Crazy Fourth: How Jack Johnson Kept His Heavyweight Title and Put Las Vegas, New Mexico, on the Map

Jack Johnson

(Amazon) In 1912 boxing was as popular a spectator sport in the United States as baseball, if not more so. It was also rife with corruption and surrounded by gambling, drinking, and prostitution, so much so that many cities and states passed laws to control it. But not in New Mexico. It was the perfect venue for one of the biggest, loudest, most rambunctious heavyweight championship bouts ever seen. In Crazy Fourth Toby Smith tells the story of how the African American boxer Jack Johnson--the bombastic and larger-than-life reigning world heavyweight champion--met Jim Flynn on the Fourth of July in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Continued

Old House 166

Trementina, New Mexico

The Dawson Branch

A tribute to "The Polly," in Mosquero, New Mexico. The Polly was a passenger car hitched to the end of coal drags on the Dawson Line. It was a slow way to get to Tucumcari, but people had an odd affection for the old car.

The Dawson Line (or Dawson Branch or Roy Branch or Dawson Railway), was a Southern Pacific Railroad line that went from Tucumcari, New Mexico to the coal mining town of Dawson, New Mexico.
The line was built by the El Paso & Northeastern Railroad System which later became The El Paso & Southwestern Railroad, before being absorbed by the Southern Pacific.
Traffic, being mostly coal trains, was slow-going, and train crews were known to pack their rifles and fishing rods with them for diversion at sidings. As slow as it was, it gave Dawsonites the opportunity to connect anywhere a train went in the United States.
The town of Dawson, its mines, and railroad were abandoned in the early 1950's.

Revival Las Vegas: The restoration of La Castañeda

La Castaneda before restoration (Sixgun Siding)

(Santa Fe New Mexican) On a recent day in mid-September, dozens of workers were busy inside and outside the historic Castañeda Hotel as owners Allan Affeldt and Tina Mion prepared to open seven rooms in another month or so.
It will be the first time in 70 years that guests have stayed in the establishment at 524 Railroad Avenue in Las Vegas. Continued

San Rafael Cemetery: Trementina, New Mexico

 

 

 

 

Old House 128

Trementina, New Mexico

Barn: Trementina, NM

Trementina School

Trementina, New Mexico

Old House 126

Trementina, New Mexico

Old House 125

Trementina, New Mexico

Country Churches: San Rafael

Trementina, New Mexico

The Dawson Branch

A tribute to "The Polly," in Mosquero, New Mexico. The Polly was a passenger car hitched to the end of coal drags on the Dawson Line. It was a slow way to get to Tucumcari, but people had an odd affection for the old car.

The Dawson Line (or Dawson Branch or Roy Branch or Dawson Railway), was a Southern Pacific Railroad line that went from Tucumcari, New Mexico to the coal mining town of Dawson, New Mexico.
The line was built by the El Paso & Northeastern Railroad System which later became The El Paso & Southwestern Railroad, before being absorbed by the Southern Pacific.
Traffic, being mostly coal trains, was slow-going, and train crews were known to pack their rifles and fishing rods with them for diversion at sidings. As slow as it was, it gave Dawsonites the opportunity to travel anywhere a train went in the United States.
The town of Dawson, its mines, and railroad were abandoned in the early 1950's.

The Las Vegas Saloon Shootout

Hoodoo Brown

(Wikipedia) The Variety Hall shootout, also called the Las Vegas Saloon Shootout, (January 22, 1880) was a gunfight that took place in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
 It launched gunman "Mysterious" Dave Mather to fame. Mather had first ventured to Las Vegas as a part of the Dodge City Gang, which also included gunmen John Joshua Webb and "Arkansas" Dave Rudabaugh. Gambler Doc Holliday was also in town at the time, and though generally listed as a member, he was not. However, he was a friend to the gang.
The gang was organized by Justice of the Peace Hoodoo Brown, to control the gambling houses in Las Vegas, muscling out any unwanted rivals, thus raking in profits. Continued

Fort Bascom: Civil War Military Post

 

Built in 1863, Fort Bascom was a frontier military post along the Canadian River in New Mexico that had a significant impact on the Anglo settlement of the Southwest. Learn about the history of Ft. Bascom from Dr. James Bailey Blackshear.
Located in Comanchería’s and the Comancheros’ homelands, the frontier soldiers at Ft. Bascom confronted unique challenges during and right after the Civil War. These included environmental hardships, logistical nightmares, and the dangers associated with gaining control of the Southern Plains Indians.
[The cover photo, above, was taken by my grandmother and her sisters around 1907. The fort was about 5 miles northwest of their homestead. Anyway, I read this guy's book and recommend it. - Sixgun Siding.]

Backyards: Corazon Hill

Conchas Dam

Sometimes, I wonder what my great-grandfather would think about his old homestead being irrigated.