: Judy Nickell
: Atrisco to Zena Lona: A Snappy Survey of Selected Albuquerque Street Names
: Rio Grande Books
: 9781936744732
: 1
: CHF 3.10
:
: Geschichte
: English
: 116
: kein Kopierschutz
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Want to know something about the story behind Albuquerque's street names-Who are they named for and why?How do you pronounce the names?What do they mean?What's the largest street name in Albuquerque's history?Many people were interviewed for this book; research began when the author was a columnist for a local newspaper. People would call to ask for the origin of one street name or another. This provided the germ for this book. Research continued with further interviews of developers and others responsible for naming streets.In addition to stories of street names, the book lists certain categories of street names, such as animals, birds and flowers. There is a concise explanation and pronunciation of Spanish names.This 'snappy survey of selected Albuquerque street names' is not a doctoral dissertation, but rather fun reading for anyone living in or visiting New Mexico's biggest city.

ONE-ONCE UPON A TIME

ON the PLAZA

Albuquerque street names come in many forms. Some represent history. Some are named for minerals, others for plants, others for states and still others for presidents.

A good many have been named for or by people related in some way to the growth of the city: developers, engineers, farmers, land owners, historical figures and politicians. Some streets are named for old automobiles, Hollywood personalities, television shows and football players.

Albuquerque itself has not always been Albuquerque.

Alburquerque was founded in 1706 by Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdez, New Mexico’s 28th colonial governor. It was founded asSan Francisco de Alburquerque in honor of Don Francisco Fernandez de la Cueva Enriquez, Duque de Alburquerque and 34th viceroy of New Spain (who lived in Mexico City). San Francisco (St. Francis Xavier) was patron saint of the governor and the viceroy.

But to avoid problems with King Philip V of Spain (who had not approved the founding of the little village) the name was changed toSan Felipe de Alburquerque, to honor the king’s patron saint (St. Philip).

The nameSan Felipe remains on the church in Old Town and on one of the streets that borders the Plaza.

THE LOST R

The extra R was dropped many years ago, probably soon after New Mexico became part of the United States.

In the 1880s, whenNewAlbuquerque was established around the railway, street names showed some consistency. Walter Marmon, a civil engineer with the Townsite Company, is credited with the street designs and names. Numbered streets went north-south. Several east-west streets were given names of metals and minerals, as New Mexico was a mining state.

METALS and MINERALS

In the Downtown area we haveGold, Silver, Lead, Coal andIron south ofCentral (thenRailroad Avenue) andCopper on the north. Other minerals appear further north:Marble, Granite andSlate.

Central Avenue was not always Central. It started out as Railroad Avenue. It was changed in 1912 because“Central” was considered a more dignified name than“Railroad Avenue.” For a whileFirst Street was calledFront Street.

Marmon also laid out the streets east of the tracks.

Broadwaywas expected to be a wide, important street, hence the name. It was east of the tracks, taking the place ofFirstas a major thoroughfare, because First was hemmed in at the railway tracks.Broadwayhad a large watering trough atCentral, for the benefit of the horses that provided the main means of transport.

There are two or more versions o