SUN Staff Report
9/3/09
The Rio Arriba County history book promised two years ago is nearing completion, Rio Grande SUN Publisher Robert Trapp promised this week.
“Mr. Trapp and I began discussions about the need for a Rio Arriba County history book several years ago,” Robert J. Tórrez, who is compiling the manuscript said. “Just about two years ago we sat down and decided the time was right. With the Rio Grande SUN’s sponsorship, we have now nearly completed the manuscript and are compiling the photos and other illustrations we want to include.”
Tórrez, who was the New México state historian from 1987 to 2000, said they are contemplating one more chapter and need only to finish a thorough editing of the manuscript before they begin discussions with publishers. If all goes as planned, the book may be out by early 2010, he said.
As currently structured, the book consists of two parts. The first provides an overview of the rio arriba, or upper river region of northern New Mexico that encompassed a much larger area than current-day Rio Arriba County.
Those chapters cover the region’s prehistoric beginnings through the development of Rio Arriba County after New Mexico become part of the United States in 1848. That includes chapters on pre-historic settlements, Spanish exploration, land grants, the Ute and Jicarilla agency at Abiquiú, and the role of railroads and logging in northern New Mexico. Other chapters discuss crime and punishment, education and schools, the Old Spanish Trail, and county politics.
Part two consists of histories of nine of the county’s principal communities. Interestingly, three of the most important communities in the Rio Arriba County history book — Santa Cruz de la Cañada, Chimayó and Ojo Caliente, are no longer altogether within County boundaries, Tórrez noted.
“One of the most difficult parts of compiling the book was deciding what to leave out,” Tórrez said. “It became clear early on that this book will be a history, but not the history of Rio Arriba. It will take many volumes to tell the entire history of the county. Each chapter in the book could easily be expanded into a separate book, and more than nine communities deserve their story to be told. An entire book could be done on biographies of the people that shaped (the County)’s history. We just can’t do it all in one book. I hope people understand that.”