The Lyon Letters- Arrival in Albuquerque
Finally back on track! Thanks for your patience-Today: Lyon in New Albuquerque, the Armijo House, Henry Forrester and the Armijo AdditionThe Lyon letters are an on-going series on Albuquerque/New Mexico history as related through the letters of William B. Lyon to his fiancé Corie Bowman.On March 1st, 1882, four months after he began the courtship of Corie Bowman in La Mesilla, NM, Dr. William B. Lyon arrived in New Albuquerque. It is impossible to say exactly how he spent his time in the bustling railroad town, but it is clear that he met up with the Bowmans' family friend, the Episcopalian minister Henry Forrester, very soon after steppin

Two in a row
Well, that's two "please hold" messages in a row. Just too busy this week with catching up after our trip, I'm afraid. Should have one up for next tuesday, though, if all goes as planned!

Nothing new today
Just got back from a week in D.C., so I'll spend today recuperating. Check back on Thursday!

The first business in Albuquerque
When the first train pulled into the area that would soon become New Albuquerque, there was nothing, literally nothing besides the converted boxcars that served as a makeshift depot, there. The Villa de Alburquerque, where people lived, where saloons and inns and the post office were located, lay a mile-and-a-half to the west of the rail line, and only a rough winding road traversed the empty, sand flat between them.Within a day, that had changed. On April 23, 1880, an enterprising ne’er-do-well named Peter “Shorty” Parker (no relation) dug a hole in the ground...

The Lyon letters- On the road to New Albuquerque
Today- An omnibus north, a midnight meeting with Pat Garrett, the shysters of Socorro.The Lyon letters are an on-going series on Albuquerque/New Mexico history as related through the letters of William B. Lyon to his fiancé Corie Bowman.Once Corie Bowman had accepted his proposal of marriage, which occurred sometime between January and late February of 1882, Dr. William B. Lyon was ready to start a new life for himself and his imminent family. However, prospects for a successful physician's practice were dead in the water in the tiny town of La Mesilla, New Mexico, where he had lived for the past three years since retiring from the army, and where his bride