Abandoned Rural Archaeology
Margarita Martinez Homestead
After the death of her husband and the destruction of their home in Corrales, New Mexico, Margarita Martinez moved to Largo Canyon in 1904 with her children. The family dry farmed corn, beans, peas and pumpkins. They also raised goats and cattle as well as having a herd of burros (BLM). Margarita died in 1919 from a wagon accident (Sheftel 2012). The property was then taken over by her daughter Isabel and son-in-law Luis Tafoya (for which the canyon is named after). Although a land patent had been filed for the homestead in 1935 by Isabel and Luis, due to errors, the homestead remained on public lands (BLM).This Spanish-American homestead has the traditional stone laid wall construction with viga/latilla style roofing. Construction of the main dwelling occurred in 1908 (room adjacent to the boulder) and expanded in 1922 (three additional rooms). One room was constructed using the jacal construction technique (Gregory 2016). The property was sold and abandoned in 1943.
| Land Owner: | Bureau of Land Management |
| Site Elevation: | 6482 ft / 1975 m |
| Hiking Difficulty: | Easy =
Someone in fair hiking condition; Distance less than 200 feet; Elevation gain less than 20 feet. |
| References: | |
 |
Gregory, Carrie J. 2016
Cultural Traditions of Abandoned Rural Cultural Landscapes. Association of Preservation Technology Bulletin, Journal of Preservation Technology 47:29-35 2016. |
| Sheftel, Janice 2012
Field Trip Report, San Juan Basin Archaeological Society. November 2012. |
Other Historic Sites
 |
➠ Return to Archaeology Page |
Report Vandalism
Report any vandalism to the Bureau of Land Management hot line at (505) 564-7600.For in progress incidents, request a BLM Ranger through Non-Emergency Dispatch (505) 334-6622.
Photos by EMKotyk