Why This Woman Chooses to Live in a Ghost Town

(Outside) As one of the only inhabitants of an abandoned railway stop in eastern New Mexico, Debra Dawson has been social distancing for decades. Attracted to its history and surrounding landscape, she's found happiness far away from just about everyone. Continued

Ghost Town Roundup: Yeso, New Mexico

Yeso is entirely abandoned, but their are folks nearby who'll probably stop by to see
what you're up to, but if you're not up to anything, you'll be just fine.

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Yeso, New Mexico

Treaty of Bosque Redondo

Barboncito

(Wikipedia) ... The Treaty of Bosque Redondo between the United States and many of the Navajo leaders was concluded at Fort Sumner on June 1, 1868.
Some of the provisions included establishing a reservation, restrictions on raiding, a resident Indian Agent and agency, compulsory education for children, the supply of seeds, agricultural implements and other provisions, rights of the Navajos to be protected, establishment of railroads and forts, compensation to tribal members, and arrangements for the return of Navajos to the reservation established by the treaty. Continued

Old House 130

Yeso, New Mexico

Museum to honor treaty's anniversary

 

(Eastern New Mexico News) FORT SUMNER - Time can bury many things, but healing truly begins when more people remember a tragedy. So say officials organizing an event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Treaty of Bosque Redondo.
From 1863 to 1868, the U.S. military removed 9,500 Navajo and 500 Mescalero Apache from their homelands and imprisoned them on a 1,600 square mile reservation near Fort Sumner. The Bosque Redondo Memorial sits on this site as a reminder of the tribes’ hardships and resilience through it all, said Bosque Redondo Memorial Director Aaron Roth. Continued

Overton Mercantile

Yeso, New Mexico

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Yeso, NM

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Yeso, New Mexico

Fort Sumner restaurant closing after 40 years

Photo by Steven "ehsteve" C.

(Eastern New Mexico News) After 40 years serving the people of Fort Sumner and beyond, a staple closed its doors Saturday.
Fred’s Restaurant owners Fred and Ron Gauna apologized to their clientele for closing “so soon,” but explained that “we simply do not have the business or crew to keep Fred’s running.” Continued

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Yeso, New Mexico

Old House 110

There's some speculation that this was a church, evidenced by what may be an apse.

However, I haven't seen any definitive proof, so I'll just call it a house.

You can visit it in Yeso, New Mexico.

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Yeso, New Mexico

Looking Around: Reflections on Preservation

A candidate for preservation? The Mesa Hotel in Yeso, New Mexico (Sixgun Siding).

(McMansion Hell) ... Buildings are worth saving for several reasons. Sometimes, a building has an interesting cultural history - perhaps an important person was born there, or it was the site of a burgeoning subculture, or an important historical event. Sometimes a building is worth preserving because it is a particularly good example of its architectural style, or because it’s the only example of its particular style in the surrounding area.
Sometimes a building is worth preserving simply because it is beautiful, old, or built by a famous architect. Sometimes, like in the case of Johnson’s AT&T building, the building should be preserved because it had an important role to play in architectural history, theory, or criticism. Continued

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Yeso, New Mexico

The Things You Find on Google Maps

Abandoned airfield, De Baca County, NM (Google Maps)

Such as this abandoned airport, some miles north of Taiban, along Route 252. It was built during World War Two, and was officially known as Fort Sumner Auxiliary Airfield #5. Sumner trained bomber pilots, B-17's and B-24's. I imagine #5 was a bit nerve-wracking for those trainees to land on as it sits out on a finger of the Caprock. Today, it just sits, a weird squiggle on a satellite map.

The town Billy the Kid built

 

(Albuquerque Journal) The legend of Billy the Kid – William H. Bonney – runs deeps through many areas of New Mexico.
But perhaps nowhere is the Kid’s legacy remembered as much as in Fort Sumner, where he is said to have been shot and killed by Lincoln County Sheriff Pat Garrett. Continued

Clouds over the tracks

Fort Sumner, NM

Treaty of Bosque Redondo

Barboncito

(Wikipedia) ... The Treaty of Bosque Redondo between the United States and many of the Navajo leaders was concluded at Fort Sumner on June 1, 1868.
Some of the provisions included establishing a reservation, restrictions on raiding, a resident Indian Agent and agency, compulsory education for children, the supply of seeds, agricultural implements and other provisions, rights of the Navajos to be protected, establishment of railroads and forts, compensation to tribal members, and arrangements for the return of Navajos to the reservation established by the treaty. Continued

Taiban Trading Post