Archive for the 'Mesilla' Category
Saturday, December 23rd, 2006
Mesilla Post Office
Tags: Mesilla Post Office
Friday, December 15th, 2006
Blacksmith
Here’s the old Mesilla blacksmith shop, which was built before 1900. It’s been closed for 40 years. The original blacksmith and owner was Simon Guerra.
The structure is unplastered adobe.
Here’s a closer view of the weathered front and the sliding horse door.
The human door:
The inside:
Tags: Mesilla, Blacksmith Shop
Thursday, December 7th, 2006
Adobe Embeds
Here’s a well-maintained adobe building co-habitating with the remains of an old adobe structure.
This kind of thing can be seen around Mesilla because most owners don’t want to demolish this historical heritage. In recognition of this preference, Mesilla has a city ordinance against removing old adobe structures.
This tree was undoubtedly alive when it was incorporated into this adobe wall.
So we have duple embeds: tree in wall, wall in building. Or do we have tree in building, building in wall?
Tags: Adobe, Mesilla, Duple Embeds
Thursday, November 16th, 2006
Two Lanes
Two of Mesilla’s tranquil lanes, reflecting the pleasant pace of life here.
Tags: Mesilla, New Mexico
Thursday, November 9th, 2006
Ironworks Unlimited
The best place in the Mesilla Valley to get custom metal work.
You won’t find Ironworks Unlimited near the plaza. It’s on a side road, but people who have been here awhile know where to find it. The owner does the work himself, and has been at this location since 1972.
Tags: Ironwork
Thursday, November 2nd, 2006
Making Adobe
Adobe is still made in Mesilla just as it was 150 years ago, with the exception that a machine is used to help mix and pour the mud.
First the dirt for the adobe is shoveled into a pile and mixed with straw.
Next water is added to the center of the pile and roughly mixed.
The mud is then shoveled into the mixing machine and mixed to the right texture. You can see the adobe building being repaired here.
The mud is poured into wooden forms that make bricks 10 x 14 inches in size.
The forms are removed and the bricks are not moved until they are dry. The drying process may take days.
Mesilla ordinances forbid the demolition of an adobe structure.
Tags: Making Adobe
Tuesday, October 24th, 2006
Rain Today
We’ve had about 20 hours of slow rain. It’s welcome and very pleasant, but comes at a bad time for local farmers.
San Albino this morning:
The Fountain Theater:
Tags: San Albino, Fountain Theater, Mesilla
Friday, October 20th, 2006
Adobe House
All the early structures in Mesilla were adobe, and many, many adobe structures remain in use. Here’s an adobe house a couple of blocks off the plaza that’s being renovated.
Before the arrival of Spaniards, Native Americans were building using dried mud. But they didn’t use bricks. They built by drying the mud in layers. Building with mud bricks was introduced by the Spaniards, and it’s structures built with these bricks which are called adobe.
Almost all the early adobe houses are long and narrow, or L-shaped like this one.
Two features that characterize adobe structures are recessed doors and windows with wooden lintels, as you see here. The recessing is due to the thickness of the walls, which can be two feet or more. The thick walls keep the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Before hard plaster was available, the external and internal surfaces were plastered with mud. Hard plaster is vastly superior, providing a water-proof, durable surface.
In this case, it appears that the outside plaster below the top cap has been removed, probably because it was in bad shape. This will certainly be replaced during the renovation.
The smoothness of this wall, and the rounded corner, show it’s been exposed to the weather a long time
Tags: Adobe
Tuesday, October 17th, 2006
Best Coffee
The best place in town for coffee:
The Bean coffee shop is located on the east side of Mesilla, across the highway from the old town.
Tags: The Bean of Mesilla, Coffee Shop
Monday, October 16th, 2006
Cafe Don Felix
Chile rellenos any one?
Cafe Don Felix is located opposite the southwest corner of Mesilla plaza. Sit on the patio at night and enjoy our great fall weather and great food.
Tags: Cafe Don Felix
