970 when they finally merged. I was told that Las Vegas has more buildings on the National Register of Historic Places per capita than any town west of the Mississippi. Here are two pictures I captured. Internet connection speed took 45 minutes to load these two pictures. I'll have more tomorrow.


This is Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe depot that was constructed in 1899 and has been in service since then. Amtrak has an east and west bound Southwest Chief passenger train through here daily.

The La Castaneda Hotel was built in 1898 and was designed to be a jewel in Fred Harvey's famed chain of railroad hotels.It was the site of the first Rough Rider Reunion in 1899 which was attended by then New York governor Theodore Roosevelt.

Tomorrow I should have a better internet connection and be able to post more Las Vegas pictures. The rest of today will be spent watching the trains pass through Mountainair. Apparently it's a main line, it's double tracked through here and the trains have been passing at the rate of a train every 15 minutes. Train watching could be another way to enjoy the good life.

10 comments:

  1. Please watch from the side and not the middle of the tracks.

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  2. I look forward to more photos tomorrow. Love these old towns.
    Better get those pennies out and on the track. Our kids used to love doing the penny and track trick.

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    1. I don't think there is time between trains to get out there and put down the pennies.

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  3. Ummmm! The smell of a pine forest after a light rain. Now that's truly enjoying the good life. Love it!

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    1. I traveled most of the morning with that smell filling my nostrils, you're right, that's really enjoying the good life.

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  4. I could smell the aroma! There is nothing like the freshness of rain when surrounded by pine tress. I know exactly what you're talking about.

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  5. I love the smell too. And we have had plenty rain to bring out the smell. Gotta love the mountains.

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    Replies
    1. That was one of the things that attracted me to move to Colorado in the 70's

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