Summer Edition 2023

BOARD NOTES

The Friends of the Museum board continues its mission to provide educational exhibits for the community in spite of various challenges such as the Covid pandemic and the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fire. We could not meet in person, but we could continue monthly meetings, and then quarterly meetings via video conferencing. Because the City of Las Vegas administration closed the Museum in early 2022, and the Altar exhibit we were helping to produce was removed, the Friends continued to support the project and worked on an alternate location for the exhibit. Several locations were considered, but the exhibit found a temporary home at Luna Community College in the Media Arts building.

The exhibit is now called “Faith and Resilience/Fe Y Resiliencia.” The exhibit has been open since May 6, 2023, and is open Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3:30p.m.. It will be on display until December 15, 2023.

Many thanks go out to the Morada elders who loaned the artifacts for the benefit of the community, to the San Miguel County commissioners who funded the project, and to Dr. Edward Martinez, LCC President, and Francisco Apodaca, Director of STEM and Humanities, who provided a space in the Media Arts Building on the LCC campus, and their facilities staff who helped with various tasks. Special thanks to Cabrini Martinez, former museum manager, and Julianna Olguin, former museum specialist, who, during their free time, developed and managed the new exhibit. They spent many long hours on this project, and the result was well worth it! Please come out to LCC and experience this once in a lifetime opportunity.

The Friends have traditionally participated with CCHP and Heritage Week. This year, we were unable to plan an event, however, we will extend the exhibit hours on Thursday, August 10, 2023, to coincide with events/reception happening that day at the Media Arts building on the LCC campus.

In our last newsletter, we were in the process of sponsoring a rodeo. We contracted with TA Rodeo, and with the help of funding and arena preparation by the SM County Commissioners, the rodeo was a big success. There were two days of various rodeo events for all ages, from barrel racing, roping, and bull riding, to mutton busting and a calf scramble for children. Over 400 people attended, the weather cooperated, and food trucks/booths provided food and drinks. Friends board members manned the ticket gate and dealt with trash cleanup the next day. A short video by videographer, Jamie Garcia, is on our website: friendsofclvm.com under events. We donated a portion of the gate proceeds to the long-term fire relief.

Rodeos have been a major part of Las Vegas history and we wanted to relive and revive something so important to the community. Here is a quick clip from last year’s rodeo.

Also in the last newsletter, I mentioned that the NM Humanities Council awarded us $20,000 for exhibits, outreach, and educational presentations. Unfortunately, we returned the money due to all of the challenges we’ve been facing, (no museum for one!), but we hope to apply for funding in the future.

We also continue to promote our book, Las Vegas, New Mexico 1835-1935. You can buy it at Olivia’s Cafe, Paper Trail, The Plaza Hotel and Castaneda gift shops, and Rough Riders Antiques, or from Friends board members.

In the Museum Notes section of this newsletter, you will hear from Michael Rebman, the new museum manager/curator, and his news of the reopening of the CLV museum, and his short and long term goals. Congratulations to Mr. Rebman and his staff. The Friends hope to work with and support ongoing museum endeavors.

Stay cool!

Annette Garcia, Board Chair

Faith and Resilience (Fey y Resiliencia)

Luna Community College, in partnership with San Miguel County, the Las Vegas Friends of the Museum and Los Hermanos de La Morada de Los Enmascarados Gorras Blanca is excited to announce the opening of a long awaited exhibit of unique historical, cultural, political and religious artifacts.

The exhibit, entitled Faith and Resilience (Fey y Resiliencia), is a display of santos, artifacts and paintings that begin a nineteenth century, northern New Mexico and southern Colorado story of a brotherhood of faith and devotion to religion and of the resilience of a community united by faith, language, culture and land.

The exhibit which celebrated its grand opening on May, 6 th, at the Luna Community College Media Arts Building, has been produced by the Las Vegas Friends of the Museum and funded by San Miguel County, New Mexico. The special artifacts have been loaned for display by Los Hermanos de La Morada de Los Enmascarados Gorras Blancas.

MUSEUM NOTES

The exhibit is open to the public at Luna Community College Media Arts Dept Room 134. It is free to the public.

Hours of Operation

Thursdays & Fridays 10am - 4pm

Saturdays 10 am - 3pm

   Religious organizations of various faiths have been an important part of the Las Vegas community since early explorers and non-indigenous settlers came to the region in the late 1500s. 

The following summarized timeline of the various religious organizations established in Las Vegas is borrowed from Las Vegas, New Mexico 1835-1935, a book published by Friends of the City of Las Vegas Museum and Rough Riders Collection, and Compiled and Edited by Edwina Portelle Romero:

c.1790-1860 Penitente Brotherhood became active and gained strength and fulfilled important needs for spiritual solace and collective survival in a semi-arid environment and amid still-hostile nomadic Indians.  There were few priests, and they often charged exorbitant fees to perform rites of baptism, confirmation, matrimony and burial. The brotherhood continues to be active to this day.

ca. 1836-1850 First Our Lady of Sorrows Church—first, wooden facade structure at the corner of West National Avenue and South Pacific Street. Originally a mission to which priests from San Miguel del Bado rode on horseback to perform services. The structure with its earthen floor was considered “the most civilized object in town.”

1852—The statue of Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria (Our Lady of Candlemas), was brought from Durango, Mexico by Don Martin Esparza, initiating an annual novena on February 2.

1868 September—Construction on the second Our Lady of Sorrows church is begun on W. National Avenue within a block of the first building, for a cost of $30,000 to $40,000.  First service was held by 1869, and the interior was completed ca. mid-1880's.

1869—Presbyterian services are conducted by Rev. J.A. Annin at a location designated as Hay's Hall

1870-March 20—Presbyterian mission, Chavez Street is founded and completed

1874—Catholic Jesuit priest arrive and open the Las Vegas College, a school for young men.

1875—D.M. Gasparri, S.J. Establishes La Revista Catolica, a Spanish language weekly periodical and publishing house in Las Vegas, southwest of the Lower Las Vegas Plaza.

1876—Sisters of Loretto raise funds and build the Academy for girls on the southeast corner of Moreno and Gonzales Streets.

1876-1879—Reverend J. A. Annin, produces and edits Revista Evangelica, a Presbyterian newspaper

1877—Father J. B. Railliere's book, Coleccion de Cantos Esperituales is published by La Revista Catolica Press, Las Vegas.

Los Caballeros Catolicos de America (Catholic Knights of America) is founded in Las Vegas with Lorenzo Lopez as first president

1879- August-Methodist services are held at the Hamilton Hotel, corner of Jackson Street and Railroad Avenue

1880—First Baptist Mission is established; Congregational Church is organized,

 Rev. Stephen Smith, pastor

1882--Southern Methodist Female Seminary to train missionary workers opens one block west of the Methodist church

1884—First Jewish house of worship in New Mexico Territory is established; Catholic Knights of

Columbus organizes.

1885—October 22--First concert for the Kilgen Pipe Organ, Our lady of Sorrows Church, West National Avenue

December 22—Immaculate Conception Catholic Church opens on Grand Avenue, east of the Gallinas River.

1886—Construction of Episcopal Church on East national Avenue Begins; First Hebrew synagogue in New Mexico, Temple Montefiore is build on Douglas Avenue, Las Vegas

1887—March--the newly erected Immaculate Conception Catholic Church , Grand Avenue, is completed and dedicated

1888—Christian Brothers' De La Salle Institute, a private Catholic school for boys, opens.

1920—Former Montezuma hotel, at this point owned by CLV, transfers entire holding to the New

Mexico baptists; Montezuma Baptist “College is established

1921--Immaculate Conception Parish builds school, 501 National Avenue, staffed by Sisters of Loretto

1922—Lutheran Church build; Baptist College launched at former Montezuma Hotel site; fire destroys Baptist Church

1930—Baptist College at Montezuma fails

In 2011, a collaboration between the City of Las Vegas Museum and New Mexico Highlands University faculty and graduate students in the Political Science, history and Languages and Culture Department resulted in a 4-panel poster exhibit including photos and text on the religious diversity of the early settlers of Las Vegas.  The exhibit can be viewed in the museum to this day.

Note:   “The Friends of the City of Las Vegas Museum and Rough Rider Memorial Collection has been an active nonprofit organization since 1997.  It seeks ways to enhance the City Museum's mission to present objects and themes relevant to the community and region of northeastern New Mexico. 

The Friends supports  Las Vegas, New Mexico 1835-1835 with the purpose of making public many historical images of the community as it grew.  These period photographs come from several repositories in addition to highlighting  the City Museum's collection.  Furthermore, the book includes input from local scholars and residents. 
This purpose was achieved, and much more!

For all those who contributed—thank you for your work and patience!” (Las Vegas, New Mexico 1835-1835 )

As of July 1, the Museum is open to the public, following the pre-pandemic operating hours of Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 AM through 4:00 PM.  The past few years have been rough for the Museum, but it will persevere.  The staff has experienced a complete changeover, with the most senior employee starting in early April and the newest employee starting in June.  At present there is one vacant position.  The Museum Curator/Manager, Michael Rebman, formerly worked at the Museum as the Museum Specialist from 2016 to 2019, and returned in late April after a brief departure.

The Museum’s short-term goals revolve around stabilizing it administratively, through revamping policies and procedures, replacing old equipment with modern equipment, and restoring the Museum Advisory Board to a more active entity.  Between now and 2035, the Museum will continue to create new exhibits for the two changing galleries, exhibits that will focus on the aspects of history that make Las Vegas and San Miguel County unique.

In the long-term, the Museum needs a new building.  The present building was never ideal for museum purposes, and at 83 years old it has its share of structural and safety issues.  It is time to consider a better long-term solution to those issues.  A new building in 2035 would be perfectly timed for the Las Vegas Land Grant bicentennial.  It would give fresh life to the Museum, as it could restart as a Las Vegas museum and shed the “Rough Rider Museum” impression that the community holds.  A new building would allow for new exhibits, expanded services, additional staffing, better parking, and ADA compliance throughout the entire site.  With such a long-term goal, it is important for the Museum, the Friends of the Museum, and the City of Las Vegas to work closely together on funding and planning this project.