View from the Innside

Bottger Mansion of Old Town Bed & Breakfast

Welcome to the blog for the Bottger Mansion of Old Town, an historic bed & breakfast located in the heart of Old Town Albuquerque, New Mexico.

110 San Felipe Street NW

Albuquerque, NM   87104

(800) 758-3639

(505) 243-3639

www.bottger.com

 

night out in Austin at the conference

After today's speakers and sessions, we were treated to a night out in Austin.  Since our hotel is about 18 miles away from the center of the city, they bused us downtown.

First we stopped at the offices of bedandbreakfast.com, where we they had washtubs full of ice and beer or raspberry margaritas for us non-beer-drinkers.  Actually, that was my second margarita of the day, and I determined I'd better stop after that last one.  Otherwise, I'd end up sacked out on the table somewhere and not be able to enjoy the rest of the evening.

Four of us opted to walk down to the river and across to Long Center.  Did I mention it was a balmy, beautiful, clear day in Austin, the first since we've been here?  This morning the rain had stopped, the fog dried up, the grass is green, the landscaping is lush, the birds are singing...

On the way we took a turn through the lobby area of the historic Driskill Hotel.  It's a fabulous place with dark wainscot paneling and pressed panels on the ceiling.  The ceilings at our place are pressed tin, but those at the Driskill appear to be copper.  I'd like to come back some day and either stay there or get a more in-depth look at the place.  But I just have to show you the miniature Victorian furniture they had in a part of the lobby area.  This photo is a little dark, but you can see the miniature chaise and perhaps behind it the burgundy diamond-tufted chair.  So you can get an idea of the scale, the back of the chair couldn't have been any taller than about a foot and a half.  We wondered if these were custom made pieces for someone's little daughter or if they were a salesman's samples.  Either way, they were very cute.

Across the river, dinner awaited at Long Center and our party on the patio.  It was a very nice spread with brisket, sausage, and chicken, and all the accompanying beans, cole slaw, etc.  A pretty good Texas band played (with a name something like "Dave Easley and the Careless Smokers"), with a lead singer who was trying hard--and doing pretty well--at sounding like Willie Nelson.  Some couples were dancing and we even took a turn or two around the floor.  But...the floor was concrete, we were both wearing sandals, and we're not as young as we used to be.  We may be regretting that dancing in the morning.

maiden name mystery solved?

A while back, I found the record of marriage of Miguela to Charles Bottger in September of 1897.  It was in the Marriages, Book “C” and “D”, Jan. 1855 thru Dec. 14, 1900, San Felipe de Neri RCC, Alburquerque, Territory of NM—Microfilm FHL 016-644, and had been translated from Spanish into English.  Additionally, in the introduction to the book, it noted that from pages 42 to 125 or so, the person writing the record had extremely "careless" handwriting, and some of the writing was illegible.  So what I found, as follows, is from 1897, translated from Spanish--explanations to follow:

“Today the (blank) of September of 1897, I married Mr. Charles A. Buttager baptized Luteran, son of J. L. and J. L. Buttager with the dispensation of Mixed Religion, with Miguela Baca widow of Mr. Hain, deceased, and daughter of Gertrudes Baca.  Witnesses, Tony Michellach and Mrs. Michellach.  ‘I the undersigned promise to Miguela Baca, my wife, to leave her free to exercise of her own religion during her whole lift [sic] and also promise that the children who may be born of our union shall all be baptized in the Catholic Church and brought up in the doctrine of the same Church.’  Signed C. A. Buttager"

Here are the explanations:  Bottger's name was misspelled, as usual.  This is the first reference that Charles Bottger was Lutheran (also misspelled).  At that time, Miguela was the widow of Max Stein, so with very poor handwriting and translating a foreign name from Spanish to English, one can understand where "Stein" could be rewritten as "Hain." 

But where did the name Baca come from?  We do know that her mother was Gertrudes Garcia, who was a widow with one child (Miguela) and married Tom Post.  So who was Baca?

I have been working my way through Albuquerque, A Narrative History by Marc Simmons, and came upon the answer.  On page 106, in discussing the substantial Elene Gallegos Land Grant.  Shortly after 1712, land was granted Elena Gallegos, widow of Santiago Gurule.  The author noted that

"As was often done in colonial New Mexico, she retook her maiden name upon her husband's death." 

Therein lies the key.  If Miguela was the widow of Max Stein, who died in 1889, she reverted to her maiden name of Baca, which is how her name appeared when she married Charles Bottger in 1897.  So why is that different than her mother's name?  Because Gertrudes Garcia was also twice a widow.  Her maiden name was Garcia.  She married a man named Baca, who was Miguela's father (hence, Miguela Baca), and then was widowed.  Subsequently, she married Thomas  D. Post, Miguela's stepfather, and was known as Gertrudes Garcia de Post.  When Thomas Post died in 1893, Gertrudes survived him and her name reverted back to Gertrudes Garcia, which was her name at the time of Miguela's marriage in 1897.

I'm finding that there are very subtle historical and cultural traditions like this that make a huge difference in research, and the answers can come from unexpected places.

searching for Miguela's grave in the snow

Last week I had a chance to do some more research in Santa Fe, continuing what I started a few weeks ago.  The more I do, the more loose ends I find.

I had learned that Miguela Bottger died in 1936 in Santa Fe and was buried in Rosario Cemetery.  According to her obituary in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Miguela lived with her daughter on East Manhattan Avenue in Santa Fe.  However, the 1936-37 Santa Fe City Directory showed that Julia and George lived on Acequia Madre Street and that George was a salesman at Bell’s Store.  Most likely, they rented houses at a couple of different places in Santa Fe before returning to Albuquerque after Miguela's death to live in the Bottger Mansion (thereafter called the “Gallegos House”).  Except for the year 1936 when Miguela lived with her daughter, Julia Bottger Gallegos, and Julia’s husband George, all of the Bottger family lived in Albuquerque.  

I’ve always felt that cemeteries create a feeling of closure, especially if you’ve been looking for someone and find their final resting place.  I wanted to find Miguela’s lone grave at Rosario Cemetery, take a photograph, and have an ending to her story, even though there are still gaps to be filled in.

The man working in the office at Rosario was very nice and provided copies of the ledger books he had.  One was a fee book, in which there was one entry for “Miguela Bottge” (name spelled incorrectly—again) on March 2,1936, for “opening and closing grave.”  The other was a locator book, in which she was listed without an actual location.  However, other people buried around the same time were listed either in family plots or in Section B.  The more the man looked, the more he thought that she was buried in the “single grave” section (Section B), especially when I noted that the rest of the family lived in Albuquerque, and Miguela only lived in Santa Fe for a year or so with her daughter.

A map of the cemetery showed that Section B was in the “old” section, much like the Santa Barbara section of Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque.  And, like Santa Barbara, a large number of the graves were either unmarked or the headstones or markers have crumbled or been vandalized.  He had told me that the row where she was most likely buried was in more or less chronological order.   I found the earlier beginning of the row, with some grave markers from 1932 and 1933, and then there was a large bare space with no markers, covered with snow and ice.  Farther down were additional tombstones from 1936 and 1937.  No Miguela.  But if she’s there, a very large tree shades her grave.

The next time I return to Santa Fe, I’ll visit Rosario Cemetery and stroll down by the big tree, just in case there’s a small marker with her name on it.  Otherwise, she will lie in restful anonymity over the passage of time, just like her relatives in Santa Barbara.

 

two days of research at the New Mexico Archives and Records Center

February is a little slow, and we had a couple of days with no guests to head up to Santa Fe to the New Mexico Archives and Records Center (1209 Camino Carlos Rey just off Cerrillos Road).

It’s an amazing place with lots of resources and also a lot of rules.  You can’t take any bags, purses or coats inside—they provide public lockers outside the library entrance.  You can take a laptop in (not in your bag, of course) and a notebook, but your cell phone has to be silenced. 

I went prepared with the list of things I’ve been trying to find, and I did manage to find all of them in the time I had—the obituaries for Charles Bottger in 1914, Miguela in 1936, Edward Stein in 1908 (her son by her first marriage), and the elusive Julia L. Bottger who passed away in 1909, who turns out to be Charles Bottger’s mother.  Charles had gone to New York to bring her to Albuquerque, and she died two weeks after her arrival here.

On Tuesday Steve helped me by continuing to look for newspaper articles on microfilm.  It’s very helpful that there’s an index, so I had searched for people and found the dates of articles in the index.  At least then we can go directly to the newspaper on that date on microfilm.

While he did that, I spent all morning scanning through the Albuquerque city directories from 1947 to about 1996.  I need to spend a little more time on that since I realized there are a few pieces missing and a few more questions.  In city directories, not only can you look up people by last name, but it also has a cross-index section by street names and addresses.  The city directory also listed that a property was vacant.  I was able to trace both the Bottger family and descendants when they lived here and also see the stretch of years when it was apparently vacant. 

I think I’ve been bitten by the research bug.  Searching through history is a fascinating exercise in sleuthing, guesswork, assumptions and problem-solving.  Some of the answers can never be discovered because the true story died with the people.

Orange Pecan Cookies

When things slow down for us in the winter, I start trying new recipes.  I love cookies but get tired of making (and eating) the same ones all the time.  I went back to my trusty Betty Crocker Cooky book from 1974 looking for something different and found Orange Pecan Cookies.

Orange-Pecan Cookies

 

Betty Crocker’s Cookie Book, 1974

Makes about 40 cookies

 

1 c. shortening (part butter or margarine)

2 c. brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

2 T. grated orange rind

1 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

1 c. chopped pecans

 

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs, orange rind and vanilla.  Sift together the flour, salt and soda; stir into shortening mixture.  Stir in pecans. 

 

Using a #40 scoop, drop balls (about 1 ¼”) onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Bake 14 minutes.

 

Note:  these can easily be frozen.  Drop balls close together on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Place another piece of parchment on top; put another baking sheet on top and press cookies to about ½-inch thickness.  Freeze and store in freezer bags. 

 

 

On the trail of Edward Buxton Cristy

The most interesting thing about historical research is that you never know whose path you will cross or whose story intersects with yours.  Charles Bottger's path crossed with that of an Albuquerque architect named Edward Buxton Cristy.

My efforts to date have been focused on the Bottger family, so I haven't really researched Cristy yet.  And I must admit that my initial search at the Special Collections Library was based on an index search, in which I misspelled his last name, based on another book I had found.  Obviously, another trip is required, and I expect to find more newspaper articles about Cristy if I spell his name correctly.

Edward Buxton Cristy is not nearly as well known as another architect in Albuquerque named John Gaw Meem.  However, it was Cristy who was hired by University of New Mexico president George Tight and worked with Mary Colter (of Harvey Company fame) to remodel Hodgin Hall, the original building of UNM.  The remodel involved removing the peaked roof, adding multiple levels and covering the building with stucco to give it a pueblo appearance.  Locals were outraged at what they perceived to be the destruction of the character of the building.  However, Tight had a vision of a "pueblo on the mesa," and several more buildings were built in the style before his dismissal in 1909.  The style, so unique to the university and to New Mexico, became known as "Pueblo Revival" and was adopted years later as the official building style of the UNM campus.  John Gaw Meem followed in later years and designed numerous buildings in the Albuquerque area in the Pueblo Revival style, to great acclaim, while the creators of the style, Cristy and Colter, faded into relative obscurity compared to Meem.

Other Cristy designs include his own home at 201 Walter Street SE built in 1896, a charming bungalow in the Huning's Highland Addition (now a designated historic district), which has been carefully and lovingly restored.  He also designed the W. J. Marsh House at 301 Edith Street SE built in 1892, which was one of the largest homes in Huning's Highland Addition at the time.

Sometime during 1908 or 1909, Cristy and Bottger must have met and arranged for the design of Charles Bottger's new home in Old Town, and it was completed in approximately 1910, when the structure appears on the Sanborn Insurance map.

In a moment of inspiration, I wondered if E. B. Cristy had any descendants, so I did a search.  About 10 people with that name appear in the phone records, and at least some seem to be related to each other.  My next task is to start calling to find out if they are indeed descendants of Edward Cristy and if they have any photographs of his work, of Edward Cristy, or copies of any his plans or drawings they would be willing to share. 

In this 100th anniversary of the Bottger Mansion, it would be fitting to rename one of the rooms after its architect, Edward Buxton Cristy.

Altura Park walking route

A few weeks ago the park featured in the Go! section of the paper was Altura Park, which is just south of I-40 near Carlisle Avenue. We took a detour from grocery shopping for a walk. 

It was a quiet morning in January, and hardly anyone was around except a some other walkers and a few people with dogs.  It's not a big park, just a triangle with some tennis courts, playground equipment, and a big grassy area that looks like a perfect place to throw a tennis ball or frisbee for a dog.  Big shade trees ringed the park.

As we walked around the park, what we found ourselves doing was not looking at the park itself but the houses around the park.  It's an affluent neighborhood not far from the apartment building west of Carlisle where we lived in the early 80's.  The houses were obviously custom- built individually rather than tract houses by a developer.  They were all different in style and shape, some California mission style, some modern, some were long, low ranch-style homes, all with very nicely kept mature landscaping.  I could easily live in any one of them.

The great thing about Albuquerque is all of these quiet, nice neighborhoods tucked away off the main roads.  It's like the 200-year-old haciendas we have here, which were the family homes of the original settlers, now surrounded by neighborhoods and newer houses.  You either have to know that these old compounds are there, or you happen upon them by accident.

How to get there:  The easiest way is to take the Carlisle Avenue exit south off I-40, go left (east) on Indian School Road, then turn right (south) on Morningside.

mural progress after Valentine's Day

The mural artists ("Airbrushing by Sandy") have completed their work and moved on to the next job.  It is absolutely gorgeous and completely changes the look of the stairwell.

You know how it is when you drastically change something, and it's so much better and so delightful that you just keep going to look at it?  That's how this is.

Since Sandy and Judy left, I worked for 12 hours last Friday on the rest of the pink paint on the ceiling and walls at the upper end of the stairwell where they didn't do any painting.  The remainder of the day was spent preparing, priming and painting one coat of white on the trim and molding.  What a difference!  It now looks so crisp and clean, and it's a cohesive color scheme instead of mint green walls, dark rose carpet and plum-colored trim.  And with the lighter pink walls and white trim, the light really bounces around in there, lightening up the entire area.  I have to put the final coat of white on the trim since it's still a bit streaky with some of the plum color. 

Today, I hope to be able to put the second coat of white on the trim and finish it so Steve can put the switch back in and I can put my vacuum cleaner and tools back in the closet.  Then the real chore begins, because I have five doors to paint--the door at the top of the stairs, a little access door to some plumbing, the original door from the kitchen to the cellar, the laundry room door (louvered, no less) and the door to the Wine Cellar Suite.

I have lots more ideas for improvements.  My trouble now is that I have far more ideas than time, but it will get done eventually.  My goal for the six years we've been here is "improve one thing every day."  I've stuck to that nearly every single day, and now there's not a room in this house where I can't point to multiple things and see what's improved.

mural progress

Here's a view of the progress on the stairwell so far.  It's amazing how quickly this is going, but when experts do something, they always make it look easy.

Sandy and Judy previously said they thought they would have it done by Sunday, but I want to make sure they have a little time to see some things around Albuquerque and enjoy their time here as well.  We also all just realized it's Super Bowl Sunday.  While I don't care about football and won't watch the game, some people will. 

This is turning out to be a magnificent addition to our bed & breakfast, and I can't wait to see it completed.  On the other hand, I have a ton of work to do once they're done, like finishing painting the rest of the walls and ceiling, prime and paint all the trim, and install two more light fixtures.

But it will be oh so lovely!

stairwell in need of improvement

This stairwell has needed updating so badly, I don't really want to show the "before" pictures, but here they are.  The walls were mint green, the trim is a light plum color, and the light fixtures didn't put out nearly enough light.

So far we've put in new light fixtures at both the top and bottom of the stairs, which has added a lot more light.  Most of the stairwell now has two coats of a pale pink paint.

Our mural artists are now here and are busy at work painting some grapes and grapevines, faux arched windows, and lots of other details. 

The rest of what we'll do has to wait until after they're finished.  We had to finish the part where they would be working, and the rest we can do later.

Once they're done, we'll finish painting the rest of the stairwell, paint the trim a glossy white, install a light box fixture, and install rope lighting in a track along the top of the steps.

I have to admit that even if we only painted the walls and installed the new light fixtures, it would be a thousand percent improvement, but the painting they're doing will take this stairwell from nice to extraordinary.