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Abiquiú, best known as the home of artist Georgia O’Keeffe, offers astonishing landscapes and a glimpse into New Mexico’s rich past.

Abiquiú, a small town about 50 miles northwest of Santa Fe, is best known today as the home of the artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Once you visit, you’ll understand why she loved and painted the landscape of her adopted home for so many years. The haunting beauty of the tiny adobe village, the majesty of the surrounding mountains, and the astonishing grandeur of the nearby red rock canyons is more than enough to keep any artist enthralled for a lifetime.

The Spanish influence in New Mexico's capital city dates back to 1540 when Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, a Spanish nobleman, traveled north from Mexico in search of the fables “Seven Cities of Cibola”. He explored what is now northern New Mexico extensively before returning empty-handed to Mexico. After several aborted attempts to resettle the northern territories, in 1598 Juan de Onate founded a Spanish village, which he named San Gabriel, located near today's San Juan Pueblo about 30 miles north of Santa Fe.

Onate's experiment at San Gabriel did not fare well and in 1610 the provincial...

On March 9, 1916 Pancho Villa (1878-1923) made his famous border raid on the town of Columbus, New Mexico. It was an event that would later almost lead the United States and Mexico to war with each other. It was an event that took the people of both Columbus and the rest of the country by surprise. However, there is evidence to suggest that the government of the United States, that which was being led by President Woodrow Wilson, both knew of Francisco Villa's intentions and welcomed it. This will illustrate the reasons why the government of that era allowed such an event to occur.

The Ortiz family has been prominent in New Mexican history and politics since before the Territorial Period. Nicolas Ortiz II, Niño Ladrón de Guevara (also written Guebara), was born in Mexico to Nicolas Ortiz I, who joined colonists in Zacatecas in 1693 and served as aid to Governor of New Mexico, Don Diego de Vargas. Nicolas Ortiz II received the Caja del Rio land grant in Santa Fe County by authority of the King, himself.

In addition to having two family members designated land grantees (Nicolás Ortiz II and Don Antonio Ortiz), Ramon Ortiz, son of Antonio Ortiz was the last Spanish...

Religion played a significant role in New Mexico’s early history and contributed to the discovery, exploration, naming, continued settlement, and reconquest of New Mexico.

When Father Marcos de Niza returned to New Spain from New Mexico, he claimed to have seen one of the fabled cities. His reports led to Coronado’s exploration of New Mexico. Franciscan Father Jacinto de San Francisco wrote a document in 1561 referring to the area as New Andalusia which gave New Mexico its first name.

In 1581, Franciscan lay brother Agustin Rodriguez, along with two other Franciscans and Francisco...

Dr. Sabine R. Ulibarrí was born September 21, 1919 in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico. His long career as educator, writer, poet, essayist, critic, and statesman began in the Río Arriba County Schools in 1938, where he taught for two years before going on to teach at the El Rito Normal School from 1940 to 1942. After receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross for having flown thirty-five combat missions over Europe during World War II, Ulibarrí returned to study under the G.I. Bill at the University of New Mexico, graduating with majors in English and Spanish in 1947. The following year he...

The Spanish attitude toward the Indians was that they saw themselves as guardians of the Indians basic rights. The Spanish goal was for the peaceful submission of the Indians. The laws of Spain controlled the conduct of soldiers during wars, even when the tribes were hostile. The missionary's role was to convert the Indians to Christianity. This would be followed by the Indians being accepted as members of the Spanish civilization. However, the exploitation of the Indian occurred constantly.

The Anglo attitude was one of total removal from their lands or total annihilation. The Indian was...

The economy of New Mexico during the first century of its Spanish occupation centered around trade between the settlers, the Indians, and the Spanish in New Spain. New supplies were only delivered to Santa Fe from New Spain every three years. Shortages of supplies occurred and trade systems became a necessary tool.

Corn obtained by the encomienda system (a trusteeship labor system used during the Spanish colonization of the Americas) provided the settlement with needed food supplies and limited the food supplies of the Pueblos. Blankets obtained by these demands were also used as trade...

The Pueblos had no single leader so Juan de Oñate introduced the office of petty governor (gobernadorcillo) and the smaller governmental positions of lieutenant-governor, sheriff (alguacil), irrigation boss (mayordomo) and church warden (fiscal). Each held a one year term of office after they were elected by a vote of the Pueblo people. This municipal government handled minor political and judicial affairs. Later, a council of elders (principales), comprised of of former governors and lieutenant governors, was added to serve as an advisory committee.

Many specific steps were taken by...

As New Mexico commemorates its 400th anniversary, some historians wonder if political correctness is dividing our state.

The recent vandalism of a bronze sculpture of conquistador Don Juan de Oñate at a public visitors center north of Española was just another reminder that few of those we honor come without some sinister baggage.

Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson and Kit Carson are just a few members in a growing pantheon of historical figures who have been cast in unfavorable light by revisionist historians. Does that mean we shouldn't honor them?