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.
An Update From Our Canis Lupus Baileyi Friends And Neighbors Of Southwest New Mexico
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 19 September 2023 19 September 2023
Nuacht Aoir
An Update From Our Canis Lupus Baileyi Friends And Neighbors Of Southwest New Mexico
We're Heading South!
Wearing a new radio collar, a Mexican Wolf was released into the wilds of New Mexico in January of 2023. (The photo was provided courtesy of the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, January 27, 2023.)
Several packs of Mexican wolves began the evacuation from Bernalillo County late on Friday, September 15. Nuacht Aoir is able to report – exclusively – that the Mexican wolves are coming home to Southwest New Mexico.
One wolf commented – through a wolf-to-human translator, of course – that the Mexican wolves have had it with the Governor of New Mexico.
Lilac Street - Lordsburg
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 30 August 2023 30 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Lilac Street
Lordsburg
Lilacs growing in Arizona. (The photograph was produced by Jake Weltzin and provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey.)
Lilac Street is a lane in the City of Lordsburg in Hidalgo County. The street was named after the lilac shrub. Some also call the lilac a "bush" or a "tree."
"Lilacs are versatile flowering shrubs, which have a wide range of uses in the home garden," according to information in "Growing Lilacs, Home and Garden Booklet Number 199" issued by the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in August of 1973 and slightly revised in October of 1977. "They can serve as border plants with smaller shrubs, as corner plantings, as windscreens, or as flowering hedges. Both plants and flowers are very attractive."
"Although lilacs display flowers that are among the most delicate of the ornamentals, the plants are among the most hardy," this booklet continued. "Some varieties can survive winter temperatures of -60° F. They are therefore suited to all parts of the United States except the South, where winters are too mild to provide the plants with the seasonal rest period they need."
The booklet noted that "lilac plants often grow and continue to flower for many years even if totally neglected. Normally, the only care they need is pruning to keep them within bounds. The plants range from 3 feet to as much as 30 feet in height, depending on the age or type grown. Most, however, remain under 10 feet."
The shrubs have flowers that come in a variety of colors.
"Lilac flowers can be white, violet, blue, true lilac, pink, magenta, purple, or variations of these colors," according to the booklet issued by the USDA. "Depending on where you live, and the lilac varieties you choose, lilacs can provide color and fragrance from April through June."
The "Plant Guide" issued by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA detailed several economic and ethnobotanic uses of the lilac shrub.
"A green dye is obtained from the flowers and the leaves and a yellow-orange dye is obtained from the twigs," detailed this USDA guide referencing information from "Nature's Colors – Dyes From Plants" by Ida Grae in 1974. "An essential oil is obtained from the flowers and used in perfume fragrances."
In addition, this guide from the USDA, referencing information from "Native American Ethnobotany" by Daniel Moerman in 1998, indicated that an ethnobotanic use of lilac shrubs was that "the bark and leaves [have] been chewed as a treatment for [a] sore mouth."
The U S Forest Service defines "ethnobotany" as "…the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous (native) plants."
Do you have questions about communities in Grant County?
A street name? A building?
Your questions may be used in a future news column.
Contact Richard McDonough at chroniclesofgrantcounty@mail.com.
If your email does not go through, please contact editor@grantcountybeat.com.
© 2023 Richard McDonough
Orchid Street Reserve
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 23 August 2023 23 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Orchid Street
Reserve
Orchids blooming in the Big Cypress National Preserve. (The photograph was produced by Heather Henkel and provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey.)
Orchid Street is a roadway in the Village of Reserve in Catron County. The street was named after the orchid plant.
There are a number of varieties of orchids growing in the United States.
One of the newest varieties found to be growing in the U S was seen first in New Mexico less than 20 years ago.
The U S Forest Service issued a report that detailed how that new orchid variety was found to be growing on Federal ground.
Lead Street Deming
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 16 August 2023 16 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Lead Street
Deming
This piece of lead was from the Wermland Mine in Långban, Sweden, and is part of The University of British Columbia Geological Mineral Collection. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Pacific Museum of Earth of The University of British Columbia.)
Lead Street is an avenue in the City of Deming in Luna County. The street was named after the metal. Lands in this region of New Mexico have been mined for lead.
"Lead is a very corrosion-resistant, dense, ductile, and malleable blue-gray metal that has been used for at least 5,000 years," according to a statement from the National Minerals Information Center of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). "Early uses of lead included building materials, pigments for glazing ceramics, and pipes for transporting water. The castles and cathedrals of Europe contain considerable quantities of lead in decorative fixtures, roofs, pipes, and windows."
Bureau Of Land Management Photo Contest For 2024
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 09 August 2023 09 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Bureau Of Land Management
Photo Contest For 2024
Displayed here is the front of the 2023 Local Pass for access to the recreation areas of the Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The pass includes photos produced by the two people who won the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2023. According to the BLM, the photo of the Three Rivers Petroglyphs (to the right) was produced by David Turning, while the Dripping Springs Snowfall photo (to the left) was produced by John Ferrales. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, July 26, 2023.)
The Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting a photo contest again this year. Entries are now being accepted for the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2024.
The district of this Federal agency includes all of public lands managed by the BLM in Grant County as well as a number of other counties in southwestern New Mexico. Substantial portions of Grant County as well as southern New Mexico are controlled by the BLM.
Bureau Of Land Management Recreation Areas Fee-Free Day On August 4, 2023
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 02 August 2023 02 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Bureau Of Land Management Recreation Areas
Fee-Free Day On August 4, 2023
The Aguirre Spring Recreation Area is one of the recreation areas of the Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that will waive entrance fees for visitors on Friday, August 4, 2023. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, August 24, 2008.)
Are you looking for something to do on Friday? Perhaps start your weekend a day earlier?
If so, you may want to consider visiting one of three major recreation sites controlled by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The Las Cruces District of the BLM recently announced that folks will be able to visit its recreation sites in southern New Mexico on Friday, August 4, without paying entrance fees.
This waiver of entrance fees is being done as part of BLM's participation in the Great American Outdoors Day.
Arizona Street Hurley
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 26 July 2023 26 July 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Arizona Street
Hurley
A view of saguaro cacti in a rural area of Arizona near the Town of Florence. (The photograph was produced by Carol Highsmith and provided courtesy of the Library of Congress, August 25, 2008.)
Arizona Street is a roadway in the Town of Hurley in Grant County. The street was named after Arizona. Several other area communities have roads with this name.
"Arizona, formerly part of the Territory of New Mexico, was organized as a separate territory on February 24, 1863," according to a statement from the Library of Congress. "The United States acquired the region under the terms of the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the 1853 Gadsden Purchase." Both the treaty and the purchase were made with Mexico.
Juniper Avenue – Reserve and Juniper Street – Silver City
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 19 July 2023 19 July 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Juniper Avenue – Reserve
Juniper Street – Silver City
A Juniper Tree in the Dixie National Forest in Cedar City, Utah. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the United States Forest Service.)
Juniper Street in Silver City, Grant County, and Juniper Avenue in Reserve, Catron County, get their names from the Juniper tree.
"The Juniper tree is typically found in areas that have an elevation between 3,000 and 8,000 feet," according to a statement issued by the United States Forest Service (FS) of the U S Department of Agriculture (USDA). "This tree grows among the pinyon pine trees and sagebrush. The short scale-like needles are one-eighth inch long and last several years. Foliage and branches are stiff. Seeds are borne in berry-like scaled cones. The cones, when mature, are up to a half-inch in diameter and bronze in color with a bluish-white frosting."