Montezuma Castle - United World College-USA Photoset • rwstorm • 2017-06-27 • HikeArizona.COM

Montezuma Castle - United World College-USA, NM

	2017-06-27
	27 by rwstorm

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Montezuma Castle - United World College-USA

Northeast, NM

Montezuma Castle - United World College-USA

Northeast, NM

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I have always enjoyed my visits to Las Vegas, New Mexico, starting with the first time in 1993. I camped at El Porvenir Campground with my mother in late September that year after riding the steam train at Chama (this was part of a long road trip). It was then that I became aware of the Hermit Peak Trail, that starts right at the campground. From that my interest in the amazing story of the Hermit (Giovanni Maria de Agostini) began. Anyway, over the years I have camped there and done that hike on several occasions. The drive from Las Vegas to Porvenir (SR 65) is one of my New Mexico favorites and it passes by this imposing specimen of architecture known as Montezuma Castle Hotel, though it hasn't been operated as a hotel since 1903!

It is along the Gallinas Creek and there are free public hot springs adjacent (which was the basis for Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad building this their first resort hotel there in 1881, complete with a spur line to bring passengers to this luxury destination. The first two structures burned down in the space of about 5 years, and the current one dates to 1886.

I had wanted to get a tour of this historic gem for a long time and finally got one in 2006 or 2007. (I don't recall the exact date because I lost my photos from that trip! ](*,)

) Since it is on a college campus you could only get student led tours several times per year. That option has opened up a bit since about 2014 when Allan Affeldt (of wonderfully restored La Posada in Winslow fame), purchased by the historic Plaza Hotel and the long abandoned La Castaneda (another former Harvey House) in Las Vegas, with the intent to upgrade and restore both. All I can say is wonderful! :y:

A local tour group has been formed to promote the history of the city and its ties to the Harvey Houses and and Harvey Girls (Southwest Detours). I wasn't aware of this until June 2015, when I took the train from Winslow to Las Vegas for one night in the Plaza before heading back to Winslow the next day (my first Amtrak trip since 1988

). Anyway, The Castaneda is next door to the train station, and when I found out my train was running a couple hours late, I was able to join Kathy Hendrickson on her tour of the abandoned property that Mr. Affeldt is set to restore!

So, I coordinated with Kathy about when to come up for a tour of the Montezuma Castle, and once the date was set I booked two nights at the Plaza. Her tours convene in the lobby, so I was right there...very convenient!

(Losing those photos had bugged me for about 10 years, so it was nice to finally get that accomplished)

There is so much to see and such rich history in the Las Vegas area that you can't go wrong visiting in my opinion. It is along the Santa Fe Trail, that was the dominant wagon trading route from the Midwest dating to 1820, before the coming of the railroad in 1880 made it obsolete. It boomed into one of the largest cities in the Southwest during the heyday years of 1890-1910. It contains a treasure trove of fantastic and varied architectural styles, with over 900 buildings on the national historic registry.

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