Albuquerque
East Downtown BannerBecause of its size, Albuquerque stands alone among its MainStreet peers. Many of the communities profiled on our “Off the Road” pages have a handful of diners, shops, and events that are the heartbeat and identity of their town. Well, think of Albuquerque as all of our MainStreet’s rolled into one community…times three! Thus, in an effort to provide a sense fairness and balance we have selected just a small fraction of what Albuquerque and the Downtown Action Team’s MainStreet district have to offer. For information on the entire range of restaurants, shops, activities, and cultural offerings found in the Duke City, please check out the Downtown Action Team’s comprehensive site and the City of Albuquerque’s official web site.
Events
The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of the world premiere ballooning events, attracting thousands of participants, spectators, and tourists to the Duke City the first week of every October. Hundreds of colorful balloons lift off each of the events nine days, participating in events like the special shapes rodeo and spectacular night time balloon glows.
The Albuquerque International Balloon FiestaApril’s Gathering of Nations Pow Wow is the largest collection of indigenous and Native people in North America. More than 500 tribes are represented by thousands of guests, performers, and artisans.
History
Although the Spanish explorer Coronado first came through the area around 1540, Albuquerque did not take root until 1706. 12 Spanish families petitioned to start a villa, and the provisional Governor, Francisco Cuervo y Valdes, decided to christen it “Alburquerque” after the Viceroy of New Spain. The extra “r” in the name has been dropped over the centuries, but the nickname “the Duke City” (the Viceroy held the title “Duke of Alburquerque”) has stuck.
The town was subject to constant Indian attacks, so the inhabitants constructed a defensible plaza to live in. They also constructed a small church in 1793 (the San Felipe Neri Chruch) that still stands today. This plaza and church were the beginnings of what is now known as “Old Town” in central Albuquerque.
Life in the city remained largely unchanged until the arrival of the railroad in the 1880’s. Merchants and saloons sprouted up, drawing an unsavory and rough crowd (Billy the Kid shot up an Old Town bar!). By the turn of the century, Albuquerque had surpassed Santa Fe as the economic capitol of the Territory.
The Twentieth Century saw Albuquerque grow as a result of medical curatives (the climate was considered favorable for early-1900’s tuberculosis patients), the arrival of Route 66 (in the 1930’s), and a boon in the military and technology fields (the arrivals of Kirtland Air Force Base and Sandia National Labs).
Culture
Albuquerque is home to the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Preservation and celebration of Hispanic culture is demonstrated through art collections, literary works, and live performances.
Explore the rich culture and history of the New Mexico’s Pueblo Indians at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
Four centuries of history are on display at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. Here, modern art rubs shoulders with centuries old artifacts from Spanish occupation.
The largest assemblage of fine arts in the state is housed in the collections of the University of New Mexico Art Museum.
Scoles HallThe WPA in Albuquerque
Albuquerque is home to scores of WPA buildings and works. Among the most prolific are the following-
WPA Buildings
John Gaw Meem designed both Scoles Hall and Zimmerman Library on the campus of the University of New Mexico (the corner of University and Central). Both have undergone redesign and restoration, but still carry many of the architect’s innovative design features. Also on the campus of UNM, the Anthropology building is from that era, and contains three large murals by Joseph Imhof.
Zimmerman LibraryThe Old Albuquerque Municipal Airport (2920 Yale SE) is a Pueblo revival style two-story building that stands in the shadow of the Albuquerque Sun Port.
The Monte Vista Fire Station (3201 Central, now a restaurant), the Albuquerque Little Theater (224 San Pasquale SW) and Old Albuquerque High School (301 Central, now loft apartments) were all built under the WPA, but have gone through various renovations and remodelings, in some cases altering their appearance drastically.
Old Albuquerque High SchoolWPA Artwork
There are two large murals in the U.S. Federal Building/District Courthouse (421 Gold), one of the 1680 Pueblo revolt by Loren Mozley, and another by Emil Bisttram. On the 8th floor of the Federal Building at 517 Gold, there is a large painting of the construction of Conchas Dam by artist Odon Hullenkramer.
The Albuquerque Museum (2000 Mountain Rd NW) contains many WPA works, including those from Emilo Bisttram and Joseph Fleck.
Carrie Tingley Hospital (1127 University) has a dozen works by various artists in its administrative offices.
The Jonson Gallery (also on the campus of UNM) is devoted to the works of Raymond Jonson, and has many of his New Deal era works.
The University of New Mexico Art Museum, already home to dozens of WPA works, will be holding it’s own 75th Anniversary Celebration of New Deal Artwork, For the Greater Good: New Deal Art in New Mexico 1933-1943, featuring works by Raymond Jonson, Willard Nash and a dozen others. The exhibit runs from February 26-May 25, 2008.
For more information on visiting Albuquerque, go to the cities official site or Albuquerque’s official tourism site.
Contact:
Brian Morris, Executive Director
Downtown Action Team
309 Gold Ave. SW
Albuquerque, NM 87102
Phone: 505.243.2230
