Socorro, NM
December 19-26, 2012
Wednesday December 19, 2012. The word for the day was TURBULANCE. Flying out of Lansing on our way to Minneapolis, we hit 70 mile per hour winds, but this was minor compared to the flight from Minneapolis to Albuquerque. Two and a half hours of nearly constant jostling. The wrist bands I wear to prevent (or minimize) motion sickness didn't seem to help much.
Thankful to be on terra firma, but with me still quite queasy, my husband stopped at a shop in the airport to get me some bottled water thinking that might help. The ginger ale I drank on the plane made things worse, believe it or not. Next, we had to wait out in the cold (temps in the teens and 60 mph winds) while my mother-in-law circled the car around to pick us up. Then the 100 mile trip from Albuquerque to Socorro.
Shortly after arriving, I decided to lie down for a bit in the Casita, my in-laws' guest house. Our home-away-from-home for the week that we stayed in Socorro.
Wednesday December 19, 2012. The word for the day was TURBULANCE. Flying out of Lansing on our way to Minneapolis, we hit 70 mile per hour winds, but this was minor compared to the flight from Minneapolis to Albuquerque. Two and a half hours of nearly constant jostling. The wrist bands I wear to prevent (or minimize) motion sickness didn't seem to help much.
Thankful to be on terra firma, but with me still quite queasy, my husband stopped at a shop in the airport to get me some bottled water thinking that might help. The ginger ale I drank on the plane made things worse, believe it or not. Next, we had to wait out in the cold (temps in the teens and 60 mph winds) while my mother-in-law circled the car around to pick us up. Then the 100 mile trip from Albuquerque to Socorro.
Shortly after arriving, I decided to lie down for a bit in the Casita, my in-laws' guest house. Our home-away-from-home for the week that we stayed in Socorro.
View through the double doors.
After resting, it's back to the main house for some visiting and dinner. Here's the view from the front door of the Casita. The house on the left is the main house.
On Thursday, while my mother-in-law and I went shopping at Walmart and Smith's for groceries, my husband, his brother, and his father went up to Albuquerque to see the movie The Hobbit. The guys were gone most of the day, so it was pretty quiet in the main house. I spent most of the afternoon reading a Kindle book called A Secret Wish, one of three cozies I bought specifically to read on this trip. Reviews: The guys give a thumbs up to The Hobbit and I give A Secret Wish four out of five stars.
Friday the wind died down and the temperature warmed a bit so we decided to do another Historic Walking Tour of Socorro, this time in the San Miguel Church District. We did one the last time we were here. And, if all goes well, I'm hoping to do the third one the next time we're in Socorro. Here are a few pictures with descriptions from the City of Socorro Historic Walking Tour brochure.
This wasn't on the official walking tour, but we passed this while getting to the tour. In case you can't read the plaque, it says: "This is a fragment from Jumbo, a huge steel vessel designed to contain the explosion of the first nuclear device at the Trinity Site some 35 miles southeast of here on July 16, 1945. Jumbo was 25 feet long, 12 feet in diameter, and weighed 214 tons. Its steel walls were 14 inches thick. Although Jumbo was not used in the tests, it was 800 feet from ground zero at the time and escaped without damage except for a steel superstructure around it which was crumpled in the blast. Jumbo was used in later experiments which resulted in the ends being blown out. This piece of Jumbo is a souvenir of the worlds first nuclear explosion. Dr. Marvin Wilkening, an observer in 1945."
Friday the wind died down and the temperature warmed a bit so we decided to do another Historic Walking Tour of Socorro, this time in the San Miguel Church District. We did one the last time we were here. And, if all goes well, I'm hoping to do the third one the next time we're in Socorro. Here are a few pictures with descriptions from the City of Socorro Historic Walking Tour brochure.
This wasn't on the official walking tour, but we passed this while getting to the tour. In case you can't read the plaque, it says: "This is a fragment from Jumbo, a huge steel vessel designed to contain the explosion of the first nuclear device at the Trinity Site some 35 miles southeast of here on July 16, 1945. Jumbo was 25 feet long, 12 feet in diameter, and weighed 214 tons. Its steel walls were 14 inches thick. Although Jumbo was not used in the tests, it was 800 feet from ground zero at the time and escaped without damage except for a steel superstructure around it which was crumpled in the blast. Jumbo was used in later experiments which resulted in the ends being blown out. This piece of Jumbo is a souvenir of the worlds first nuclear explosion. Dr. Marvin Wilkening, an observer in 1945."
Now on to the tour...
The Abstract Office is the Juan Nepomuceno Garcia House. "It is New Mexican territorial style architecture and represents one type of Spanish adobe dwellings, with rooms built around a courtyard (placita). The enclosed courtyard style offered space for fruit trees, privacy, protection, animals, and sometimes even a well. The adobe walls of this house are about 20 inches thick."
The Abstract Office is the Juan Nepomuceno Garcia House. "It is New Mexican territorial style architecture and represents one type of Spanish adobe dwellings, with rooms built around a courtyard (placita). The enclosed courtyard style offered space for fruit trees, privacy, protection, animals, and sometimes even a well. The adobe walls of this house are about 20 inches thick."
"...[T]he Juan José Baca House, built around 1870. Juan José Baca was the grandson of one of the original Socorro settlers. As was common at that time, the family operated a business in their home. The two-story end of the dwelling was used for a general merchandise store. Mr. Baca was also a rancher and a politician. The walls of the house are 18 inches thick and it has a courtyard. Note the elaborate balcony."
"Turning right and traveling east toward California St., you will find the Garcia Opera House, one of Socorro's grand historic landmarks. Francesca Garcia, widow of Juan Nepomuceno Garcia, built the opera house and dedicated it in his memory. Construction was begun in 1884 and completed in 1887. The adobe walls are 34 inches thick and are curved to add strength and acoustics to the building. The inside 40-foot wide space has an open-trussed roof system. The flooring is made of hardwood. The stage takes up one third of the building. It is a 'raked' stage, which is slanted to give the audience a better view. The slant is one foot higher from rear to front. The proscenium arch curves to both sides of the stage, is supported by fluted columns, and the panels are decorated with a blue and gold design. There are no records of an opera ever performing in the Garcia Opera House, but it was used for many community events. There were dances, masquerade balls, musical and theatrical productions, political rallies, marriages, Christmas parties, commencement exercises, and even basketball games."
"Head back west on Abeyta Avenue and turn right onto a narrow street to view the house at 202 San Miguel. It shows a traditional linear style adobe, with small doors and windows set back into the walls." My note: we actually had a hard time finding this. The "narrow street" the brochure mentioned looked more like an alley to us.
The Polish diaspora has reached Socorro, New Mexico. The people in the picture are my father-in-law and my husband, neither of which are Polish. The dog's name is Harlequin. San Miguel Church is in the background.
Although I call it the Bukowski House, its proper name is the Jacabo Sedillo House. "[The house] was built between 1902 and 1913. The Sedillo family built the house with adobe, even though other types of architecture and materials had become popular in other parts of Socorro. View the unique details of the porch and roof dormers." The sign over the fence gate says "Feliz Navidad".
"In 1598, the Piro Indian pueblo of Pilabo offered assistance to the colonists of the Don Juan de Oñate expedition as they traveled through. In his documents, Oñate attributed the name "Socorro" (help) to the pueblo for their kindness and generous gift of corn. Two Franciscan priests who were traveling with Oñate stayed behind with the Indians to do missionary work. Father Benavidez named the village "Nuestra Señora de Perpetuo Socorro" (Our Lady of Perpetual Help). The mission was built between 1615 and 1626. The massive adobe walls are about five feet thick. The vigas (beams) were hand carved in wood that had been hauled down from the mountains miles away from Socorro. During the pueblo uprising of 1680, the Piros and Spanish fled south. It wasn't until 1816, that a small group of Spaniards resettled Socorro and rebuilt the church. There are 4 sub floors under the church. Records show that four priests and General Manuel Armijo, the last governor of the territory of New Mexico, are buried under the church. Some descendents of the early settlers say that in the early 1800's, an Apache Indian raid was halted when they saw a man with wings and shining sword hovering over the church door. Shortly afterward, a petition was made to the Bishop to change the name of the church to San Miguel (St. Michael), the Angelic Protector of the people." My note: Unfortunately, for two years now or so, services have been held in the Parish Hall due to the fact that the church needs to undergo extensive renovation. Apparently many decades ago, in an attempt to fix the adobe structures of several churches in the area the contractor decided to use cement to cover up the adobe. The use of cement caused the original adobe structure to retain water and erode. A couple of years ago, due to this, a church to the north of Socorro had one or more of its walls collapse. After that happened, San Miguel called in a structural inspector and so did a church to the south of Socorro. Both were found to need extensive repairs and were deemed unsafe. The inspector also found problems with the beams holding up the roof. The building was condemned and according to the priest, the repairs will take years to complete. Not to mention, I'm sure, many thousands, if not millions, of dollars. As of Christmas 2012, the church has raised around $73,000 for the renovation fund.
The memorial garden in front of San Miguel.
"The Lupe Torres House (the gray house to the left in the picture)...was originally two dwellings built around 1898. They were later joined together and during renovations, an Emborregado style of plastering was applied to the house. It is a special technique that smoothes the squared corners and gives the panels a 'wooly' looking texture. Emborregado means 'en-sheeped'."
While taking the previous picture, I was standing next to the Zingerle House. "[It] was built by Manuel Abeyta in 1871. He was a Socorro businessman, whose family was among the first Socorro settlers. The house is a one and half story adobe, with a gabled roof. It was built in an L-shaped linear design, sitting close to the street. After the 1880's, a brick facing was added to the north and east adobe walls."
"The Delfine Zimmerly House. It shows a style of adding rooms in a linear pattern as they were needed for growth. Entry to the additional rooms was created by cutting through the walls. The new rooms were entered by walking through the preceding rooms or through exterior doorways. The house was built in 1882-83. It shows a transition from flat-roofed adobe to pitched roof."
A history tile about School of Mines Rd. and children's art tiles. There are more of these at a park near the center of town. The history tile reads: "The School of Mines Road has been an integral part of the city's infrastructure for more than 100 years, as it has served as the primary arterial between the city of Socorro and the New Mexico School of Mines. This modern corridor little resembles its original appearance as a primitive dirt road when the School was first founded by the Territorial Legislature in 1889. At the time, Socorro was a city of about 4,000 inhabitants, three hotels, several boarding houses, one flour mill, a fire clay plant, a smelter site, and a courthouse. The School of Mines was organized as a 'High Grade School of Technology' that taught all branches of higher eduction within the professions of chemistry, metalurgy, geology, mining and engineering. The School was officially recognized as the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in 1960, and is popularly referred to as New Mexico Tech. Known for its mild climate, abundant water supply and fertile soils, Socorro was once a destination for those seeking opportunity and better health. With the addition of School of Mines, and the Historic Road linking the School to the city, the city gained a new industry and developed a new identity. Socorro is now a destination for many bright young students seeking a higher education."
Across the street we see this in someone's yard. Not historic, of course, just a curiosity. It's called a Fencil. Each fence post has a different significant mathematical number on it, such as 3.14159
Walking back to the center of town we come across a few of these. Still in good shape after all these years.
And, finally, back into town, we pass by this plaque.
Saturday December 22, 2012 was another quiet day. We woke up to a beautiful sunrise...
Then it was more shopping. My husband still had to finish his Christmas shopping and my mother-in-law had some shopping to do also, so they both left fairly early in the morning for Albuquerque. I sat at the main house and read on my Kindle. My father-in-law eventually went for a bike ride. And my brother-in-law came over to dig a pit in order to roast part of a pig for Christmas dinner. By the time my mother-in-law and husband got back, the house smelled of lamb roast. My husband decided to cook mashed turnips and mashed potatoes to go with it for dinner that evening. Clearly Harlequin's nose is not directional. She's sure that whatever my husband is doing, it involves lamb. Little does she know that the lamb is in the electric roaster, quite safe from hungry dogs.
Sunday December 23, 2012. Church in the morning. The family was split up this time. In years past my in-laws would attend San Miguel with my husband and I on Sunday and Christmas when we were in Socorro. But, more than a year ago now my father-in-law decided he wanted to start attending the local Episcopal church, even though he's Quaker. So, my parents-in-law have been attending every Sunday since. This day, my brother-in-law (who's athiest, by the way) was singing in a duet at the 10 am Episcopal Mass. Since attendance at a church other than Catholic doesn't count for me (I am Catholic) my husband and I attended the 10 am service at San Miguel instead. After the Episcopal Mass, my father-in-law had choir practice so while he was at practice, my mother-in-law, husband, and I all went grocery shopping again. In the afternoon, the Christmas baking began. My husband baked a fruitcake.
Monday December 24, 2012. Morning brought more baking. This time pumpkin pies. My mother-in-law made the traditional kind and I made a vegan version (I'm the odd one out because I'm severly lactose intolerant and allergic to eggs). The vegan version didn't turn out as I would have liked because (1) I had to go by memory when making the recipe and (2) my mother-in-law convinced me to put cornstarch in the pie filling so it would "set-up". But, this version of pumpkin pie is supposed to "set-up" in the refrigerator. The pie wasn't as light as I would've liked it, but it was edible. I've decided that rather than go by memory, I'm going to put my recipe on Evernote so I could access it through the internet next time I need it when I'm down in Socorro.
In the afternoon, preparations for the pig roast began.
Monday December 24, 2012. Morning brought more baking. This time pumpkin pies. My mother-in-law made the traditional kind and I made a vegan version (I'm the odd one out because I'm severly lactose intolerant and allergic to eggs). The vegan version didn't turn out as I would have liked because (1) I had to go by memory when making the recipe and (2) my mother-in-law convinced me to put cornstarch in the pie filling so it would "set-up". But, this version of pumpkin pie is supposed to "set-up" in the refrigerator. The pie wasn't as light as I would've liked it, but it was edible. I've decided that rather than go by memory, I'm going to put my recipe on Evernote so I could access it through the internet next time I need it when I'm down in Socorro.
In the afternoon, preparations for the pig roast began.
Short sleeve shirt on Christmas Eve? It may not have been THAT warm except by the fire, but it was in the low 50s that afternoon. After Dan was no longer needed to watch the fire, he and I took a walk around the neighborhood. What I hoped would be a leisurely walk turned a bit nerve wracking (at least for me) when a dog ran out of a yard and attempted to chase us away from his "territory". Thankfully, we did not have to venture back down that street again! People should leash their dogs, but in that part of New Mexico, many dogs just run free.
In the evening we all went to the Christmas Eve Mass at the Episcopal Church. My father-in-law sang in the choir.
Then it was back home for some dessert before turning in early.
Tuesday December 25, 2012. Back to San Miguel for my husband and I for their only Mass on Christmas Day. Then it was back to my in-laws' place to open presents.
Then it was back home for some dessert before turning in early.
Tuesday December 25, 2012. Back to San Miguel for my husband and I for their only Mass on Christmas Day. Then it was back to my in-laws' place to open presents.
Good things come in small packages... Not only is my brother-in-law a talented Material Science Engineer (though, unfortunately, currently unemployed), but he's also a talented jewelry maker. Here are two brooches/lapel pins he made and gave me for Christmas. The turquoise came from Sleeping Beauty Mines in Arizona.
After opening presents, it was time to eat the roast pig (among other things). Surprisingly, it was pretty tasty, even though it was a bit dry. My brother-in-law said that he wouldn't cook it as long next time (if there is a next time). The vegetables he cooked with the pig in the pit, well, they didn't fare so well. Luckily my mother-in-law had alternatives that she cooked on the stove.
Wednesday December 26, 2012. Travel day. Thankfully all went smoothly. The planes were on time and the turbulence was minimal. It is nice to be back home!
Created by Joyce P. Simkin
Last updated in HTML: December 30, 2012
Last updated in Weebly: April 4, 2016
Wednesday December 26, 2012. Travel day. Thankfully all went smoothly. The planes were on time and the turbulence was minimal. It is nice to be back home!
Created by Joyce P. Simkin
Last updated in HTML: December 30, 2012
Last updated in Weebly: April 4, 2016