Historic Forts Day -- Feb. 20, 2010* at the Center, 10am-4pm
El Camino Real International Heritage Center is a New Mexico State Monument
operated by the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Educational
programs and activities are made possible by El Camino Real IHC Foundation
WHERE: El Camino Real International Heritage
Center
Located on I-25
between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115 - follow the signs.
If you're still lost . . . click here for map and driving instructions
COST: Event free with paid Monument admission.
Free admission for ages 16 & under.
Single adult visit, $5.
Free admission for MNM and ECRIHC Foundation
members, and U.S. Military veterans
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 575-854-3600
5th Annual Historic Forts Day -- Frontier fun for the entire family (and history buffs, too!)
Discover frontier life along the ancient Camino Real. Event will include living history re-enactments of soldier camp activities
including bullet-making, black powder demonstration, treadle sewing, open fire cooking and more.
On-going demonstrations throughout the day:
Living history demonstrations of soldier camp activities, courtesy of Fort
Selden State Monument and Old Fort Griffin Memorial,
including black powder and bullet making demonstrations.
Horno-baking
and open-fire frontier trail cooking demonstrations
courtesy of Fort Selden State Monument.
Treadle sewing demonstrations
Mule
Packing demonstrations, courtesy of the
Socorro Back Country Horsemen
Demonstrations of life along the trail
in the Territorial days in period dress held throughout the day
Agenda: Special Presentations:
10:00 am slide presentation: "Fort Stanton" by Gwendolyn Rogers, courtesy of Lincoln State Monument. Roger's presentation will include information on the history of Fort Stanton as well as current preservation efforts at the fort.
11:00
am slide presentation: The Socorro Back Country Horsemen will conduct a talk and demonstration on mule packing. The Back
Country Horsemen is a unique organization that works with the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park
Service and other agencies to preserve and maintain the back country so that everyone has the freedom to enjoy it. As a service organization
they offer their expertise to assist public agencies to manage continuing recreational livestock use on public lands. Members
of the Socorro Back Country Horsemen assisted the Bureau of Land Management in burning the recreational trail at the Center during
Preservation Month in 2006 and have continued to present demonstrations and information to visitors during special events at the Center.
*Held in conjunction with the anniversary of the Battle at Valverde, February 21, 1862 between Union and Confederate forces near Fort
Craig, about 15 miles northeast of El Camino Real International Heritage Center.
Soldier life -- waitin' for the coffee to brew
Plus --
A carreta building demonstration by
Gary Williams.
information
Need a ride from Socorro?
City of Socorro is offering a shuttle service from Socorro to the Center for Historic Forts Day.
Leave Socorro Plaza at 9:15 am and 12:15 pm
Return to Socorro at 12:15 am and 4:00 pm
For information or reservations
call 575-835-1501
Thanks to the City of Socorro for this service.
Black powder demonstrations
Members of the New Mexico Historical Society will present a short-lecture series on the role of forts in New Mexico
1:00 pm: "Early Colonial Military and El Camino Real" will be presented by Ms. Henrietta Christmas. The lecture will be a presentation
about the soldiers and their duties specifically focusing on Bernardo Bustamante, Bernardo Miera y Pacheco and Manuel Delgado. A resident of Corrales, Ms. Christmas has been an historical and genealogical researcher for the past 27 years. She has given
numerous talks on the early history of the Pojoaque Valley
and of the Trementina area as well as on the Spanish Colonial Military.
She is
currently working on compiling a book on Chaperito and its surrounding villages,
now a ghost town. She recently completedThe Santa Fe Presidio Soldiers -
Their Donation to the American Revolution which outlines 177 soldiers who
donated money to the American
Revolutionary cause. Ms. Christmas has written
over 100 articles for various journals relating to genealogy and history. She
has
served on the Historical Society of New Mexico Board since 2007 and is currently
serves as secretary of the organization.
2:30 pm: Historian Mr. Don Bullis presents "The U.S. Army on the Western Frontier, 1866-1890." A resident of Rio Rancho, Mr. Bullis
has a bachelor's degree in American History and American Literature from Eastern New Mexico University. He worked in public
relations and as a newspaperman prior to beginning a 20 year career in law enforcement, retiring in 2002 as a criminal intelligence
operational supervisor for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. After retirement, Mr. Bullis returned to newspaper
work and writing, authoring three nonfiction books, including most recently New Mexico: A Biographical Dictionary (2007)
and two novels with New Mexico themes. Currently he serves ass the Sheriff (President) of the Albuquerque Corral of Westerners
International. He has been a member of the Historical Society of New Mexico Board since 2007 and is currently the organization's
2nd vice-president.
3:30 pm video presentation: Fort Selden State Monument Manager Nathan Stone will be at the Center
to talk about the history of the fort, preservation efforts at the site and the video presentation "History of Fort Selden."
Historic Forts Day is made possible by:
El Camino Real International Heritage Center Foundation and the Museums of New Mexico
Foundation.
Many thanks for your contributions.
