Description
Explore the rich architectural heritage and traditions that frame the bustling tourist attraction that is Albuquerque’s Old Town Plaza. Learn to navigate the district by the original street names and property owners of the settlement. Survey the square from the basket of a hot air balloon suspended 14,207 feet above the 1882 Territorial Fair. Or gain a deeper appreciation for the legacy of venerable landmarks like San Felipe de Neri Church down to the mixing of the adobe plaster. With rare photographs and a detailed account of each historic structure, author Debra Montoya maps out how the Old Town Plaza became what it is today.
Debra Montoya (Debbie) is native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, growing up in the heart of Old Town Plaza from generations of the early pioneers of the “Villa de Alburquerque.” Her personal passion to accomplish writing this book occurred after the death of her beloved “Nana,” Linda Rambes-Garcia, from a spiritual calling. This book is dedicated to her for her deep love of her home, Old Town Plaza, and her parish, San Felipe de Neri Church, and the dedication to her patron saint, Philip Neri. The stories written in this book contain actual family knowledge told to generations in her family. Debbie has been an employee of the University of New Mexico for more than thirty-five years and is a graduate of Albuquerque High School, class of 1984.
