Historic Trades Buildings
In our Historic Trades Buildings, often referred to as Trades Row, we see the very important trades plied by early New Mexicans. These include such important jobs as taller de cuero (hide tanning), la herreria (blacksmith shop), carreteria (wheelwright shop) and carpinteria (carpenter shop). The people who performed these tasks were highly skilled laborers and integral to the survival of early New Mexicans. Much of the material goods needed to run their everyday lives was dependent on these important tradespeople.
The hide tanning area: Often done outside under a ramada such as this, leather workers would prepare leather to make into clothing and other useful implements.
The Blacksmith Shop: This log structure was originally from El Guique dating to the late 1800s, and was later moved to Las Golondrinas.
The Wheelwright Shop: While not original to the ranch, this wheelwright shop dates from the mid-1800s and was originally a mill in Truchas. Here you will learn about wagon repair and blacksmithing.
The Carpenter Shop: This building was reconstructed using material from another dilapidated structure given to the museum. At the carpenter shop you can learn how to make dovetail joints and build furniture from the Spanish period.
