Albuquerque Feliz Cumpleanos: Three Centuries to Remember

U.S.A.: La Herencia, 2005. First Edition Stated . Trade Paperback. Fine. 8 1/2" X 11. 210 Pages Indexed. As New gift quality book. Interior text pages are flawless. As the year 2006 drew near, the city of Albuquerque already had three centuries chock-full of memories and was feverishly generating more. New Mexico's largest city and only true metropolis was celebrating the 300th year of its official existence, a rare milestone that only 22 other American cities, most of them in the East, had passed. On April 23, 1706, a new villa called Albuquerque applied in writing for King Philip V of Spain to certify it as a frontier community in the Spanish colony of New Mexico. Another 70 years would pass before 13 rebellious colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America declared themselves independent from England. Albuquerque would prove more steadfast to her mother country, remaining loyal to Spain until 182l. Actually, the new town in New Mexico was named Alburquerque, with an extra r at the end of the second syllable. It was named in honor of the duke of a town in Spain spelled that way. But long ago that second r was dropped from the New Mexican town, and this book celebrating Albuquerque's 300th anniversary will drop it too. For its 300th birthday, the city of Albuquerque lined up a monumental party, one that was to keep swinging for 18 months. It began gloriously in April 2005, a year before the actual 300th year arrived. At that kickoff celebration, 100 hot-air balloons rose in mass ascension, and 300 doves were released into the air, which was filled also with mariachi music. There was a Parade of Eras, representing five periods in Albuquerque history: Native American, Spanish, Mexican, Territorial and Statehood. There was a torch relay and a tricentennial flame. And that was just for starters. Hundreds of events were set to unfold through the coming months: dramas, concerts, dances, art exhibits, a cattle drive, a historical re-enactment of the founding of the city. And more, more, more. Some 500 volunteers and a core of paid staff worked tirelessly on the party. The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History booked three world-class exhibits of the art of Spanish masters: Goya, Ribera, Picasso, Murillo, many others. The state Genealogical Society compiled a painstakingly researched book on Albuquerque's founding families. A time capsule was assembled for the future. Three hundred local businesses paid $3,000 apiece to sponsor their own Tricentennial Candle. Almost $4 million went for advertising the anniversary in the Southwest, throughout America, around the world. And what was this stupendous party celebrating? A historical saga that has been Albuquerque's alone, replete with blood and passion, peril and dedication, conquest and defeat, commoners and kings, oxcarts and atomic energy, flags of different nations. Key roles have been played by haughty conquistadors, native warriors, brash Anglos, covered wagons and steam locomotives and hot-air balloons, by tuberculosis, by writers and artists and dreamers, by nuns and missionaries, by frontier photographers, by All-American athletes, by doctors, by a strip of asphalt named Route 66. By people whose names are forgotten. And by this author, who has lived his own Albuquerque story- shared, but still his own. This book, a happy birthday - Feliz Cumpleanos! - tribute to Albuquerque, is also titled Three Centuries to Remember. Three centuries. That's a lot of remembering, and a book much bigger than this one would be needed to hold it all. These pages weave together dozens, hundreds, even thousands of strands of the Albuquerque fabric. These pages profile many of the actors in the drama, set many of the stages on which the tale was played. But Albuquerque's story has only begun. The next 300 years are under way.