With the excitement surrounding the white bison calf at Yellowstone National Park we want to take a moment to tell you about the white Merriam’s Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) waddling around Coronado Historic Site and Tamaya Pueblo. Like the bison calf, this turkey is not albino, it may have Leucism or piebald characteristics where most of their feathers lack pigment resulting in white patches. This may be because of inbreeding when the wild turkey population around the site was much smaller. Pueblo of Santa Ana Department of Natural Resources has an ongoing program monitoring wild turkeys after decades of population decline. The Merriam’s turkey was reintroduced to the area in 2004 and 2005.
We acknowledge the importance of the white bison calf's birth and the indigenous people to whom the white bison’s birth is significant.
Historic Site video of a white turkey walking across the frame from right to left.
#NMCulture #NMTrue #NewMexico #NewMexicoCulture #NMHistoricSites #LandofEnchantment #PureNewMexico #NewMexicoLove #TravelNewMexico #iLoveNewMexico #ExploreNewMexico
Good morning from Coronado Historic Site at Kuaua Pueblo! Today, I wanted to share another video from one of our game cams. Check out this cute North American porcupine walking through the bosque! In the video, it looks like our friend scares himself with a stick. Although they are primarily nocturnal, porcupines do not have nearly as strong of night vision as cats. Instead, they rely more on their sense of smell.
After beavers, the North American porcupine is the largest rodent on the continent. Within the US, they are especially common within the northern and western states. Perhaps their most notable trait is their extensive coat of quills. These 30,000 sharp spines are used to defend these animals from predators. In this area, those dangers could include coyotes, bobcats, cougars, and bears!
Big thanks to Ranger Zoe for setting up the cams and frequently checking the footage!
#nmhistoricsites #coronadohistoricsite #nmwildlife #northamericanporcupine
Video Description: Nighttime video showing a North American porcupine walking across a downed tree from left to right. Near the end, it runs into a stick and its quills stand up. The porcupine is a housecat-sized rodent covered in sharp spines. It slowly and deliberately waddles.
Good meow-ning from #CoronadoHistoricSite! Recently, Ranger Zoe has set up some new game cams along the trails and we have gotten some fantastic shots. The video below, actually from April 22 at 1:00am (oops, we forgot to set the date!), shows a bobcat walking near the river.
Bobcats are solitary animals that have a wide natural range across most of the USA and Mexico. They are primarily nocturnal animals that have well-adapted eyes for low-light conditions. During these times, bobcats will go out to hunt small game such as rabbits, rodents, or birds. Throughout their lives, these animals tend to stay close to where they were born. Knowing that, we may stumble upon our friend again down the line!
#NewMexicoHistoricSites #wildlife #landofenchantment
As the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site prepares for opening, this involves construction projects and care for the collection. Last week, the staff worked with Level Fine Art Services to move some of the collection to the NM Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum for conservation purposes.
Fort Selden Historic Site has had several wildlife sightings over the past week including a bobcat (hiding in the desert), little brown bats, and this critter: a bull snake. Though bull snakes are nonvenomous they can still be territorially defensive. Site staff gave this snake plenty of space and it slithered away back into the desert.
#NMCulture #NewMexicoCulture #NMHistory #FtSelden #FortSelden #FortSeldenHistoricSite #NMHistoricSites #NewMexicoHistoricSites #LandofEnchantment #DoñaAnaCounty
After five weeks of voting, the winner of the 2024 Taylor-Mesilla Historic Property Collections Tournament is:
The Taylor-Mesilla Historic Property is thrilled to announce the third annual Taylor Collections Tournament! This tournament will kick off next Tuesday, February 27 with details on this year's 32 competing objects. Before checking out the pieces next week, take a look at this video from the first Taylor Collections Tournament in 2021, as J. Paul Taylor announced the winner. We had so much fun filming this video with him and are excited to share more of the incredible Taylor Family Collection with you next week.
Deer at Bosque Redondo Memorial
Bosque Redondo Memorial had a few new visitors recently! The winter is the best time to see the mule deer at our site. The best times are early morning or before sunset.
Farolito Tour Saturday December 2nd
Join Bosque Redondo Memorial for our Farolito Tour on Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
You can purchase tickets here (https://my.nmculture.org/20940/27573) or buy them in person.
There will be free food while it lasts. We hope to see you there!
Discover the hidden stories of the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation and step back in time with the Winter Letters Farolito Tour. This live interactive event intertwines history and storytelling by presenting Fort Sumner archival military correspondence and oral histories from the Diné (Navajo) and Ndé (Mescalero Apache).
The tour is lead by knowledgeable staff members every 20 minutes starting at 5:00 PM. This 1.5-mile tour is made bright with 1,300 farolitos and will include 13 different stops or stories. These stops include several points of interest such as the Mescalero Apache Prayer Circle, the Pecos River, partial replicas of Fort Sumner, the Navajo Travelers Shrine, and the site where the Treaty of 1868 was signed. There is also an accompanying self-guided audio tour for those unable to join the staff tour or would like to explore on their own.
Ticket prices are $7 for adults, free for children under 16 and free for Tribal Members, and cover admission to the Bosque Redondo Memorial Exhibition, as well as food including Posolé, Biscochitos, Hot Cocoa, and Coffee. Don't miss out on this one of a kind experience.
Purchase your tickets now at https://my.nmculture.org/20940/27573. Be a part of history and explore the Bosque Redondo Indian Reservation with the Winter Letters Farolito Tour!
There was a wonderful turnout for Lincoln After Dark on July 15th and 16th. People walked the streets and were greeted by actors and volunteers sharing history. A special thank you to @badhosshistory, @friendsofhistoriclincoln, and @osoproductions. #newmexicohistoricsites #lincolnhistoricsite
On May 20, Bosque Redondo Memorial and the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC) will host Spring Letters from the Reservation, a seasonal event where the Site’s staff and volunteers tell the story of life on Bosque Redondo reservation through archival letters and oral histories from the months of March, April, and May (1863-1688). You can learn more (including the free brunch we’ll be serving!) in the Events section of our page.
This year, thanks to our partnership with ICSC, Spring Letters from the Reservation will be held in-person and online for the first time. If you’re interested in volunteering to read letters during the event, in-person or virtually, please sign up here: https://forms.office.com/g/VRfZvTKCGB.?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_wlwfewn29d
Below, you can hear a snippet from last year's Summer Letters from the Reservation — volunteer Michael Anthony Guidicissi reading a letter from Lorenzo Labadi to Captain Ben C. Cutler about supplies the reservation had received.
2023 Taylor Collections Tournament Winner Announcement
After 7 weeks and 3,000 votes it is now time to announce the winner of the 2nd Annual Taylor Collection Tournament! Thank you so much to everyone who voted. We hope you enjoyed the competition and know Mr. Taylor would have loved watching the competition in action.
Jemez Historic Site and many parts of Northern New Mexico have recently received a very good amount of snow. This moisture will help feed the rivers and the streams for farmers to use this upcoming growing season. The people of Jemez Pueblo and many New Mexico communities use water from rivers for irrigating their crops.
Video credit: DCA/Marlon Magdalena
Music by Marlon Magdalena
#snow #Jemez #JemezHistoricSite #NMHistoricSites #NewMexicoHistoricSites #JemezMountains #flutemusic #nativeflutemusic
January Lambs
Surprise! The herd of Navajo Churro Sheep at Fort Sumner Historic Site owned by the Friends of the Bosque Redondo has increased again! We now have six new lambs who are healthy and happy!
Fort Sumner Historic Site Staff, are pleased to announce that this December, the in-person Winter Letters from the Reservation is returning to Bosque Redondo Memorial. Letters from the Reservation is a live event at the Memorial that happens three times a year. Through this program, the history of the fort and reservation unfolds by way of storytelling using archival military correspondence and oral stories. Staff are currently recruiting volunteers to read letters or oral histories (in-person) during the event. This video clip is an example of one of the letters read in the past. If you wish to volunteer to read a letter, you can comment below or call the Memorial directly at 575-355-2873 or sign up through this link: https://forms.office.com/g/VpkFhZPG59. There is a limited amount of stories to tell, so sign up quickly.
Winter Letters from the Reservation (In-Person), Saturday December 3, 2022 from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM. The evening will begin with a traditional New Mexico dinner of pork posolé, tortillas, tortilla chips, salsa, and a winter cake served with coffee or hot chocolate from the hot chocolate bar. Dinner will be followed by a journey into the Memorial’s storyteller’s room where volunteers and staff will tell the story of life on the reservation through archival letters and oral histories from the months of November, December, January, and February (1863-1867). There is no admission fee for this event and the food is free. Please join us and listen to history unfold.
Pecos River Flooding
The Pecos River at Bosque Redondo Memorial is prone to flood throughout the summer months. The past couple of rains here in Fort Sumner has contributed to the flooding. This video was taken two weeks ago as we had to close the Nature Trail because of the overflow. The Nature Trail is now open and you can walk next to the Pecos and you may see some wildlife.
Sweet Dreams of Alebrijes: Exploring the Taylor Collections
The colorful and vibrant carvings of Mexican alebrijes are known worldwide, but did you know they originated in a dream? This episode - the Season 3 finale and last created and narrated by former Collections Specialist Ivana - will cover how alebrijes are made, who their creators are, and how they have become part of Mexico’s culture.
