Unfathomable pinheadery: Railroad history erased in Melrose

Anything interesting to see in Melrose? Not anymore.

(Eastern New Mexico News) One of Melrose's longest-standing buildings is no more. The Melrose train depot was demolished on Wednesday. The building, constructed in 1907, was owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company, which informed the village last year of its intent to clear the structure. "It was a year or two ago that they let us know they would be doing that, and we discussed it in several council meetings," Village Clerk Khira Whitehead said. Continued

" ... records do not show that Melrose pursued a historic listing for the depot."

Estella García

(Wikipedia) Estella R. Garcia was an American artist who was a part of the Federal Art Project. Garcia was a teacher at the Melrose Federal Art Center in Melrose, New Mexico where she taught colcha, a traditional form of wool embroidery, to both Hispanic and Anglo students. The facility was considered to be located in the smallest town to have such a federal art center. Continued

Melrose North Cemetery, Melrose, New Mexico

Melrose, a small town in New Mexico, has two cemeteries, I don't know why. This is the smaller one, just north of town. There is no sign, but there is a nice flagpole, erected, I assume, by the class of 1973.
Melrose started life as a ranching town named after a rancher named Brown and a rancher named Horn, they called it Brownhorn. Then the railroad came and planned to make it a hub, but there wasn't enough water, so that honor went to Clovis, a little east of there. The railroad left behind a new name and a fine mission style station which still stands.
As usual, I haven't put up pictures of all the graves, just some that caught my eye.

 

 

 

 

Caterpillar D8

Beautiful machine, spotted near Melrose, New Mexico

Garage: Melrose, NM

Cloudy Melrose

Old House 30

Now here's one you could film a western around, very ranchy, very southern. I'd of liked to have seen it back in the day. It's on the road between Melrose and Ragland.

Melrose

Between the prairie and sky, a thin layer of town, pinned down by trees.

Country Church: First Baptist (Melrose)

Old House 20

Just north of Melrose

How Green Was My Mesa

 

 

What a difference a little rain makes. After 3 years of drought, the rain has returned to the Llano Estacado and greened things up nicely. The above pictures give a nice before and after view. Both taken at Wheatland Cemetery, the first on May 5th, before the rains came, the second was taken yesterday. The rest of the pictures were taken yesterday in the McAlister/House area, which seems to have turned out even greener. The photographs are mostly of the roadside as it represents a part of the landscape that is rarely irrigated. We made a big loop covering Tucumcari, Wheatland, Clovis, Melrose, House, McAlister, etc., and it all looked relatively verdant. The drought isn't over, that would take a lot more rain, but, as you can see in the pictures, there's more rain coming. Let's hope it continues for a good long time.

 

 

 

 

Country Churches: Saint Catherine

St Catherine Catholic Church, Melrose, NM

Meanwhile, back at the Transcon

A BNSF double-stack train approaches Melrose, NM.

BNSF Melrose, NM