Museum Resources
LEARNING RESOURCES
Life is Sweet with Honeybees and Cherry Trees
Hello from your History Herald! As spring gently rouses New Mexico from its winter sleep, the days become warmer and brighter and our gardens welcome back their beautiful blooms. Will all this beauty around, I am inspired to talk about one of Earth’s most impressive...
History Herald: Springtime in New Mexico
by Laura Gonzales, Education & Volunteer Manager Wind, allergies, sunshine in some places, snow in others, we all know what that means; it’s officially Spring in New Mexico! It’s the season symbolizing growth, renewal and rebirth. Looking around at the natural...
History Herald: Acequias
by Laura Gonzales, Education & Volunteer Manager Did you know that Acequias are the oldest water management institutions in the United States? They were also the first non-Indigenous form of government in New Mexico, a system still in place in small rural...
Curator’s Corner: Purslane
by Amanda Mather, Curator of Collections As spring springs around here it makes me think of all the green things I have missed over the winter that are now starting to bud and come back to life. Here is to one of my favorites, and some green I can’t wait to see! This...
Curator’s Corner: Agave
by Amanda Mather, Curator of Collections As we continue on with our gifts of the West series I want to talk about one of those gifts that keeps on giving. It gives us fiber, food, booze, awls, needles. I mean what can’t this baby do? I am talking about our friend:...
History Herald: Apples
by Laura Gonzales, Education & Volunteer Manager Hello from the History Herald! Did you know that apples have been an integral part of New Mexico’s history for over 300 years? In the past, New Mexico orchards were ripe with an array of heirloom apples brought over...
Cooking with Golondrinas: Red Chile Apple Pie
Since we're focusing our History Herald this week on apples, and my apple trees are starting to yield some great fruit, here's a recipe that has become a fixture at our house for holidays and special occasions — the red chile adds a great little (or big) kick,...
Cooking with Golondrinas
by Jackie Camborde, Director of Development I am going to be totally honest here — I am an ambivalent cook. I'm good at it, but more often than not it seems like too much work. However, thanks to the bounty of fresh produce available this summer, I am feeling more...
Curator’s Corner: Cranberries
by Amanda Mather, Curator of Collections As part of our ongoing series about all the good stuff that came from the west I present to you: The Cranberry. What would our turkey be without our beloved cranberry? Especially all the leftover turkey sandwiches that follow...
VOLUNTEER RESOURCES
Weaving & Colcha
New Mexican traditional weaving is alive and thriving at El Rancho de las Golondrinas living history museum. Weavers meet at Las Golondrinas almost everyday from 9:30am to 4pm to demonstrate for visitors, enjoy each others' company, perfect their skills and learn new...
Books About New Mexico Heroes
The Life and Legend of George McJunkin, Black Cowboy by Franklin Folsom This book is a great introduction to the history of black cowboys in New Mexico. McJunkin was a former slave who went on to make an instrumental archaelogical find in northern New Mexico — read...
Curator’s Corner: George McJunkin, Unsung Archaeology Hero
by Amanda Mather, Curator of Collections George McJunkin was born a slave in Midway, Texas. When he was about 10, the Civil War ended and he and his family were freed. He was born into a ranch and cowboy life and spent most of his life in the saddle. Mr. McJunkin...
Yucca Root Soap
Yucca has certainly earned its place among state symbols as it has many prominent uses. The Pueblos used the Yucca plant to make things like mats, shoes, rope, and as it turns out, soap! Yucca Soap
Las Golondrinas Production History
Did you know that New Mexico film history predates New Mexico's establishment as a state? Shot in 1898, one of the first films made on the newly developed Edison Camera, "Indian Day School" was a 50 second "moving picture" depiction of children exiting a schoolhouse...
Santa Fe’s Native Market
Passionately dedicated to the preservation of New Mexico's culture and heritage, El Rancho de las Golondrinas founder, Mrs. Leonora Curtin Paloheimo, started Native Market during the Great Depression in 1934 as a commercial outlet and platform for New Mexican artisans...
Moorish Influences on Spain
The Moors, hailing from northern Africa, occupied southern Spain for seven centuries. They had a substantial influence on the people of Spain, largely influencing language, intellectual and artistic culture, agriculture and architecture. Though the Spanish were...
19th Century Medicine
Out of necessity, general stores like La Tiendita here at Las Golondrinas, got their start during the colonial period for the many pioneers who lived on the fringes of the frontier, far from any urban center. Many owners of these mercantiles began as traveling...
El Camino Real
During the Spanish Colonial Period (1598-1821), New Mexico's main artery of connection to the outside world was El Camino Real, also known as the Royal Road or the King's Highway, which connected Santa Fe with Mexico City 1,200 miles away. The story of El Camino Real...
VIRTUAL LEARNING
What’s For Dinner? A History of Thanksgiving Foods
Click here to read full article.
Try a Traditional New Mexican Recipe!
Explore New Mexico from Your Kitchen One of the best ways to experience New Mexico is through our amazing cuisine. With big bold flavors, unique combinations and mouth-watering taste, New Mexican food can satisfy any foodie. Piñon Nuts Sopa (Spanish Bread Pudding)...
The Card Game “Memory”
The Card Game "Memory" is also called Concentration. Among other things, being a good historian means being able to remember all kinds of interesting information about the past. This easy card game helps to strengthen your memory and concentration skills and it’s fun...
Historical Charades
The game can be played as individuals or in teams. Everyone involved in the fun should write down a historical person’s name, a historic place, history genre book title, or historical movie on a small piece of paper. As a group you can even decide on a specific era or...
Dice Games for the Whole Family!
Beetle Dice Beetle is a simple but creative dice game of rolling and drawing. Alternate Names: Bug, Cootie Object of the Game: In turn, players roll a die to determine which body part of a beetle (or bug or cootie) they are allowed to draw. The first player to finish...
Rollin’ Bones: The History of Dice
“Play is the highest form of research.” —Albert Einstein. When you were kids did you ever play “bones"? Ever wonder why dice (and often dominoes, which are also called “iles") are called “bones”? You guessed it! Because they were originally made from the ankle bones...
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans, common as they may be, have some really incredible traits which have kept them popular, and in our company, for a long time. Learn more about this deliciously nutritious food!
Turquoise
The mines of Cerrillos, New Mexico produce a particularly beautiful blue/green variety of turquoise, so stunning in fact that they have been mined for roughly the last 3,000 years! Chemically, it is a phosphate of aluminum carrying small quantities of copper and iron...
Piñon
Nuts About Piñon? The seeds of New Mexico’s official state tree, the Piñon Pine (adopted in 1949) have long sustained Native peoples and Hispanic settlers; a cultural and economic tradition going back generations. Learn more about this tasty and nutritious little nut,...
