Old West time.. from an article about Northeastern New Mexico .. Tucumcari and Quay County Then and Now I was raised in the northeastern part of New Mexico, where outlaws thrived in the Old West towns of Old Liberty, Tucumcari, Las Vegas, Tecolote and others. Being in Tucumcari gave me a better perspective of those distant years. Survival was a hard thing in the late 1800’s. It was because there were no jobs and money. The Civil War took it toll on the inhabitants, and belonging somewhere was precious, a home on the lands you laid claim to. These new claims were sometimes sold or traded, settlers many times needed money just to survive on. In the eastern side of Texas-Nuevo Mexico border, the Six-Shooter Siding became the early name given by the Gandy Dancers for current day Tucumcari. The railroad was instructed by the Federal government of the United States to lay claim to alternating sections of land where the rails would be placed. The other sections land not clamed by the railroad became desirable and could be claimed by filing in Montoya, New Mexico. Folklore tell a land man would come on Tuesdays to stay at the Montoya Hotel to accept filing fees and documentation. There also existed land offices in Las Vegas and Garcia Plaza ( Clayton) New Mexico. Always busy the land office had trouble coordinating the who what and where of San Miguel County new ownership. And you say Why was there gunfire on the Outlaw and Bandito Trail ? :)
Posted on: Wed, 05 Mar 2014 15:32:21 +0000