pengwen
12-21-2005, 09:32 AM
© 2005 Ben Moffett Reprint Permission Granted
El Camino Heritage Center Opening Touches Visitor Hearts
“It Set Off My Pacemaker” Said State Senator
By Ben Moffett
“If you build it, they will come.”
That line from the movie, “Field of Dreams” certainly applied Saturday (Nov. 19) at the opening of a new state monument, El Camino Real International Heritage Center, located just off Interstate 25, Exit 115, between Socorro and Truth or Consequences..
An estimated 2,000 people filled the Center's parking lot to overflowing even though shuttle buses brought visitors from both TorC and Socorro. As many as 3000 visitors attended the opening events during the course of the day.
A distinctly multi-cultural and international feeling quickly emerged among the participants, which may have been best summarized by State Senate President Pro-Tempore Ben D. Altamirano, whose district includes Socorro County, where the site is located. “I wear a pacemaker, and it set off on me when the Truth Consequences group brought up those flags.”
Flying in a moderate breeze as he spoke, were five flags posted by the Hot Springs High ROTC – those of the United States, Spain, Mexico, the countries with historic ties to the trail, and those of the states of New Mexico and Texas, through which the trail passes in the United States.
“Governor (Bill) Richardson proclaimed this the 'year of the child',” Altimirano continued. “and it makes me feel really good that we are preserving our culture and history for them.”
Richardson, who cut the ribbon officially opening the building shortly after mid-day, praised Altamirano's tireless efforts, and those of State Rep. Don Tripp, whose district also encompasses Socorro, to get funding for exhibits for the monument. He also had high praise for the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management, which donated land to the state and contributed some $3 million to get the project started. BLM is a partner with the State of New Mexico in the endeavor.
The Governor reminded visitors that this was the second State Monument ribbon cutting this year. On June 4, he cut the ribbon at the new Bosque Redondo State Memorial, part of Fort Sumner State Monument. "I’d like to do one a year during my watch,” he said.
Speakers included dignitaries from both Mexico and Spain. “I see an increase in commerce between our countries (the United States and Mexico,” said Juan Manuel Solana, the Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, noting that trade between them has grown fourfold in the last five years. “The Camino Real is very much alive and its history is part of our future,” he said.
Julio Montesino, Consul General of Spain, located in Houston and serving Texas and New Mexico, had a similar view. The Heritage Center “is a true reminder of our common roots in the Americas and our common history during a time when Spain controlled much of the West,” he said. “Initiatives like this will contribute to strengthening the ties between us.”
Consensus also came from speakers who were initially skeptical of locating the Center in a virtually uninhabited area between the Socorro and Truth or Consequences.
“Several years ago, when people came to me about a visitor center here, I said 'you want to do what, and you want to do it where'?” said Linda Rundell, Bureau of Land Management State Director. But as she learned more, she came to understand the site's importance, she said.. “Today I see nothing but beauty. And I can't even express how wonderful the exhibits are.”
“I felt kind of like Linda Rundell, a little skeptical at first,” said Rep. Tripp, who spoke immediately after her. He said the idea of a building that was a metaphor for a ship “in the middle of nowhere” took some “getting used to,” but ultimately “it makes sense here. You can experience what people of the trail experienced.”
The site was selected after a long public debate, not only as a compromise between the competing county seats and principal cities of Sierra and Socorro Counties, but because is it also a midway point along the 400 mile trail in the United States, and an overlook to the northern end of the dangerous and historic Jornada del Muerto, the Journey of the Dead Man, the most dangerous section of the entire Camino Real. It is the portion of the trail where travelers headed south moved away from the river and civilization. And where northbound travelers returned to the welcome waters of the Rio Grande.
Stuart Ashman, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Affairs, who served as emcee, said visitation at the monument will be “a big boost for both Truth or Consequences and Socorro.”
“As New Mexico grows, the monument won't seem as remote. This is not an isolated corridor,” he continued, noting the high volume of traffic on Interstate 25. “And it is important for the children that we tie New Mexico and Mexico together in a friendly way.”
The permanent exhibits turned out to be the smash hit they were expected to be, with visitors waiting in line for as long as 20 minutes to get in. Rita Palacio of Bosque Farms not only waited in line at the exhibits, but also for a shuttle bus when the parking lot was overflowing.
It all became worthwhile, however, when she read a list of some of the first colonists to New Mexico posted on a 1587 to 1600 list. There among the dozens of names listed alphabetically from Sancho de Acosta to Jorge de Zuminga was, to her delight, one Palacio.
Other story notes: Providing a history lesson, and cementing the multicultural flavor was Joseph Sánchez, (Ph.D., history) superintendent of the Spanish Colonial Research Center of the National Park Service at the University of New Mexico. “Todos hemos pasados por aquí;” repeated Sánchez throughout his remarks, paraphrasing the words of Don Juan de Oñate at El Morro, also known as Inscription Rock, near Ramah, N.M. “We have all passed through here. El Camino Real is not just a route, but a series of routes for commerce, immigration and settlement.” He noted that early explorers, including Oñate, introduced a whole range of firsts into the Southwest including European government before the House of Burgesses came into being at Jamestown. “Juan de Oñate brought apple seeds. You might call him the first Appleseed Johnny,” Sánchez quipped.
In remarks away from the podium, Sánchez also said “El Camino Real is a conduit for the transmission of culture in New Mexico, and it is still alive through the descendants of the people who traveled the road.
“It represents a pageantry of Native American, Spanish and Mexican settlers as well as Anglo-American frontiersmen who migrated to the area.”
Sánchez has done extensive work in Spanish and Mexican archives for more than 30 years. He is also superintendent of Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.
From Lieutenant Gov. Diane Denish: “This demonstrates that El Camino Real is still alive and well and a part of all of our lives. It's a little more generous to us that it was to early travelers, but it brings us all together.”
El Camino Heritage Center Opening Touches Visitor Hearts
“It Set Off My Pacemaker” Said State Senator
By Ben Moffett
“If you build it, they will come.”
That line from the movie, “Field of Dreams” certainly applied Saturday (Nov. 19) at the opening of a new state monument, El Camino Real International Heritage Center, located just off Interstate 25, Exit 115, between Socorro and Truth or Consequences..
An estimated 2,000 people filled the Center's parking lot to overflowing even though shuttle buses brought visitors from both TorC and Socorro. As many as 3000 visitors attended the opening events during the course of the day.
A distinctly multi-cultural and international feeling quickly emerged among the participants, which may have been best summarized by State Senate President Pro-Tempore Ben D. Altamirano, whose district includes Socorro County, where the site is located. “I wear a pacemaker, and it set off on me when the Truth Consequences group brought up those flags.”
Flying in a moderate breeze as he spoke, were five flags posted by the Hot Springs High ROTC – those of the United States, Spain, Mexico, the countries with historic ties to the trail, and those of the states of New Mexico and Texas, through which the trail passes in the United States.
“Governor (Bill) Richardson proclaimed this the 'year of the child',” Altimirano continued. “and it makes me feel really good that we are preserving our culture and history for them.”
Richardson, who cut the ribbon officially opening the building shortly after mid-day, praised Altamirano's tireless efforts, and those of State Rep. Don Tripp, whose district also encompasses Socorro, to get funding for exhibits for the monument. He also had high praise for the Department of Interior's Bureau of Land Management, which donated land to the state and contributed some $3 million to get the project started. BLM is a partner with the State of New Mexico in the endeavor.
The Governor reminded visitors that this was the second State Monument ribbon cutting this year. On June 4, he cut the ribbon at the new Bosque Redondo State Memorial, part of Fort Sumner State Monument. "I’d like to do one a year during my watch,” he said.
Speakers included dignitaries from both Mexico and Spain. “I see an increase in commerce between our countries (the United States and Mexico,” said Juan Manuel Solana, the Consul of Mexico in Albuquerque, noting that trade between them has grown fourfold in the last five years. “The Camino Real is very much alive and its history is part of our future,” he said.
Julio Montesino, Consul General of Spain, located in Houston and serving Texas and New Mexico, had a similar view. The Heritage Center “is a true reminder of our common roots in the Americas and our common history during a time when Spain controlled much of the West,” he said. “Initiatives like this will contribute to strengthening the ties between us.”
Consensus also came from speakers who were initially skeptical of locating the Center in a virtually uninhabited area between the Socorro and Truth or Consequences.
“Several years ago, when people came to me about a visitor center here, I said 'you want to do what, and you want to do it where'?” said Linda Rundell, Bureau of Land Management State Director. But as she learned more, she came to understand the site's importance, she said.. “Today I see nothing but beauty. And I can't even express how wonderful the exhibits are.”
“I felt kind of like Linda Rundell, a little skeptical at first,” said Rep. Tripp, who spoke immediately after her. He said the idea of a building that was a metaphor for a ship “in the middle of nowhere” took some “getting used to,” but ultimately “it makes sense here. You can experience what people of the trail experienced.”
The site was selected after a long public debate, not only as a compromise between the competing county seats and principal cities of Sierra and Socorro Counties, but because is it also a midway point along the 400 mile trail in the United States, and an overlook to the northern end of the dangerous and historic Jornada del Muerto, the Journey of the Dead Man, the most dangerous section of the entire Camino Real. It is the portion of the trail where travelers headed south moved away from the river and civilization. And where northbound travelers returned to the welcome waters of the Rio Grande.
Stuart Ashman, Secretary of the Department of Cultural Affairs, who served as emcee, said visitation at the monument will be “a big boost for both Truth or Consequences and Socorro.”
“As New Mexico grows, the monument won't seem as remote. This is not an isolated corridor,” he continued, noting the high volume of traffic on Interstate 25. “And it is important for the children that we tie New Mexico and Mexico together in a friendly way.”
The permanent exhibits turned out to be the smash hit they were expected to be, with visitors waiting in line for as long as 20 minutes to get in. Rita Palacio of Bosque Farms not only waited in line at the exhibits, but also for a shuttle bus when the parking lot was overflowing.
It all became worthwhile, however, when she read a list of some of the first colonists to New Mexico posted on a 1587 to 1600 list. There among the dozens of names listed alphabetically from Sancho de Acosta to Jorge de Zuminga was, to her delight, one Palacio.
Other story notes: Providing a history lesson, and cementing the multicultural flavor was Joseph Sánchez, (Ph.D., history) superintendent of the Spanish Colonial Research Center of the National Park Service at the University of New Mexico. “Todos hemos pasados por aquí;” repeated Sánchez throughout his remarks, paraphrasing the words of Don Juan de Oñate at El Morro, also known as Inscription Rock, near Ramah, N.M. “We have all passed through here. El Camino Real is not just a route, but a series of routes for commerce, immigration and settlement.” He noted that early explorers, including Oñate, introduced a whole range of firsts into the Southwest including European government before the House of Burgesses came into being at Jamestown. “Juan de Oñate brought apple seeds. You might call him the first Appleseed Johnny,” Sánchez quipped.
In remarks away from the podium, Sánchez also said “El Camino Real is a conduit for the transmission of culture in New Mexico, and it is still alive through the descendants of the people who traveled the road.
“It represents a pageantry of Native American, Spanish and Mexican settlers as well as Anglo-American frontiersmen who migrated to the area.”
Sánchez has done extensive work in Spanish and Mexican archives for more than 30 years. He is also superintendent of Petroglyph National Monument in Albuquerque.
From Lieutenant Gov. Diane Denish: “This demonstrates that El Camino Real is still alive and well and a part of all of our lives. It's a little more generous to us that it was to early travelers, but it brings us all together.”