ABQPedia

(1865-1945) Socorro-born; in his life served variously as sheriff, mayor, school superintendent, and district attorney. While serving as an unofficial deputy sheriff, famously survived a siege by "40 cowboys who shot 400 bullets" (some sources claim an unlikely 4,000). Subsequently became a lawyer, noted for championing the poor and the underdog. Famously involved in engineering several jailbreaks where he thought justice was not being served, including one of his own father. Baca lived for much of his life in the Albuquerque area and his colorful life and dynamic character fueled a reputation that has swelled into the status of folk hero, inspiring songs, books, and a Disney TV series filmed in New Mexico.
WPA Writer's Project interview with Elfego Baca

(1860-1928) Italian businessman who came to Albuquerque in 1885 and was very influential in developing an Italian community in the area, earning him the nickname of "Father of the Albuquerque Italian Community". Bachechi grew a tent saloon into a prosperous wholesale liquor business and his success encouraged other Italians to move to Albuquerque, which he fostered by lending Italian immigrants travel money and helping them find work once they arrived. Charter member of the Colombo Society, an organization to assist Italian immigrants. When Prohibition interfered with his liquor business, he formed the Bachechi Amusement Company and owned several theaters including the KiMo Theatre which he opened in 1927.

(1944-1970) Graduate of Manzano High School, degree in physical education from UNM. Champion WAC runner in high school who became a PE teacher in the Albuquerque school system; created a running team called the Duke City Dashers. Was diagnosed with cancer and died at the age of 26. Aspen Elementary School, where he continued to teach until shortly before his death, was renamed John Baker Elementary by a universal vote of the students and staff. Subject of a biography by Bill Buchanan, A Shining Season: the true story of John Baker, which was later the basis for a TV movie of the same name. Brigham Young University produced another film about his life, John Baker's Last Race.

The first balloon ascension in New Mexico occurred on July 4th, 1882, when "The City of Albuquerque" was inflated using coal gas from the public lines. During a second ascension in September of that year, the balloon burst. In later years other balloon ascensions followed, often part of Territorial Fair festivities. A mass ascension of hot air balloons from Albuquerque in 1972 marked the entry of New Mexico as a world leader in such ballooning, culminating in today's annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

AKA: Las Barelas, Los Barelas. Originally established as a village in 1662, at a river crossing on the Rio Grande; absorbed into metro Albuquerque as the city expanded. Immediately south of Downtown Albuquerque, bounded by Coal Avenue, the railroad tracks, and the Rio Grande. The Barelas Neighborhood boomed with the location of the railroad shops nearby, then suffered the loss of those jobs when the shops closed in 1970. Now home to the National Hispanic Cultural Center. The commercial area along 4th Street is on the National Register of Historic Places as the Barelas-South Fourth Street Historic District.

(1866-1954) Joseph Barnett. Real estate entrepeneur, businessman, and theater developer who purchased and developed numerous properties in Albuquerque from his arrival from New York in the 1890s well into the 1950s. President and co-owner of Albuquerque Exhibitors, Barnett controlled numerous theaters in the area, and was responsible for construction of the Sunshine Building with its Sunshine Theater in 1928. In his career he also controlled office buildings, saloons, and a billiard parlor, and built the Barnett Building in 1903.

A small engagement during the Civil War, April 8-12 1862. As Sibley's Army of New Mexico retreated south after the Battle of Glorieta, they occupied Albuquerque for a second time. Union forces led by Edward Canby came north from Fort Craig to test the Confederacy's numbers and willingness to engage. Canby's cannons opened fire from the edge of town; Sibley's cannon returned fire. The two-day exchange caused little damage and no casualties, and was ended when Canby was told that civilians had no way to take cover. Unsure of the Union force's numbers and low on supplies, the Confederate forces withdrew, ending the "Invasion of New Mexico".

A small engagement near the end of the New Mexico Campaign during the Civil War. Retreating from the Battle of Glorieta Pass, Confederate forces briefly re-occupied Albuquerque then after the Battle of Albuquerque, April 8-12 1862, withdrew further south. On April 14 the Confederates camped near Peralta, seeking to join other Confederate forces encamped at Los Lunas. Union forces led by Major Canby engaged the Confederates; a cannon exchange followed and after the Union had captured a Confederate supply train the Confederates withdrew, leaving the town in ruin.

(1927-2003) Physicist, owner of an electronics company in Albuquerque. Living near Manzano Base, he noticed "mysterious aerial lights" in the Manzano Mountains; interested in UFOs, he became convinced that he was gaining evidence of human interactions with aliens at the governmental level. He further claimed to have intercepted communications between several groups of aliens and to have proof of the existence of an underground alien "base" in northern New Mexico, the Dulce UFO base. Bennewitz's persistence, and a paper he wrote on the subject, did much to standardize the legend of alien influence in northern New Mexico.

On state land about six miles west of Bernalillo, first reported in January 2003 by an anonymous informant who said there were 3 or 4 people sighted nearby. When Sandoval County Sheriff's personnel investigated, they found a 70 foot deep hole lined with plywood to form a 3 by 3 foot straight-drop shaft with wood forming ladder steps along one side. The shaft ended at an unlined 8 foot tunnel. The excavated earth had been spread around beneath surrounding vegetation, and the opening concealed. Officials kept the area under surveillance for months to see if the diggers might return; the military was also involved in the investigation as the shaft was near the New Mexico National Guard Hawk Missile Training Facility Site. No one was identified as being responsible for the shaft, and no conclusion was ever reached regarding its purpose. The mystery shaft was finally filled in for safety reasons.

AKA: El Molino. In operation beginning 1924 to process timber brought in from the Jemez Mountains by the White Pine Lumber Company along the Santa Fe Northwestern Railway. The mill was shut down in 1931, reportedly because of low lumber prices, then reopened under control of the newly-formed New Mexico Lumber and Timber Company. The sawmill was a major employer in the area, with more than 200 working in the sawmill and up to 70 in a secondary facility that manufactured washboards and scrub brushes. The rail line was taken up in 1941; truck logging continued until 1973, and after a sawmill was built in Gilman the Bernalillo sawmill was closed in 1948, though a planing facility did continue to operate for several years.

(1964-) Born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, in Albuquerque. American technology entrepreneur, investor; the founder, chairman, and CEO of Amazon.com. Founder of spaceflight company Blue Origin, to encourage humans moving into space. His company, Bezos Expeditions, has invested in dozens of technology startups. Estimated (2016) as the 2nd richest person in the U.S. and one of the top 10 richest people in the world.

Reporter who, in 1889, tried to beat the record of fictional character Phileas Fogg, from Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days, by traveling around the world in 72 days. Backed by the New York World newspaper, she circumnavigated the globe in just over 72 days, traveling alone for most of the time. The journey caused a worldwide sensation, with people betting upon the precise moment she would reach her stops. Her special train, provided by the AT&SF; railway and given right-of-way over other traffic, stopped in Albuquerque for two minutes on January 22 1890. She was met by the mayor and other dignitaries who were surprised by the quick departure of the train, which made a short stop outside of town to allow them off.

In Old Town Albuquerque. Italianate/Mediterranean style large home built on the site of Manuel Armijo's mansion by German immigrant Charles Bottger. After housing several generations of Bottgers, the house belonged to a Buddhist community and later served as a boardinghouse then a bed and breakfast. Reputed to be haunted.
Bottger Mansion of Old Town website

Crime drama television series of five seasons, produced 2008-2013. Filming locations around Albuquerque, where the story is also set. Starring Bryan Cranston, the series chronicles the dissolution of a chemistry teacher who discovers he can become very wealthy producing illegal drugs. The series received strong critical acclaim and numerous awards including multiple Emmys, and is considered one of the best drama series of all time. Such is the popularity of the series that tourism to visit the filming locations became common. The prequel series Better Call Saul was also filmed around Albuquerque.

Science fiction and fantasy convention held annually in Albuquerque since 1968, typically in August. Up to 900 people attend the event; included in this number are many members of New Mexico's sizable contingent of science fiction and fantasy authors, as well as genre notables invited from elsewhere. The name is a wry reference to the fact that New Mexico is the only state with annual cases of bubonic plague; in line with this theme, the convention's mascot is a rat named "Perry Rodent" (a play on the SF character Perry Rhodan.) The convention features discussion panels, readings and seminars with authors, an art show and dealers' room, and a costume contest.
Bubonicon Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention website

Bullfights were held in Santa Fe on important religious and secular occasions from the city's early days to as late as the 1890s. A bullring was located on the outskirts of Socorro in the late 1800s; during the 1887 San Miguel festival there a reported 15,000 New Mexicans attended the fights, with bullfighters from Chihuahua Mexico. A "bloodless" bullfight was staged by a troupe of professional bullfighters from Mexico and Spain in Old Town Albuquerque on January 21 1894. The event was controversial and challenged as possibly being illegal in New Mexico; then-Territorial Governor William Thornton sent a telegram to cancel the event, but the District Attorney ruled that there were no grounds to do so. The event took place before 2,000 spectators, with both matadors and bulls protected by bundles of straw.

(1913-1981) Joined UNM in 1948 as the only member of the Art Department, remaining on the faculty until 1980. Did extensive work on architectural history around New Mexico, notably Of Earth and Timbers Made (1974) and Early Architecture in New Mexico (1976). Served as co-editor on the New Mexico Architecture journal; served as trustee of the Albuquerque Museum. Received the Governor's Award in the Arts in 1978.