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80-485: Adams, for whom the legend became known and whose first name is lost to history, was born in Rochester, New York, on July 10, 1829. In August 1864 he was journeying in his wagon from Los Angeles to Tucson. After Apaches set his wagon on fire, Adams drove a dozen saved horses towards Sacaton, Arizona , with the hope to sell them. In Sacaton, Adams met a group of twenty-one miners led by John Brewer traveling together in search of

160-433: A B-36 accidentally dropped a Mark 17 nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base . Only the conventional trigger detonated, as the bomb was unarmed. These incidents were not reported as they were classified as secret for decades. Following the end of World War II , population shifts as well as suburban development, urban sprawl and gentrification, Albuquerque's downtown entered

240-402: A canyon via a Z-shaped trail. At the bottom of the canyon was a spring with a low falls above it. Within a few days the group collected a fortune of gold nuggets that they hid in a corn-grinding basin left by ancient Indians. The young guide left the miners on the first night after the discovery and after being paid. Before leaving the guide issued a warning. He told the group not to stay long in

320-575: A cultural area and center of commerce. It is referred to as " Old Town Albuquerque " or simply "Old Town". Historically it was sometimes referred to as "La Placita" ( Little Plaza in Spanish). On the north side of Old Town Plaza is San Felipe de Neri Church . Built in 1793, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city. After the New Mexico Territory became a part of the United States in

400-472: A deal with Adams on the terms that Adams would share leadership with him in exchange for donating his horses. Twenty-two men set out on August 20. Along with their guide the group followed White River and its east fork into the White Mountains and entered western New Mexico. The guide paused and pointed to two mountains that were shaped like sugar loaves. “The gold canyon lies at the foot of those peaks,”

480-501: A famous symbol of the city for decades. Outdated, it was razed in 1970 and the site was converted to a parking lot. In 2002, the Alvarado Transportation Center was built on the site in a style resembling the old landmark. The large metro station functions as the downtown headquarters for the city's transit department. It also serves as an intermodal hub for local buses, Greyhound buses, Amtrak passenger trains, and

560-706: A framework for a more balanced and sustainable approach to urban growth. Urban sprawl is limited on three sides—by the Sandia Pueblo to the north, the Isleta Pueblo and Kirtland Air Force Base to the south, and the Sandia Mountains to the east. Suburban growth continues at a strong pace to the west, beyond the Petroglyph National Monument, once thought to be a natural boundary to sprawl development. Because of less-costly land and lower taxes, much of

640-550: A hotel. Many Anglo merchants, mountain men, and settlers slowly filtered into Albuquerque, creating a major mercantile commercial center in Downtown Albuquerque . From this commercial center on July 4, 1882, Park Van Tassel became the first to fly a balloon in Albuquerque with a landing at Old Town. This was the first balloon flight in the New Mexico Territory. Due to a rising rate of violent crime, gunman Milt Yarberry

720-479: A period of decline. Many historic buildings were razed in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for new plazas, high-rises, and parking lots as part of the city's urban renewal phase. As of 2010 , only recently has Downtown Albuquerque come to regain much of its urban character, mainly through the construction of many new loft apartment buildings and the renovation of historic structures such as the KiMo Theater . During

800-629: A ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico . For decades the Zuni Mountains were considered the most plausible location of the diggings. Thousands of prospectors, ranch -hands, and men-of-fortune searched this area and the rest of southwestern New Mexico prior to World War II, as the Adams diggings became the most sought-for gold in the country. The combination of the Great Depression and the deregulation of

880-553: A series of floods in the 1950s, passage of the "Arroyo Flood Control Act of 1963" provided for the construction of a series of concrete diversion channels. The network of channels was built by the Army Corps of Engineers during the 1960s and early 1970s. Iconic urban wildlife includes the roadrunner , Gunnison's prairie dog , coyote , and New Mexico whiptail lizard. The bosque is a popular destination for wildlife viewing, with opportunities to see porcupines and sandhill cranes in

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960-480: A terrible sense of direction, after so many years of searching his quest proved hopeless. But in his search he inspired others to join the hunt. In July 1949, 83-year-old Robert W. "Bob" Lewis, who said he had known Adams when he had been a cowpuncher and law officer in Socorro County, New Mexico , stated that he and Adams searched for the gold together in 1889, twenty five years after the massacre in 1864. But, it

1040-508: A wrinkle to the story by presenting evidence of colonial Spanish activity in the area dated to the 1600s, and identifies and locates every critical landmark. The new book contains maps, pictures of artifacts, assay reports, and is written in a conversational format with Dick interviewing the re-discoverers Paul Hale and Ronald Schade. A similar but geographically less plausible location was found in eastern Arizona by Don Fingado near Clifton . The site contains features described by Adams much like

1120-715: Is also a Laotian American temple and a sizable community in parts of this area as well as around Uptown. There is also an African American community around Highland. The Four Hills neighborhoods are located in and around the foothills on the outskirts of Southeast Albuquerque. The vast newer subdivision of Volterra lies west of the Four Hills area. Popular urban neighborhoods that can be found in Southeast Albuquerque include Nob Hill , Ridgecrest, Parkland Hills, Hyder Park, and University Heights. Traditionally consisting of agricultural and rural areas and suburban neighborhoods,

1200-703: Is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km ) , or 0.96%, is water. Albuquerque lies within the fertile Rio Grande Valley with its Bosque forest, in the center of the Albuquerque Basin , flanked on the eastern side by the Sandia Mountains and to the west by the West Mesa . Located in central New Mexico, the city also has noticeable influences from the adjacent Colorado Plateau semi-desert, New Mexico Mountains forested with juniper and pine, and Southwest plateaus and plains steppe ecoregions, depending on where one

1280-551: Is located in north-central New Mexico. To its east are the Sandia–Manzano Mountains . The Rio Grande flows north to south through its center, while the West Mesa and Petroglyph National Monument make up the western part of the city. Albuquerque has one of the highest elevations of any major city in the U.S., ranging from 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande to over 6,700 feet (2,000 m) in

1360-528: Is located. Albuquerque has one of the highest and most varied elevations of any major city in the United States, though the effects of this are greatly tempered by its southwesterly continental position. The elevation of the city ranges from 4,949 feet (1,508 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande (in the Valley) to 6,165 feet (1,879 m) in the foothill areas of Sandia Heights . At

1440-626: Is the capital of the Gila River Indian Community . Sacaton is located at 33°4′48″N 111°44′45″W  /  33.08000°N 111.74583°W  / 33.08000; -111.74583 (33.079911, −111.745784). According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km ), all land. As of the census of 2000, there were 1,584 people, 378 households, and 303 families residing in

1520-514: The Albuquerque Basin , the city is flanked by the Sandia Mountains to the east and the West Mesa to the west, with the Rio Grande and bosque flowing north-to-south through the middle of the city. According to the 2020 census , Albuquerque had 564,559 residents, making it the 32nd-most populous city in the United States and the fourth largest in the Southwest . The Albuquerque metropolitan area had 955,000 residents in 2023, and forms part of

1600-594: The Albuquerque International Sunport , the elevation is 5,355 feet (1,632 m) above sea level. The Rio Grande is classified, like the Nile , as an "exotic" river. The New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande lies within the Rio Grande Rift Valley, bordered by a system of faults , including those that lifted up the adjacent Sandia and Manzano Mountains , while lowering the area where

1680-810: The Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area , which had a population of 1,162,523. Albuquerque is a hub for technology, fine arts, and media companies . It is home to several historic landmarks , the University of New Mexico , the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , the Gathering of Nations , the New Mexico State Fair , and a diverse restaurant scene , which features both New Mexican and global cuisine . Petroglyphs carved into basalt in

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1760-659: The Civil War , Albuquerque was occupied for a month in February 1862 by Confederate troops under General Henry Hopkins Sibley . He soon afterward advanced with his main body into northern New Mexico. During his retreat from Union troops into Texas , he made a stand on April 8, 1862, and fought the Battle of Albuquerque against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby . This daylong engagement at long range led to few casualties. The residents of Albuquerque aided

1840-490: The Duke City , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico . Founded in 1706 as La Villa de Alburquerque by Santa Fe de Nuevo México governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés , and named in honor of Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque and Viceroy of New Spain , it served as an outpost on El Camino Real linking Mexico City to the northernmost territories of New Spain . Located in

1920-574: The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology , University of New Mexico , the Uptown area, which includes three shopping malls ( Coronado Center , ABQ Uptown, and Winrock Town Center ), Hoffmantown, Journal Center, and Cliff's Amusement Park are all in this quadrant. Some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city are here, including: High Desert , Tanoan, Sandia Heights, and North Albuquerque Acres. Parts of Sandia Heights and North Albuquerque Acres are outside

2000-544: The Rail Runner commuter rail line. In the early days of transcontinental air service, Albuquerque was an important stop on many transcontinental air routes, earning it the nickname "Crossroads of the Southwest". During the early 20th century, New Mexico's dry climate attracted many tuberculosis patients to the city in search of a cure; this was before penicillin was found to be effective. Several sanitaria were developed on

2080-459: The Rio Puerco confluence south of Belen . Of these, 12 or 13 were densely clustered near present-day Bernalillo , and the remainder were spread out to the south. Two Tiwa pueblos lie on the outskirts of present-day Albuquerque. Both have been continuously inhabited for many centuries: Sandia Pueblo was founded in the 14th century, and Pueblo of Isleta is documented in written records since

2160-475: The West Mesa to serve TB patients. Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, two of the largest hospitals in the Southwest, had their beginnings during this period. Influential New Deal –era governor Clyde Tingley and famed Southwestern architect John Gaw Meem were among those who came to New Mexico seeking recovery from TB. The first travelers on Route 66 appeared in Albuquerque in 1926. Soon dozens of motels, restaurants, and gift shops sprouted along

2240-466: The 21st century, Albuquerque's population has continued to grow rapidly. The population of the city proper was estimated at 564,559 in 2020, 528,497 in 2009, and 448,607 in the 2000 census. During 2005 and 2006, the city celebrated its tricentennial with a diverse program of cultural events. The passage of the Planned Growth Strategy in 2002–2004 was the community's strongest effort to create

2320-465: The Adams diggings faded. It was also around the mid-century that the popularity of the Adams legend began to diminish and the Lost Dutchman Mine became America's most sought-for lost gold mine . The Adams diggings were beginning to seem a hoax or a mine unlikely to ever be found. Geologically, the Adams diggings could only be in the southwestern quadrant of the state. Adams himself spent most of

2400-581: The CDP was $ 6,425. About 36.4% of families and 39.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 45.4% of those under age 18 and 31.1% of those age 65 or over. Sacaton is one and one-quarter miles west of the 1858–1861 location of the Socatoon Station of the Butterfield Overland Mail . The station was named for the nearby Maricopa village of Sacaton , four miles down the Gila from

2480-449: The CDP. The population density was 667.1 inhabitants per square mile (257.6/km ). There were 387 housing units at an average density of 163.0 per square mile (62.9/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 2.0% White , 95.0% Native American , 0.1% Asian , 0.6% from other races , and 2.3% from two or more races. 7.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 378 households, out of which 40.7% had children under

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2560-655: The Max Q commercial district, Albuquerque International Sunport , American Society of Radiologic Technologists , Central New Mexico Community College , UNM South Campus , Presbyterian Hospital Duke City BMX, University Stadium , Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park , The Pit , Mesa del Sol , Isleta Amphitheater , Netflix Studios , Isleta Resort & Casino, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History , New Mexico Veterans Memorial, and Talin Market are all located in

2640-610: The Republican Union to rid the city of the occupying Confederate troops. When the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about 2 miles (3 km) east in what quickly became known as New Albuquerque or New Town. The railway company built a hospital for its workers that was later used as a juvenile psychiatric facility. It has since been converted to

2720-507: The Sandia foothills in the east. The Rio Grande's bosque has been significantly reduced and its natural flood cycle disrupted by dams built further upstream. A corridor of bosque surrounding the river within the city has been preserved as Rio Grande Valley State Park . A few remaining natural arroyos provide riparian habitat within the city, though natural arroyos draining into the Rio Grande have largely been replaced with concrete channels. After

2800-575: The Southeast quadrant of Albuquerque. The southern half of the International District lies along Central Ave and Louisiana Blvd. Here, many immigrant communities have settled and thrive, having established numerous businesses. Albuquerque's Vietnamese American community is partly business-centered in this area, as well as the Eubank, Juan Tabo, and Central areas, and other parts of Albuquerque. There

2880-538: The Southwest quadrant comprises the south-end of Downtown Albuquerque, the Barelas neighborhood, the rapidly growing west side, and the community of South Valley, New Mexico , often called "The South Valley". The quadrant extends all the way to the Isleta Indian Reservation. Newer suburban subdivisions on the West Mesa near the southwestern city limits join homes of older construction, some dating as far back as

2960-415: The U.S. Census. By 1990, it was 384,736 and in 2007 it was 518,271. In June 2007, Albuquerque was listed as the sixth fastest-growing city in the United States. In 1990, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Albuquerque's population as 34.5% Hispanic and 58.3% non-Hispanic white. On April 11, 1950, a USAF B-29 bomber carrying a nuclear weapon crashed into a mountain near Manzano Base . On May 22, 1957,

3040-507: The Zunis had become so common that the U.S. government ordered several geological expeditions in the years between World War I and World War II to verify whether this claim could be supported. The geologists found nothing. In the 1950s the area was thoroughly re-explored for uranium during the uranium boom around Grants, New Mexico . Eventually the obsession with the Zuni Mountains as a host for

3120-420: The age of 18 living with them, 26.2% were married couples living together, 41.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.80 and the average family size was 4.12. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 38.4% under

3200-461: The age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $ 18,276, and the median income for a family was $ 20,766. Males had a median income of $ 25,882 versus $ 23,750 for females. The per capita income for

3280-486: The area favored by Dick French; however, the gold remained undiscovered. In some minds the gold was to be found on either the Zuni or Navajo reservations, but the laws preventing the acquisition of mineral rights in these regions have discouraged searching. There are other sites, but the leading candidates in the popular imagination are mentioned above. If it really exists, its traditional location remains within "Apacheria" or

Lost Adams Diggings - Misplaced Pages Continue

3360-401: The area, such as Barelas , Corrales , Isleta Pueblo , Los Ranchos , and Sandia Pueblo . After gaining independence in 1821, Mexico established a military presence here. The town of Alburquerque was built in the traditional Spanish villa pattern: a central plaza surrounded by government buildings, homes, and a church. This central plaza area has been preserved and is open to the public as

3440-587: The area. Local folklore will tell you that the gold is at the headwaters of either the Black, the Gila or the Prieto Rivers. Spanish Lore will tell you to look to the Blue Mountains. Dozens of mining camps in this region of New Mexico were thought to be the Adams diggings for brief periods, until each proved itself to be less rich than at first indicated: egregious hopes followed by rapid disappointment. That seems to be

3520-486: The canyon that was a campsite for Apaches. Apache Chief Nana and 30 warriors appeared the second day. The chief told them not to go above the falls. Some of the men started construction of a cabin. A cache of the gold was hidden under the cabin's hearth stone. The miners continued to mine the gold until they ran out of supplies. The party decided to send Brewer and five others to buy more supplies at Old Fort Wingate , west of modern Grants . After Brewer's party left, some of

3600-557: The city into quadrants. This quadrant has been experiencing a housing expansion since the late 1950s. It abuts the base of the Sandia Mountains and contains portions of the foothills neighborhoods, which are significantly higher in elevation than the rest of the city. Running from Central Ave and the Railrunner tracks to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram , this is the largest quadrant both geographically and by population. Martineztown,

3680-545: The city limits proper. A few houses in the farthest reach of this quadrant lie in the Cibola National Forest , just over the line into Sandoval County . This quadrant contains historic Old Town Albuquerque , which dates to the 18th century, as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center . The area has a mixture of commercial districts and low to high-income neighborhoods. Northwest Albuquerque includes

3760-476: The city to make an annual holiday snowman. Albuquerque is geographically divided into four unequal quadrants that are officially part of mailing addresses, placed immediately after the street name. They are Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW). Albuquerque's official quadrant system uses Central Ave for the north–south division and the railroad tracks for the east–west division. I-25 and I-40 are also sometimes used informally to divide

3840-539: The early 17th century. It was then chosen as the site of the San Agustín de la Isleta Mission , a Catholic mission . The historic Navajo , Apache , and Comanche peoples were likely to have set camps in the Albuquerque area, as there is evidence of trade and cultural exchange among the different Native American groups going back centuries before European arrival. Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as an outpost as La Villa de Alburquerque by Francisco Cuervo y Valdés in

3920-474: The expedition he had seen gold nuggets that were larger than oak nuts. The young man had an appreciation for works made out of silver and turquoise but had no knowledge of gold value. The miners made a bargain with the guide who only asked for a horse, a saddle, a weapon and some of the gold in exchange. The group was badly in need of horses, and when by fate Adams appeared in Sacaton with his twelve head, Brewer struck

4000-563: The foothill areas of Sandia Heights and Glenwood Hills. The civic apex is found in an undeveloped area within the Albuquerque Open Space; there, the terrain rises to an elevation of approximately 6,880 feet (2,100 m), and the metropolitan area's highest point is Sandia Crest at an altitude of 10,678 feet (3,255 m). According to the United States Census Bureau , Albuquerque has a total area of 189.5 square miles (490.9 km ) , of which 187.7 square miles (486.2 km )

4080-452: The gold fields. The party also included Pima-Mexican guide who promised the prospectors to lead them to the valley of gold :“I know a place where canyon walls cry tears of [gold] every day! And those tears are larger than your coins!” Supposedly, In 1862, the young Pima-Mexican had gone on an expedition with the Apaches during which they attacked Pueblo Indians in western New Mexico. While on

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4160-454: The gold market prompted the most unlikely people to search for the diggings. Between 1895 and 1930 several large logging communities flourished in the Zuni Mountains , several with schools and post offices; wide-gauge railroads crisscrossed the mountains. The loggers were well aware of the Adams legend, as it had become a nationally known story. Between running logs nothing was more common than prospecting except for drinking. Rumors of gold in

4240-626: The green is due to large swaths of conifer forests. However, Robert Julyan notes in The Place Names of New Mexico , "the most likely explanation is the one believed by the Sandia Pueblo Indians: the Spaniards, when they encountered the Pueblo in 1540, called it Sandia, because they thought the squash growing there were watermelons, and the name Sandia soon was transferred to the mountains east of

4320-745: The growth in the metropolitan area is taking place outside of the city of Albuquerque itself. In Rio Rancho to the northwest, the communities east of the mountains, and the incorporated parts of Valencia County , population growth rates approach twice that of Albuquerque. The primary cities in Valencia County are Los Lunas and Belen , both of which are home to growing industrial complexes and new residential subdivisions. The mountain towns of Tijeras , Edgewood , and Moriarty , while close enough to Albuquerque to be considered suburbs, have experienced much less growth compared to Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, and Belen. Limited water supply and rugged terrain are

4400-489: The guide said. According to Adams, from that mountain lookout the miners were able to observe San Francisco Mountains . Adams thought that this mountain range was located on Mt. Ord , or on one of the mountaintops nearby. The miners entered a canyon with a fantastic gold deposit through 'the Little Door', as Adams referred to it. He said that the passageway was so narrow that the riders had to enter it one by one. They descended

4480-581: The largest section of Downtown , Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and the Bosque ("woodlands"), Petroglyph National Monument, Double Eagle II Airport , the Paradise Hills neighborhood, Taylor Ranch, and Cottonwood Mall . This quadrant also contains the North Valley settlement, outside the city limits, which has some expensive homes and small ranches along the Rio Grande . The city of Albuquerque engulfs

4560-432: The life-sustaining Rio Grande now flows. Albuquerque lies in the Albuquerque Basin , a portion of the Rio Grande rift . The Sandia Mountains are the predominant geographic feature visible in Albuquerque. Sandía is Spanish for " watermelon ", and is popularly believed to be a reference to the brilliant pink and green coloration of the mountains at sunset. The pink is due to large exposures of granodiorite cliffs, and

4640-479: The main limiting factors for development in these towns. The Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), which includes constituents from throughout the Albuquerque area, was formed to ensure that these governments along the middle Rio Grande would be able to meet the needs of their rapidly rising populations. MRCOG's cornerstone project is currently the New Mexico Rail Runner Express . Albuquerque

4720-420: The men began secretly searching above the falls. They returned to camp with large nuggets. Adams warned them against it but the nuggets were kept. Nine days after the provisions party did not return, Adams became concerned about their safety. Along with another miner named Davidson, Adams climbed out of the canyon to discover five bodies on the trail, Brewer was not among them. They raced back towards camp, but it

4800-575: The mid-19th century, a federal garrison and quartermaster depot, the Post of Albuquerque, were established here, operating from 1846 to 1867. In Beyond the Mississippi (1867), Albert D. Richardson , traveling to California via coach, passed through Albuquerque in late October 1859—its population was 3,000 at the time—and described it as "one of the richest and pleasantest towns, with a Spanish cathedral and other buildings more than two hundred years old." During

4880-499: The mountains just south of Quemado, New Mexico . Perhaps gold will be found someday, but in the minds of most, the legend is fading away among the other items in the forgotten annals of American lore. The many stories arising or deriving from the lost diggings have inspired many to search for lost Apache gold ever since. Its legend has supplied many folk tales, stories and books with ample fuel for fantasies of lost treasures, hidden canyons, Apache secrets and gold "somewhere out there" in

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4960-518: The old route now have brown, historical highway markers denoting it as Pre-1937 Route 66. The establishment of Kirtland Air Force Base in 1939, Sandia Base in the early 1940s, and Sandia National Laboratories in 1949, would make Albuquerque a key player of the Atomic Age. Meanwhile, the city continued to expand outward into the Northeast Heights, reaching a population of 201,189 by 1960 per

5040-492: The provincial kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México . The settlement was named after the original town of Viceroy Francisco Fernández de la Cueva , 10th duke of Alburquerque , who was from Alburquerque, Badajoz in southwest Spain. Albuquerque developed primarily for farming and sheep herds. It was a strategically located trading and military outpost along the Camino Real . It served other Tiquex and Hispano towns settled in

5120-750: The pueblo." He also notes that the Sandia Pueblo Indians call the mountain Bien Mur , "Big Mountain." Albuquerque lies at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert transitioning into the Colorado Plateau . The Sandia Mountains represent the northern edge of the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion . The environments of Albuquerque include the Rio Grande bosque , (floodplain cottonwood forest), arid scrub, and mesas that turn into

5200-466: The remainder of his life searching the areas in and around Reserve, New Mexico . This area was the largest gold producing area in the state, and hosted several small mining booms, including the rich strikes at Silver City and Pinos Altos . The areas that could conceivably host the diggings in this region (containing several large mountain ranges that remain sparsely inhabited) are numerous, as minerals and evidence of previous mining can be found throughout

5280-462: The roadside to serve them. Route 66 originally ran through the city on a north–south alignment along Fourth Street. In 1937 it was realigned along Central Avenue , a more direct east–west route. The intersection of Fourth and Central downtown was the principal crossroads of the city for decades. The majority of the surviving structures from the Route 66 era are on Central, though there are also some on Fourth. Signs between Bernalillo and Los Lunas along

5360-400: The southwest quadrant of New Mexico and bordering areas in Arizona. The complexity of the story is detailed in Jack Purcell's definitive book on the subject, The Lost Adams Diggings: Myth, Mystery, and Madness. This work, unlike its predecessors, is a serious attempt to give historical perspective supported by cited research. Purcell believes that the gold exists and is perhaps somewhere in

5440-452: The station. It was an adobe building established in 1858 on the Little Gila river also known as Capron's Rancho and was also a trading post. The following is a short description of the historic structures, cemetery and monuments pictured: Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( / ˈ æ l b ə k ɜːr k i / AL -bə-kur-kee ; Spanish: [alβuˈkeɾke] ), also known as ABQ , Burque , and

5520-399: The story of gold in the desert southwest. The Datils and Gallinas Mountains and the basins to the north of these mountains were considered possible locations for the diggings that increased in popularity as the other locations lost appeal. Dick French, in his book Four Days from Fort Wingate , places the diggings in this area. It has become known as "Dick French’s area," although his location

5600-420: The story of the Lost Adams Diggings and considered it to be the greatest "lost mine" story of US history. The amount of mail being sent to western New Mexico during the 1930s prompted the government to create a new post office in the area affectionately named "Lost Adams Diggings, NM;" the post office has since closed. The 1963 novel MacKenna's Gold by Heck Allen is loosely based on the Adams legend. The novel

5680-502: The village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque . A small portion of the rapidly developing area on the west side of the river south of the Petroglyphs, known as the " West Mesa " or "Westside", consisting primarily of traditional residential subdivisions, also extends into this quadrant. The city proper is bordered on the north by the North Valley, the village of Corrales , and the city of Rio Rancho . Kirtland Air Force Base , Sandia National Laboratories , Sandia Science & Technology Park,

5760-530: The western part of the city bear testimony to a Native American presence in the area dating back many centuries. These are preserved in the Petroglyph National Monument . The Tanoan and Keresan peoples had lived along the Rio Grande for centuries before European colonists arrived in the area that developed as Albuquerque. By the 1500s, there were around 20 Tiwa pueblos along a 60-mile (97 km) stretch of river from present-day Algodones to

5840-413: The wilds. Another supposed Indian name for the mine was "Sno-Ta-Hay," which supposedly means "there it lies" i.e. the gold is on the ground and can be picked up or panned as a placer mine . Chief Nana supposedly called it that when he first warned the Adams party before the attack. As previously mentioned, J. Frank Dobie devoted half of his book "Apache Gold and Yaqui Silver" (now in its ninth printing) to

5920-447: The winter. Cooper's hawks are common in city parks. Iconic vegetation includes the Rio Grande cottonwood in the bosque, and tree cholla , prickly pear , yucca , chamisa , and oneseed juniper in upland areas. The foothill open space at the eastern border also features Sonoran scrub oak and piñon pine . Desert willows are commonly planted throughout the city. Tumbleweeds are a common weed in disturbed areas, and are used by

6000-524: Was also the city's first mayor, is the oldest continuing Jewish organization in the city. By 1900, Albuquerque boasted a population of 8,000 and all the modern amenities, including an electric street railway connecting Old Town, New Town, and the recently established University of New Mexico campus on the East Mesa. In 1902, the Alvarado Hotel was built adjacent to the new passenger depot, and it remained

6080-455: Was appointed the town's first marshal that year. New Albuquerque was incorporated as a town in 1885, with Henry N. Jaffa its first mayor. It was incorporated as a city in 1891. Old Town remained a separate community until the 1920s, when it was absorbed by Albuquerque. Old Albuquerque High School , the city's first public high school, was established in 1879. Congregation Albert , a Reform synagogue established in 1897, by Henry N. Jaffa, who

6160-565: Was known to have been found by others in the 1950s, if not earlier. A follow-on work by Dick French, Return to the Lost Adams Diggings: The Paul A. Hale Story published in 2014 uses historical, artifactual, geographical, and geological data to demonstrate the viability of the location in the new book as the locality of the Lost Adams Diggings. The new book demonstrates the presence of significant gold mineralization, adds

6240-472: Was made into a film in 1969 with the title Mackenna's Gold . Numerous other books about, or based on, the diggings have been written. The legend was dramatized on a 1991 episode of Unsolved Mysteries . Sacaton, Arizona Sacaton ( Pima : Geʼe Ki: Big House ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pinal County , Arizona , United States. The population was 3,254 at the 2020 census . It

6320-401: Was not until 1918, that he claimed to have single-handedly found the skeletons and Adam's cabin at the mouth of a canyon 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of Magdalena, New Mexico . Lewis said that everything was there, just as Adams had described, except for the gold. He said he later found out the missing gold had been found by a Magdelena Sheepherder who received $ 20,000 for it with which he bought

6400-543: Was too late. A large party of Indians had reached the camp and killed the remaining miners. The cabin had been set on fire, making the hearth stone too hot to move. Thirteen days later, Adams and Davidson were found by a military patrol out of Fort Apache, AZ. Upon recovery Adams settled in California and when the Apache Wars ended, he led several expeditions to find the canyon and the basin filled with gold. Adams must have had

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