San
Juan History, 50
plus year History of Abe's
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San
Juan History, 50
plus year History of Abe's |
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 The image on the left shows Abe and Patsy Chavez, founders of Abe's Motel and Fly Shop, Inc., celebrating 50 years in business in August of 2008. Both Abe and Patsy have deep family roots in northern New Mexico with family histories in New Mexico dating back to the 1700's. As a young couple, Abe and Patsy moved to Navajo Dam before the dam was begun in 1958 and opened a small grocery store. They provided much needed services to the dam construction workers and later to fishermen and sportsmen visiting the San Juan valley. Following completion of the dam in 1962 the San Juan River developed into one of the finest trout fishing resources in the country. Abe's grew to provide for the needs of visiting sportsmen including a Motel, Grocery store, RV park, Fishing Guide services, Boat Storage, Restaurant and Lounge. Their business prospered and became a family business with over 50 successful years. Abe's Motel and Fly Shop, Inc. invites you to be their guest on the fabulous San Juan river! |
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The 50 Plus Year History of Abe's
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New Mexico History References provided below to individual Wikipedia articles Events influencing the San Juan 1100's Area Occupied by Anasazi Indians Early inhabitants of the San Juan River area were thought to be Anasazi Indians. Today, we can see some of this civilization in the dwellings left behind and through petroglyphs. In the San Juan area, there are dwellings at Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, Bloomfield ( Salmon Ruins) and Aztec (Aztec Ruins National Monument). 1400's Area Occupied by Apache and Navajo Indians The earliest modern inhabitants of the San Juan area are believed to be Apache and Navajo indians who appear to have occupied the area beginning in the 1400's. Prior to contact with the early Spanish Conquistadors native Indians were not very mobile. Contact with the Spanish eventually led to the transfer of horses and livestock which changed native Indian cultures forever. 1527-1528 Narvaez Expedition to Florida An expedition of 450-600 sails from Spain to colonize parts of the Gulf Coast. They land near Tampa Bay, Florida and move inland and across the coast. The expedition runs into trouble with several tribes of native indians. They travel west across Florida and the gulf coast partly by land and partly by sea eventually reaching Texas near Galveston. In efforts to reach safety in Mexico, the party is thought to have traveled through parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Eventually, only 4 of the original party reach safety in Mexico. One of these survivors, Estevancio, an enslaved Moor, becomes part of an exploratory group to Zuni at the request of Coronado. These are believed to be the first men of European and African descent to enter New Mexico. 1539 Friar Marcos de Niza and Estevancio explore North Coronado, governor of Nueva Galicia in Mexico, dispatches Friar Marcos de Niza and Estavancio (one of the few survivors of the Narvaez expedition beginning in Florida) north from Mexico to investigate claims of riches from the survivors of the Navarez expedition to Florida. Friar de Niza returns without Estavancio claiming that he was killed by the indians at Zuni. Although Friar de Niza did not enter Zuni, he reported that the city was made of gold providing an incentive for Coronado to explore north. 1540 - 1542 Coronado Expedition to Zuni (7 Cities of Cibola) Spanish Conquistadors explore north from western Mexico through present day southwest Arizona and enter present day New Mexico west of Zuni Pueblo in search of riches. Coronado had been told that the city was made of gold by Friar Marcos de Niza who had been near the city in an earlier expedition (Navarez Expedition). From the western edge of New Mexico west of Zuni Coronado traveled to the Rio Grande valley and eventually to central Kansas before returning to the Rio Grand valley and eventually back to Mexico. This was the first large expedition of Europeans into the modern southwest area of the US and originally included about 300 Spaniards, 1300 natives, 4 Franciscan monks and several slaves. As the land did not provide sufficient provisions for a large group the expedition was broken down into smaller parties. 1581-1582 Chamusco-Rodriguez Expedition This small expedition was the first known journey of the Spanish back into New Mexico since Coronado, 40 years earlier. The expedition included 9 well armed Spanish soldiers, 3 Catholic clerics, 90 horses and a total of about 600 sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. The route proceeded north from Mexico through El Paso and up the Rio Grande valley where they encountered numerous prosperous Pueblo villages. North of present day Albuquerque the expedition traveled east to a large pueblo at Pecos and further eastward to the plains of NM encountering buffalo and what are thought to have been Apache tribes. The expedition returned to Mexico leaving behind 2 Friars and servants who were later killed by indians. Two servants escaped and returned to Mexico. 1598 Onate Expedition, province declared and ruled In 1595 Juan de Onate was ordered by King Philip II of Spain to establish missions and spread Roman Catholicism in the upper Rio Grande valley. After crossing the Rio Grande near El Paso Onate claimed the territory beyond for Spain. Onate traveled north up the Rio Grande establishing a mission north of present day Santa Fe and became the province's first governor. As a ruler Onate was demanding of both colonists and native indians and came into serious conflict with the Acoma pueblo in 1598 and 1599 with the indians suffering hundreds of lives lost. In 1601 Onate traveled east to the Great Plains encountering natives thought to be Apaches in the Texas Panhandle and traveled into present day Oklahoma. In 1604 - 1605 Onate traveled west through Zuni to explore the lower Colorado River system eventually reaching the Gulf of California. In 1606 Onate was recalled to Mexico where he faced charges for cruelty to Indians and colonists in New Mexico. He was convicted but the charges were later dropped on appeal. Onate returned to Spain where he died in 1626. 1598 Onate incident with Acoma Pueblo In the fall of 1598 Onate's forces demanded provisions from the Acoma Pueblo west of present day Albuquerque. The indians thought the demands excessive and killed 13 Spaniards including Onate's nephew. In 1599 Onate retaliated killing 800 indians and enslaving 500 others. 1607 Jamestown Settlement Jamestown was the first successful settlement of European descent on the east coast. Earlier attempts at settlements failed. 1608 Santé Fe established, becomes capitol Present day Santa Fe was founded in 1608 by New Mexico's third governor, Don Pedro de Peralta and made capitol in 1610. Previously, the capitol was located north of Santa Fe at San Juan de los Caballeros north of Santa Fe in the mission established by Onate in 1598. In 1680, following the Pueblo Revolt, Spanish colonists left New Mexico and the capitol was abandoned until 1692 when the Spanish came back into New Mexico and reestablished the capitol under Diego de Vargas. 1680 Pope leads Pueblo Revolt from Taos Pueblo The various Pueblo Indian tribes lived in relative peace with their Spanish rulers for many years. The Spanish had improved farming, the main sustenance of the Pueblo peoples and provided a measure of protection against raiding Navajo and Apache Indians. In the 1670's drought caused increased raiding of the Pueblo's from Navajo and Apaches which the Spaniards were not able to defend against. Pueblo Indians resisted the Roman Catholic religion being imposed on them without their consent. The Spaniards forbade native religions building considerable resentment. In addition, European diseases had had a very serious impact on Indian populations. In 1680, Pueblo Indians from many pueblos led by Pope from the Taos Pueblo simultaneously rebelled against the Spanish killing 21 of the province's Franciscans and over 350 men, women and children. In fear, Spanish colonists retreated to Santa Fe and Isleta Pueblo. Shortly after, approximately 3000 Spanish colonists retreated to Mexico from Santa Fe. Colonists at Isleta Pueblo left for Mexico about 3 weeks later. For 12 years, the Spanish remained in Mexico before returning to New Mexico in 1692 under Diego de Vargas. 1692 Spanish Return to NM - Diego de Vargas Diego de Vargas has been assigned the task of reconquering New Mexico for Spain. He travels to Santa Fe with a small force of soldiers, surrounds the town, and is able to negotiate a bloodless reconquest of the city by getting the pueblo Indians to agree to swear allegiance to the Spanish crown and adopt Christianity. The following year, 1993, the Pueblo Indians change their minds and retake the city while Diego de Vargas is in Mexico. De Vargas returns to Santa Fe and takes the city by force killing or executing hundreds of Indians. For the next few years there are several conflicts but by 1700 Spanish rule is effectively consolidated. 1776 Dominguez - Escalante Expedition Franciscan missionaries Francisco Anastasio Dominguez and Silvestre Velez de Escalante led a failed expedition of about a dozen explorers on a trip to reach Monterrey, CA from Santa Fe. The expedition turned back in present day Utah but passed through parts of northwest New Mexico, western Colorado, eastern and central Utah, northern and northeastern Arizona, returning to Santa Fe through the Zuni and Mt Taylor areas in western NM. The route proceeded east of Navajo Dam north through parts of Rio Arriba county. Many present day landmarks along the route were named by the expedition. These are thought to be the first of European descent to travel through northwest NM and southwest Colorado including the rivers forming the headwaters of the San Juan River. 1776 US Declaration of Independence 1810-1821 Mexican war of Independence from Spain After a long and difficult period including civil war, Mexico wins independence from colonial Spain. After having been ruled by Spain for over 200 years, for the next 25 years, citizens of New Mexico would be ruled by Mexico. 1823 Mexico opens Santa Fe Trail In 1823 Mexico opened up the Santé Fe trail to commerce from the east thus connecting the Spanish culture of New Mexico to the Anglo culture of the plains states. The new trade led to a new multiculturalism in New Mexico leading to the diverse culture that exists in New Mexico today. 1836 Texas declares independence Texas declares independence from Mexico as a separate country, Republic of Texas. After a state of war leading to the signing of a treaty, Mexico still disputes the border and views Texas as a wayward province to be brought back under Mexican control. 1845 US decides to annex Texas as part of the United States, Texas becomes the 28th US State Although Texas had fought a war with Mexico for independence and signed a treaty, Mexico viewed Texas as a land that would later be brought back into the Mexican fold. Annexation of Texas by the US was a major cause of war between the US and Mexico. 1846-1848 Mexican American War America wanted to expand west into the territories claimed by Mexico which at that time include parts of present day New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado and southwest Wyoming. It is estimated that about 7,000 Spanish families occupied New Mexico and about 1,000 families occupied parts of California at this time. Much of the northern aspect of this territory was largely unexplored and inhabited only by native Indian tribes. Texas, already had fought a war with Mexico but it's independence was disputed by Mexico. The US approached Mexico offering to purchase the desired lands, Mexico refused. In March of 1846 Mexican Cavalry attacked a smaller US patrol in disputed territory north of the Rio Grande river. Less than a month later the US Congress declared war on Mexico. The war went badly for Mexico as US campaigns were launched by land toward Mexico City and by sea to the coastal cities of Mexico. At the conclusion of hostilities, the US occupied Mexico City and essentially dictated a treaty which gave the US control of most of present day New Mexico, Arizona, California, Texas, Nevada, Utah, western Colorado and southwest Wyoming. This was the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ceded California, Nevada, Utah, northern Arizona, western Colorado, parts of western New Mexico to the US. Eastern New Mexico and eastern Colorado came into the union as part of Texas in 1845. Formerly, Mexico disputed the Rio Grande as the border between Mexico and the US, and this claim by Mexico was relinquished. Mexico was paid $18.25 million dollars for the land, about 1/2 the offer from before the war. Congressional ratification of the treaty in both countries modified the original agreement. The US Senate dropped the treaty clause guaranteeing the transfer of property rights of former Mexican citizens and a clause guaranteeing that previous Mexican citizens would become US citizens within a year. New Mexicans were now living in a new country where they were temporarily not citizens and may not have transfer of their property rights. 1849 US Treaty with Utes in San Luis Valley The Utes vacate the San Louis valley opening it up for settlement. 1849 Spanish settlers move north from northern New Mexico to settle the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado After the Utes vacated the San Louis Valley Spanish settlers from northern New Mexico moved in establishing a strong agricultural based culture which continues today. 1862 - 1865 US Civil War 1878 Railroads come to NM Railroad surveyors first appeared in NM in the 1850's. The first operational railroad in NM was the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway entering NM at Raton Pass (1878) and eventually reaching El Paso, TX by 1881. The Southern Pacific Railroad entered NM from Arizona connecting to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railway in Deming providing a second transcontinental railway for the US. The Denver & Rio Grande Railway entered NM from Colorado eventually connecting to Espanola, NM. The Denver & Rio Grande railway used narrow gauge track, some of which is in service today with historic Railroads. 1912 New Mexico admitted as 47th State Navajo Dam Completed 1962 Prior to the completion of Navajo Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation the San Juan river was a warm water fishery with fair amounts of silt. The release of water drawn from deep in the lake reduced the water temperature considerably and removed most of the silt resulting in a new river favorable for cold water species. Brown, Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout were stocked successfully by NM Game and fish. The dam was dedicated Sep 15, 1962. |
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Copyright © 2010 Abe's Motel & Fly Shop All
Rights Reserved Phone: 505-632-2194 Highway 173 Navajo Dam, NM 87419 Wikipedia provides permission to summarize Wikipedia articles, no intent is claimed by Abe's to represent Wikipedia or other historical information as original other than the summary information. For more detail on historical information please review the references above and the authors that are referenced in the articles. |
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