The Chronicles of Grant County
This column will feature items that relate somehow to Grant County - the name of a street in the case of the first one, and maybe other streets, or the name of a building or whatever catches the fancy of the contributor, Richard Donough. Readers are encouraged to send him topics of interest to them, so he can do the research and write an article.
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Azaleas frame one of the fountains at Bellingrath Gardens and Home. These gardens are located in Mobile County, Alabama. (Photo was provided by Bellingrath Gardens and Home.)Alabama Street is located in the western part of Silver City and runs from Hester Street to Western New Mexico University. The roadway was named after the State of Alabama.
This is a sample of Cuprite from the Ground Hog Mine on December 7, 1994. Cuprite was one of the minerals that had been mined at this locale. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Pacific Museum of Earth of The University of British Columbia.)
As you travel along Ground Hog Mine Road, you might wonder what was the Ground Hog Mine. You might find it interesting to know that beyond being a place where ore was extracted, it was considered by federal officials to be the potential site of what would have the largest population center in Grant County.
A blue jay and a cardinal on tree branches in 2012. Photo courtesy of Mary Ellen St. John through Flickr.
If you enjoy watching or going to Major League Baseball or National Football League games in the United States or Canada, you may have seen the Blue Jays, the Cardinals, and the Ravens in action. That is, the Toronto Blue Jays and the St. Louis Cardinals (both in the MLB) and the Arizona Cardinals and the Baltimore Ravens (both in the NFL). These professional sports teams were named after species of birds.
Three local streets in one neighborhood in Grant County were also named after these three birds, the blue jay, the cardinal, and the raven. Other area roadways are named after other birds.
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Adapted from image provided by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Christians of many denominations in Grant County will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas. For many, it’s a day of joy and happiness. It’s a time of hope.
It’s also a time for reflection on forgiveness.
The Chronicles Of Grant County
An owl and a snowman are among the various ornaments of different shapes and sizes that decorate this Aluminum Christmas Tree in 2014. (This photograph was provided courtesy of Ms. Rita Lane through Flickr.)For centuries, the term “Christmas Tree” always referred to a live evergreen tree that was typically cut and brought into one’s home. (A few people brought the whole tree – roots and all – into their homes; most people, though, used freshly cut evergreen trees.)
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Cactus
A Prickly Pear Cactus and its fruits, called tunas, in New Mexico in 2008. (The photograph was produced by Alice Welch and provided courtesy of the USDA.)
Prickly Pear in bloom. Photo by Mary Alice Murphy
The Cactus is the source of the names for four roadways in Grant County, including three Cactus Streets – one each in Bayard, Santa Clara, and Silver City as well as Mimbres Cactus Drive in Mimbres.
For a number of years, the Cactus was considered by many to be the state flower of New Mexico.
A Yucca plant seen in New Mexico during a sunset in 2018. (This image was provided courtesy of Mike Goad through Pixabay.)
Yucca is the state flower of New Mexico.
The Chronicles Of Grant County
This image was provided courtesy of Jill Wellington from Pixabay.
Thanksgiving today is considered a truly American holiday that is celebrated by almost everyone within the country, including people throughout Grant County and New Mexico.