New Mexico Extravaganza - The Road Out of Roswell (and three more for the 70/70 quest!)

 After our Roswell stay, we headed west to visit a couple of historical sites - and on the way, we were treated to a bit of wildlife viewing - Barbary Sheep!

Next up on the hit parade after the Barbary Sheep was

70/70 Quest Number 25: Lincoln Historic Site

The town of Lincoln, New Mexico is a town largely frozen in time – specifically the 1870s and 1880s which included the time of the Lincoln County War (a violent rivalry between dry goods and cattle ranching factions that ran from 1878 to 1881 and which Billy the Kid participated in). Today, a number of structures and outbuildings still stand ranging from defensive structures to stores, to a former chapel/convent/courthouse/saloon (not all at the same time), doctor's office, bank and more - including the Lincoln County Courthouse from which Billy the Kid made his final escape. We spent much of the morning strolling up and down the one-street town, poking into pretty much every building that was open to the public.

Welcome to Lincoln, New Mexico

The local coffee shop (really!)

70/70 Quest Number 26: Fort Stanton Historic Site

Fort Stanton is loaded with history as it was put to many uses through its lifetime. It was built in 1855 to serve as a base of operations against the Mescalero Apache Indians. Those 1855 buildings have since been overtaken by Confederate soldiers, served as a tuberculosis hospital from 1899-1953, was an internment site for German POWs during WWII and was a refuge for Japanese-American families who were threatened by mobs during the war, and the Fort was the State Hospital for the Developmentally Handicapped from 1960-1995. Finally, in 1997, when the State moved to dispose of the property, Fort Stanton, Inc (a nonprofit corporation) was created with the purpose of saving this historic site.

Again, Kendall and I strolled around the grounds...poking our heads into all of the buildings that are open to the public - many staged to recreate how they were used in the past.

 

 

70/70 Quest Number 27: Smokey Bear Historical Park

It turns out that the Smokey Bear Historical Park is closed on Mondays (the day we arrived there) – but we were able to wander around a bit on the outside looking in – including looking at Smokey Bear’s grave.

Smokey Bear gravesite

New Mexico Extravaganza - The Roswell Chapter continued (and 70/70 quest #23 and #24)

70/70 Quest Number 23: Roswell Museum

Straying slightly from the UFO/Alien theme that permeates Roswell, Kendall and I paid a visit to the Roswell Museum which opened in 1937 as the Roswell Museum Federal Art Center funded by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). When that funding dwindled in 1942, the City of Roswell assumed control of the museum. It is now a 50,000 square foot facility boasting twelve art and history galleries showcasing a wide variety of artists as well as an education center and the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium. There is also an extensive exhibit of Goddard's work within the Museum. It was well worth the visit; the art was inspiring and the Goddard exhibit was fascinating.

Kendall and Goddard's launch tower just outside the Museum

Sculpture of Goddard &
first liquid fuel rocket

Re-creation of Goddard's lab
(reminds me of my dad's workspace - minus the rocket)

Moon rock (above). New Mexico flag that flew on the Apollo VII mission (below)

Just one of many stunning pieces of art on display

A very different - and powerful - view of alien abduction

70/70 Quest Number 24: J. Kenneth Smith Bird Sanctuary

We thought that going to a park for a bit of bird-watching would be a dandy break from the city/aliens/UFOs and indeed it was! This park turned out to offer a fairly short trail and fairly small pond and very entertaining birds. It also was a haven for goathead thorns which loved loved loved Taz’s paws. Yikes!

As yet unidentified ducks? geese? - perhaps a domestic variety...

And on the return trip up the trail, the goathead fiasco – multiple thorns in multiple paws with every step. Only one thing to do: carry the pup up the hill!