Around we go.....
Starting in Capitan which is best known as Smokey Bear's hometown. He was rescued near here and is buried here. Smokey's story is not a fairy tale, it is a true story.
Smokey Bear is Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear and not Smoky. The "the" was added when song writers were writing a song about Smokey and the rhythm was off, so they added the "the" to make it sound right. The spelling was deliberate and was intended to not refer to the adjective "smoky".
Smokey Bear is Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear and not Smoky. The "the" was added when song writers were writing a song about Smokey and the rhythm was off, so they added the "the" to make it sound right. The spelling was deliberate and was intended to not refer to the adjective "smoky".
On May 4, 1950 a stray spark from a stove in a cabin turned into the Los Tablos blaze in the Lincoln National Forest. A couple of days later another blaze started in the same area, known as the Capitan Gap fire. By the time the fires were put out more than 17,000 acres were destroyed. Five days later one of the work crews brought a cub into the camp. He was burned on his hindquarters and on his feet. The crew had found him hanging onto a tree and rescued him, they named him "Hotfoot".
Ray Ball, the Game Warden took the cub to a Santa Fe veterinarian after the burns had been tended to at a nearby ranch. Hotfoot left the hospital and moved in with the Ball's. The gossip is he was a real ham and ruled the roost when it came to other pets. Sometime during this period Hotfoot became Smokey.
Although Smokey was only a cub in 1950, Smokey Bear was actually born August 9, 1944 through the pen and imagination of Albert Staehle. Using his drawing and posters the wildfire prevention campaign was born. Rudolph Wendelin drew/designed/depicted? the Smokey we are used to seeing in his hat with a shovel.
The original poster designed by Albert Staehle.
These three posters would be Smokey as envisioned by Rudolph Wendelin.
These three posters would be Smokey as envisioned by Rudolph Wendelin.
Smokey became so popular Congress passed a bill (Smokey Bear Act - 1952) that governed the commercialization of his image and name....and....wait for it......Smokey has his very own zip code - 20252.
The only other American individual to have their own zip code - the president.
After he recovered from his burns he was given to the children of America by Senator Chaves of New Mexico and flown to the National Zoo where he would spend the rest of his life. I won't say he was spoiled, but......
He did have his own style vending machine - the tree automatically dispensed honey and berries.
And who among us don't like to have a nice long soak now and then?
In 1956 through the efforts of the Smokey Bear Club money and materials were raised to build a museum as a means to promote Smokey but also as a way to further the conservation efforts.
New Mexico adopted the black bear as its state animal in 1962 and as gift to Smokey set him up with the lovely Goldie (from Magdalena, New Mexico) and gave her a ticket to Washington D.C. Either Smokey and Goldie spent too much time eating honey and soaking in the tub, or for some other reason, the couple were cubless. No little Smokey Jr.'s to be had.
However, another orphaned cub was adopted by the happy couple, named "Little Smokey" and he lived and trained for 4 years. His charisma didn't match his dad's and he never took off like Smokey (Sr.)
Smokey's life ended November 9, 1976 and his remains were brought back to Capitan, near the area he was found. He is buried in the garden beside the museum and continues to be one of the most recognizable images to school age children around the world.
I'll save your eyesight - the sign reads "This park commemorates Smokey Bear and describes the history and development of this national symbol of forest fire prevention. The original Smokey is buried here within sight of the mountain where he was found orphaned by a fire raging in the Lincoln National Forest. The park offers extensive historical exhibits as well as a trail that identifies native plants."
Inside there is a statue of Smokey and boys being boys we had to get a shot of Scott....
The gardens were beautiful and led us to the original museum and gift shop.
Just a sampling of the beauty in the gardens. There were placards throughout explaining the area or the plants you were viewing.
In this beautiful garden, tucked away in a peaceful corner is the grave of Smokey Bear.
"This is the resting place of the first living Smokey Bear. In 1950 when Smokey was a tiny cub, wildfire burned his forest home in the nearby Capitan Mountains of the Lincoln National Forest. Firefighters found the badly burned cub clinging to a blackened tree and saved his life. In June 1950, the cub was flown to our National Capitol to become the living symbol of wildfire prevention and wildlife conservation. After 25 years he was replaced by another captured black bear from the Lincoln National Forest..
Sadly we left Smokey's beautiful garden to continue our loop....
Capitan had lots of fun buildings too, and of course a rusty ole truck....gotta have one every place I go it seems.
Loved this wall with the wood inserts in the "columns". Didn't like the coffee cup someone carelessly tossed. Jerk.
Wall art below is on an artist's studio. Next time we will not have to do grand tours and can come back and browse these shops.
This one is for sale...any entrepreneur interested? Would make a great shop for a jeweler, a boutique, or even a coffee house.
Ahhhh yes, my beautiful ole rusty truck. What character, what stories, I can hear the whispers now.
Wonderful barn on the edge of town. I want to be a horse or a cow and stay here.
Wall art of another variety. The artist cut a design out of the wall moved it back and twisted it slightly. Cool idea, but sort of defeats the purpose of a wall.
Bye bye Capitan, we are on the road again heading to Lincon.....
Random drive by shootings along the way....my kind of scenery :)
One sight of interest was this boulder that is covered in graffiti....just sitting beside the road.
After a beautiful drive filled with eye candy, we arrived in Lincoln. There is a sign that has been floating around Facebook that reads something like "this is my Facebook page, if you don't like the content tough". Well, I'm not quite that aggressive, but this is my blog and since early childhood I have hated history unless it is cultural or having nothing to do with bloodshed and strategy. So... that said, there was a famous war here, based on greed, power, and territorial rights. It involved Billy the Kid and it is referred to as the Five-Day Battle. If that is your cup of tea, great, you can read all about it here. My husband, who is a history buff, found it an interesting and informative read. If you want to see some old buildings, etc. keep scrolling down.
Spanish speaking settlers established a town here when the U.S. Army began to control the Mescalero Apaches. It was first known as Las Placitas del Rio Bonito (the squares of the beautiful river), the name was changed when Lincoln County was formed in 1869.
Lincoln County's earliest courthouse, a three room adobe structure was the seat of law when Lincoln County was formed. It is part of the neighboring church now.
Built in 1887.
The tiny church was built and restored entirely from local materials. Roof beams and other wood elements including latillas (small branches laid on top of larger, rounded wood beams known as vigas) were dragged by oxcart from the nearby Capitan Mountains.
Dolan Home
Built in 1877 by J. J. Dolan who took part in the Lincoln County War. In later times the building served as a hotel, the most familiar of names was Bonito Inn
Dr. Wood home circa 1886
Just the little details that I love to find and
photograph.
A jacal house - a form of crude architecture defined as a hut with a thatched roof and walls consisting of thin stakes driven into the ground close together and plastered with mud.
This building is one room that is taken up by the bed below and a pot belly stove. Other than a small table and a chest at the end of the bed that is all that is in here. Not sure what the story is....
Love these plants, so tall and pretty.
An amphitheater...I would to sit here and watch a play, enjoy some music, or hear a speaker.
Ruin at the edge of town
This structure is a "torreon" The following description is taken from the historical sign in front of it.
"One of Lincoln's earliest structures. Built in the 1850's. Its thick walls protected Spanish - Americans against the Apaches. In Lincoln Co. War Murphy's sharpshooters were here stationed. In 1937 Chaves Country Historical Society undertook restoration of tower. The Torreon or Tower was used for defense against the Indians by the early settlers of Lincoln, New Mexico." Me thinks the little stool in front of the hole was dual purpose....to brace to shoot at the enemy and to pray that your shot was true.
Pretty little fence along the main road.
That completes half the loop, we'll tack Ft. Stanton and the Merchant Marine Cemetery onto the catch up post, which is starting to get large.
(STAY TUNED....MORE COMING - get your NoDoze!)
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