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03-27-2006, 12:01 PM
Event has Educational Flavor
© 2006 New Mexico State Monuments - Reprint Permission Granted
By Ben Moffett, Contributing Writer
Bernalillo -- About 150 people, including Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, braved cold and scattered snowflakes Saturday to kick-off a year-long 75th anniversary celebration of New Mexico's State Monuments and to rededicate Coronado State Monument following the renovation of its visitor center.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0819_web.jpg
The results of the renovation project at Coronado State
Monument are very impressive. In fact, almost everything
looks brand new. (Steppin' Out news photo)
The anniversary celebration was initiated by Monuments Director José Cisneros to help educate New Mexicans, especially the state's young people, on their rich history, the principal themes of which are embodied in Coronado and five other active State Monuments.
The rededication of the monument follows a restoration of the John Gaw Meem Visitor Center, originally dedicated on May 29, 1940, as the kick-off event of a statewide commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's arrival in 1540.
The Spanish explorer spent two winters in and around the village of Kuaua and what is now the town of Bernalillo. The ruins of Kuaua and powerful murals unearthed in a kiva there are the principal attractions of the monument.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Lt_Gov_Jose_Rinaldi.jpg
State Monuments Director Jose Cisneros and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish
pose with Justin Rinaldi at the re-dedication of Coronado State
Monument on March 11. Rinaldi was the only person present who
also attended the original dedication of the monument.
(State Monuments photo)
Cisneros' educational effort got a big boost from Justin Rinaldi, age 80. Cisneros introduced Rinaldi as likely the only person in the gathering Saturday who participated in the 1940 dedication.
Rinaldi, then a sophomore at Bernalillo High School, served as a "soldier in Coronado's army," in an outdoor drama at the original dedication, which was attended by Gov. John E. Miles and Don Juan Francisco de Cárdenas, the Ambassador of Spain.
Rinaldi, a writer and "student of history," brought along his grandson, also named Justin, and a junior at St. Pius High School, to perhaps capture what he had felt at the original ceremony.
"I've been here before," said the younger Rinaldi, "but when grandfather invited me, I was eager to attend. I've heard his stories (of the initial dedication) before."
Grandfather Rinaldi is an adamant supporter of the concept of instilling New Mexico history to young people beyond his own extended family.
"As a student of history, especially the history of New Mexico, I have made a special effort to speak to young people from grade school to the university level in hopes they will realize that U.S. history doesn't revolve around the eastern seaboard," he said.
The young Rinaldi, who has been studying New Mexico history since taking a class at Bernalillo Middle School, and is heading to Europe this summer to study Italian, got an earful of history at Saturday's event.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0823_web.jpg
Keynote speaker and National Park Service historian,
Dr. Richard Sellars delivers keynote address at Coronado State
Monument rededication. (Steppin Out news photo)
Keynote speaker and National Park Service historian and writer Richard West Sellars, Ph.D., an authority on the historical park and monument movement in the United States, spoke of the contributions of Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, the archaeologist who was instrumental in writing and helping in passage of the federal Antiquities Act of 1906.
Almost identical language was used in the New Mexico act creating the State Monuments 75 years ago, on March 14, 1931. Hewett was also in on the ground floor in the excavation and founding of Coronado State Monument.
Adding an official note to the ceremony was a proclamation from the Governor of New Mexico, read by Stuart A. Ashman, Secretary, Department of Cultural Affairs, recognizing the 75th anniversary jubilee and the "longstanding commitment of the State of New Mexico to its rich heritage."
Saturday's ceremony and reception was sponsored by Friends of Coronado State Monument, James W. Conder, president. Conder, a resident of Placitas, noted an "energetic" cadre of 130 members for the new support group.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0854_web.jpg
From a renovated visitors center, to traditional ovens, a restored
kiva, and new visitor amenities, improvements to Coronado State
Monument are visible everywhere. Cisneros and the State Monuments
Staff have clearly done a great job. (Steppin' Out news photo)
Among those in attendance were architect Lee Gamelsky and contractor Jimmy Lewis, Longhorn Construction, both of Albuquerque. Their firms did the design and reconstruction work leading up to the rededication, which included the modernizing of the heating and cooling system, the installation of a state of the art sewage plant, replacing a thoroughly outdated cesspool system, the addition of windows in key locations, and the replacement of rotting viga ends, all while retaining the flavor of John Gaw Meem's historic Pueblo Revival style design.
For visitors, there's new lighting in the Kuaua Room, which contains some of the treasured kiva murals discovered during excavation work in 1935. The murals represent some of the finest examples of pre-conquest Native American mural art to be found in the United States.
To view more photos plus video from this event, visit Steppin' Out's Coronado State Monument photo and video gallery by clicking here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/553).
The next big event in the series of 75th Anniversary celebrations will be April 8 at Fort Selden State Monument near Las Cruces. Activities will include a day of period military living history demonstrations and a program on the Buffalo soldiers who were stationed at the fort during the Civil War. There will be music and dancing of the kind that was popular when the fort was active in the mid to late 1800s.
Many events are scheduled throughout the year, including a seminar series and a student essay or photographic competition, details of which are not yet complete.
"We intend to promote both adult and youth education every step of the way," Cisneros said. "New Mexico's young people will be tomorrow's leaders, and the best way to learn about our history is to experience it first hand -- where the history actually occurred.
Cisneros' education initiative, and Rinaldi's visible support, has the full support of Lt. Gov. Denish, who posed with them in front of a May 29, 1940, program of events. She noted in her remarks that her own son dragged her family into Coronado State Monument many years ago during one of the frequent trips they made along Highway 550 from Bernalillo to the Farmington area.
In addition to Coronado, other State Monuments open the public include, Jémez, Bosque Redondo Memorial/Fort Sumner, Fort Selden, Lincoln and the newest -- El Camino Real International Heritage Center.
The New Mexico State Monuments is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Additional images and video are available here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/553) or upon request by calling: 505-476-1151, or 476-1199
© 2006 New Mexico State Monuments - Reprint Permission Granted
By Ben Moffett, Contributing Writer
Bernalillo -- About 150 people, including Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, braved cold and scattered snowflakes Saturday to kick-off a year-long 75th anniversary celebration of New Mexico's State Monuments and to rededicate Coronado State Monument following the renovation of its visitor center.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0819_web.jpg
The results of the renovation project at Coronado State
Monument are very impressive. In fact, almost everything
looks brand new. (Steppin' Out news photo)
The anniversary celebration was initiated by Monuments Director José Cisneros to help educate New Mexicans, especially the state's young people, on their rich history, the principal themes of which are embodied in Coronado and five other active State Monuments.
The rededication of the monument follows a restoration of the John Gaw Meem Visitor Center, originally dedicated on May 29, 1940, as the kick-off event of a statewide commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of Francisco Vásquez de Coronado's arrival in 1540.
The Spanish explorer spent two winters in and around the village of Kuaua and what is now the town of Bernalillo. The ruins of Kuaua and powerful murals unearthed in a kiva there are the principal attractions of the monument.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Lt_Gov_Jose_Rinaldi.jpg
State Monuments Director Jose Cisneros and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish
pose with Justin Rinaldi at the re-dedication of Coronado State
Monument on March 11. Rinaldi was the only person present who
also attended the original dedication of the monument.
(State Monuments photo)
Cisneros' educational effort got a big boost from Justin Rinaldi, age 80. Cisneros introduced Rinaldi as likely the only person in the gathering Saturday who participated in the 1940 dedication.
Rinaldi, then a sophomore at Bernalillo High School, served as a "soldier in Coronado's army," in an outdoor drama at the original dedication, which was attended by Gov. John E. Miles and Don Juan Francisco de Cárdenas, the Ambassador of Spain.
Rinaldi, a writer and "student of history," brought along his grandson, also named Justin, and a junior at St. Pius High School, to perhaps capture what he had felt at the original ceremony.
"I've been here before," said the younger Rinaldi, "but when grandfather invited me, I was eager to attend. I've heard his stories (of the initial dedication) before."
Grandfather Rinaldi is an adamant supporter of the concept of instilling New Mexico history to young people beyond his own extended family.
"As a student of history, especially the history of New Mexico, I have made a special effort to speak to young people from grade school to the university level in hopes they will realize that U.S. history doesn't revolve around the eastern seaboard," he said.
The young Rinaldi, who has been studying New Mexico history since taking a class at Bernalillo Middle School, and is heading to Europe this summer to study Italian, got an earful of history at Saturday's event.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0823_web.jpg
Keynote speaker and National Park Service historian,
Dr. Richard Sellars delivers keynote address at Coronado State
Monument rededication. (Steppin Out news photo)
Keynote speaker and National Park Service historian and writer Richard West Sellars, Ph.D., an authority on the historical park and monument movement in the United States, spoke of the contributions of Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, the archaeologist who was instrumental in writing and helping in passage of the federal Antiquities Act of 1906.
Almost identical language was used in the New Mexico act creating the State Monuments 75 years ago, on March 14, 1931. Hewett was also in on the ground floor in the excavation and founding of Coronado State Monument.
Adding an official note to the ceremony was a proclamation from the Governor of New Mexico, read by Stuart A. Ashman, Secretary, Department of Cultural Affairs, recognizing the 75th anniversary jubilee and the "longstanding commitment of the State of New Mexico to its rich heritage."
Saturday's ceremony and reception was sponsored by Friends of Coronado State Monument, James W. Conder, president. Conder, a resident of Placitas, noted an "energetic" cadre of 130 members for the new support group.
http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/100_0854_web.jpg
From a renovated visitors center, to traditional ovens, a restored
kiva, and new visitor amenities, improvements to Coronado State
Monument are visible everywhere. Cisneros and the State Monuments
Staff have clearly done a great job. (Steppin' Out news photo)
Among those in attendance were architect Lee Gamelsky and contractor Jimmy Lewis, Longhorn Construction, both of Albuquerque. Their firms did the design and reconstruction work leading up to the rededication, which included the modernizing of the heating and cooling system, the installation of a state of the art sewage plant, replacing a thoroughly outdated cesspool system, the addition of windows in key locations, and the replacement of rotting viga ends, all while retaining the flavor of John Gaw Meem's historic Pueblo Revival style design.
For visitors, there's new lighting in the Kuaua Room, which contains some of the treasured kiva murals discovered during excavation work in 1935. The murals represent some of the finest examples of pre-conquest Native American mural art to be found in the United States.
To view more photos plus video from this event, visit Steppin' Out's Coronado State Monument photo and video gallery by clicking here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/553).
The next big event in the series of 75th Anniversary celebrations will be April 8 at Fort Selden State Monument near Las Cruces. Activities will include a day of period military living history demonstrations and a program on the Buffalo soldiers who were stationed at the fort during the Civil War. There will be music and dancing of the kind that was popular when the fort was active in the mid to late 1800s.
Many events are scheduled throughout the year, including a seminar series and a student essay or photographic competition, details of which are not yet complete.
"We intend to promote both adult and youth education every step of the way," Cisneros said. "New Mexico's young people will be tomorrow's leaders, and the best way to learn about our history is to experience it first hand -- where the history actually occurred.
Cisneros' education initiative, and Rinaldi's visible support, has the full support of Lt. Gov. Denish, who posed with them in front of a May 29, 1940, program of events. She noted in her remarks that her own son dragged her family into Coronado State Monument many years ago during one of the frequent trips they made along Highway 550 from Bernalillo to the Farmington area.
In addition to Coronado, other State Monuments open the public include, Jémez, Bosque Redondo Memorial/Fort Sumner, Fort Selden, Lincoln and the newest -- El Camino Real International Heritage Center.
The New Mexico State Monuments is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
Additional images and video are available here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/pp-514/showgallery.php/cat/553) or upon request by calling: 505-476-1151, or 476-1199