NMPedia entries - B
NMPedia - An encyclopedia of New Mexico's people, places, history, culture, institutions, and attractions.
NMPedia entries - B
- Baca, CiprianoSometimes as "Cypriano". (1859-1938) Noted New Mexico lawman serving as a peace officer for 52 of his 78 years, including as a deputy U.S. marshal, deputy sheriff for Grant County, constable of Deming, and yardmaster for the New Mexico Territorial Penitentiary. First man chosen to be lieutenant for Fullerton's Rangers. Buried in Albuquerque. Biography: Cipriano Baca : Frontier Lawman of New Mexico.
- Baca, Elfego(1865-1945) Socorro-born; in his life served variously as sheriff, mayor, school superintendent, and district attorney. While serving as an unofficial deputy sheriff, famously survived a siege by "40 cowboys who shot 400 bullets" (some sources claim an unlikely 4,000). Subsequently became a lawyer, noted for championing the poor and the underdog. Famously involved in engineering several jailbreaks where he thought justice was not being served, including one of his own father. Baca lived for much of his life in the Albuquerque area and his colorful life and dynamic character fueled a reputation that has swelled into the status of folk hero, inspiring songs, books, and a Disney TV series filmed in New Mexico.
- Bakshi, RalphNoted artist, animator, and film producer. Operates the Bakshi School of Animation out of Silver City.
- Ballard, Charles LittlepageAKA: Charlie Ballard. (1866-1950) Rancher in southern New Mexico; served as deputy sheriff at Roswell, then later deputy U.S. Marshall. Cattle inspector, member, and president of the New Mexico Cattle Sanitary Board. Served in the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War and in the Phillipines. Elected to the New Mexico Territorial Legislature in 1905, serving until statehood; elected sheriff of Chaves County in 1906. Maintained connections with ex-commander Teddy Roosevelt.
- Balloon AscensionsThe first balloon ascension in New Mexico occurred in Albuquerque on July 3rd, 1882, when "The City of Albuquerque" was inflated using coal gas from the public lines. During a second ascension in September of that year, the balloon burst. In later years other balloon ascensions followed, often part of Territorial Fair festivities. A mass ascension of hot air balloons from Albuquerque in 1972 marked the entry of New Mexico as a world leader in such ballooning, culminating in today's annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Numerous high-altitude balloon tests have been performed from Holloman Air Force Base since 1957, including record manned parachute drops and scientific testing that was incorporated into the manned space program.
- Balloon BranchFormally, Air Force Geophysical Laboratory Detachment One. Formed in 1947 at Holloman Air Force Base. The Branch deployed high-altitude balloons with test packages into the upper atmosphere; some of these instruments were part of a then-classified program to monitor Soviet nuclear testing. Later experiments involved photo-astronomy from high altitudes and testing cosmic ray effects on animals. The Balloon Branch conducted parachute tests from high altitudes using anthropomorphic dummies; these tests segued into manned parachute experiments in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. The Branch has also conducted atmosphere testing and vehicle drop tests. A few balloons are still released annually from the site.
- Bandelier, Adolph F.(Very occasionally as "Adolphe", incorrectly as "Adolf".) (1840-1914) Adolph Francis Alphonse Bandelier. Swiss-born archaeologist who became one of the most eminent authorities on the prehistory of the American Southwest, then moved on to researches in South America. Close friends with Charles Lummis, who accompanied him in Peru. Bandelier National Monument named for him. Author of The Delight Makers: a novel of prehistoric Pueblo Indians.
State Historian webpage on Adolph Bandelier - Bandelier National Monument33,000 acre site in northern New Mexico, encompassing Frijoles Canyon and many ancestral pueblo living sites and ruins. The site is noted for the structures built adjacent to and into the canyon walls which are composed of tuff, a soft easily carved pumice-like material derived from volcanic ash. There are also numerous rock paintings and petroglyphs. Named for Adolph Bandelier, who did much of the initial archaeology in the area.
- Bandit's Society, TheAKA: La Sociedad de Bandidos de Nuevo Mexico, The Society of Bandits in New Mexico. Outlaw gang, eventually numbering some 30 members, organized by Vicente Silva in the early 1890s. Some Society members were also members of the White Caps, a more politically oriented group organized by Silva. The group operated, often with lawmen looking the other way, out of a hideout in Ojo del Monte Largo in Santa Fe County, often stealing horses and cattle. Silva became increasingly unstable, first ordering the hanging of a gang member and then stabbing his own wife to death; he was shot by one of his own lieutenants, Antonio Jose Valdez. After Silva's death the gang broke up.
- Barboncito(1821-1871) AKA: Hastiin DághaaÊ, Hastiin Daagi. Navajo tribal leader, sometimes remembered as "the peace chief" for his efforts to find peaceful solutions to conflicts. Born at Canyon de Chelly. After a period where he reluctantly served as war chief in conflicts with neighboring factions he sought treaties in Santa Fe, but these efforts failed and he was displaced with his people to Bosque Redondo. Conditions there proved to be so miserable that Barboncito helped organize an escape, but the escapees were forced to return. Barboncito was part of the delegation to Washington to seek a return to their homeland, and took part in the Long Walk back to their lands.
- Barcelo, Maria GertrudisSee La Tules
- Barker, Eliott S.Elliott Speer Barker (1886-1988). Santa Fe; moved to New Mexico with his family in a covered wagon at the age of 3. Conservationist who worked in the state as a ranger; named New Mexico's first Game Warden in 1931. Founding member of the National Wildlife Federation; helped draft NM's first game and fish laws. Famous for finding the bear cub who would become known as Smokey Bear. Author of seven books including Western Life and Adventures, 1889 to 1970 and Smokey Bear and the Great Wilderness.
- Bataan Memorial Death March
Annual event across a specially-opened section of the White Sands Missile Range, to memorialize and honor the men who faced the ordeal of forced relocation (April 1942) of Filipino and American prisoners of war by the Japanese Army. Conditions on the march were brutal and many of the prisoners died; the action was later tried as a War Crime. New Mexico soldiers of the Coast Artillery of the National Guard were part of the March, and their ordeal is recognized and memorialized in several ways around the state. The annual Bataan Memorial Death March is a 26-mile hike across a specially-opened section of the White Sands Missile Range. The New Mexico National Guard Bataan Memorial Museum is located in the Armory in Santa Fe, where the men trained before they were deployed; Albuquerque hosts the Bataan Memorial Park. Leslie Marmon Silko's novel Ceremony tells the story of a Laguna Pueblo survivor of the March.
- Bataan Memorial Military Museum and LibrarySanta Fe, in the Old Armory building. Opened by members of the New Mexico National Guard to honor the memory of the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment, who fought in the Philippines, were captured and spent many years in captivity. Since expanded to encompass New Mexico military affairs, from the Civil War on, as the New Mexico Military Museum.
- Battle of AlbuquerqueA small engagement during the Civil War, April 8-12 1862. As Sibley's Army of New Mexico retreated south after the Battle of Glorieta, they occupied Albuquerque for a second time. Union forces led by Edward Canby came north from Fort Craig to test the Confederacy's numbers and willingness to engage. Canby's cannons opened fire from the edge of town; Sibley's cannon returned fire. The two-day exchange caused little damage and no casualties, and was ended when Canby was told that civilians had no way to take cover. Unsure of the Union force's numbers and low on supplies, the Confederate forces withdrew, ending the "Invasion of New Mexico".
- Battle of Cienega CreekAKA: The Cienega Affair. July 9 1847; final engagement of the Taos Revolt during the Mexican-American War. Thirty-one American infantry troops camped near Cienega Creek 18 miles from Taos were attacked by mixed New Mexico Militia and Pueblo forces. The Americans were forced to retreat until reinforced, whereupon they took the day.
- Battle of ColumbusSee Pancho Villa's raid on Columbus
- Battle of Glorieta PassAKA: Battle of Glorietta, Battle of La Glorieta Pass. March 26-28 1862. Confederate forces under Brigadier General Henry Sibley were driving north in an attempt to take Fort Union, a major outpost on the Santa Fe Trail. Union forces skirmished with the Confederate column on March 26, with the major confrontation on March 28. Though the Confederate forces won the day, they were forced to withdraw due to the destruction of their supply column by Union forces led by New Mexico Volunteer scouts. The Glorieta Battle broke the momentum of the Confederate's "Invasion of New Mexico", ultimately resulting in their withdrawal from New Mexico; for this reason it is sometimes called "The Gettysburg of the West".
- Battle of Hembrillo BasinAKA: Battle of Rattlesnake Springs. April 6, 1880, in southern New Mexico. U.S. Army 9th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers" versus a force of Chiricahua and Mescalero Apaches led by Chief Victorio.
- Battle of Las VegasAKA: The Las Vegas Affair. July 6 1847. A battle of the Taos Revolt after the Siege of Taos. Brief skirmish of American troops against New Mexican and Native American resistance. The other post-Revolt battles were the Battle of Red River Canyon and the Battle of Cienega Creek.
- Battle of LincolnAKA: The Five-Day Battle, The Big Killing. Shootout during the Lincoln County War, the largest single conflict of that rangewar and one of the largest gunfights of the Old West. Starting July 14 1878 Alexander and Susan McSween, their relatives, and a group of gunmen known as the Regulators (famously including Billy the Kid) took shelter in the McSween house as it was laid siege by the Dolan faction. On July 19 U.S. Army forces under the direction of Colonel Nathan A.M. Dudley added to the siege on the house, ostensibly to keep the peace; fearing the response should the Army feel they were being fired upon, those in the home sharply curtailed their defense. The Dolan men were able to set the McSween house on fire and the defenders were forced to organize an escape attempt, during which Alexander McSween was killed.
- Battle of Mora, FirstJanuary 24, 1847. Insurgence during the Mexican-American War, and part of the Taos Revolt. In response to the seizure and execution of traveling American merchants, U.S. Army forces were called in. The larger insurgent force held off the Army, who were forced to retreat, suffering the loss of their commander. The Army forces regrouped and returned, retaking the village during the Second Battle of Mora on February 1.
- Battle of Mora, SecondFebruary 1, 1847. After being repelled by a larger insurgent force that had siezed Mora as part of the Taos Revolt, the U.S. Army gathered more forces and returned armed with howitzers, the lack of which had been decisive in the First Battle of Mora when the insurgents sheltered in an old fort. After an artillery barrage the Army forces quickly moved into the village; the insurgents fled into the mountains. The Army commander ordered Mora destroyed, and its buildings and crops were burned.
- Battle of PeraltaA small engagement near the end of the New Mexico Campaign during the Civil War. Retreating from the Battle of Glorieta Pass, Confederate forces briefly re-occupied Albuquerque then after the Battle of Albuquerque, April 8-12 1862, withdrew further south. On April 14 the Confederates camped near Peralta, seeking to join other Confederate forces encamped at Los Lunas. Union forces led by Major Canby engaged the Confederates; a cannon exchange followed and after the Union had captured a Confederate supply train the Confederates withdrew, leaving the town in ruin.
- Battle of Rattlesnake SpringsSee Battle of Hembrillo Basin
- Battle of Red River CanyonAKA: the Red River Affair. May 26 1847, one of the battles following the Taos Revolt. A company of American soldiers were ambushed by a much larger force of New Mexicans and Native Americans. Conditions in the narrow canyon forced the soldiers to an organized retreat; upon returning it was discovered the insurgents had left.
- Battle of Valley's RanchSee Battle of Glorieta Pass
- Battleship in the DesertSee White Sands Battleship
- Battleship New MexicoSee USS New Mexico BB-40
- Beaubien, Charles(1800-1864) Charles H. Beaubien, AKA: Don Carlos Beaubien, Alexis Beaubien, Charles Trotier. Fur trader who came to New Mexico in 1823 and started a business in Taos, which at the time was under Mexican control. Acquired several large grants of land which became the basis for the Maxwell Land Grant. An early judge in the Territorial Supreme Court; acted as judge after the Taos Revolt.
- Beaubien-Miranda Land GrantSee Maxwell Land Grant
- BeaverFur trappers entered New Mexico in the early 1820s, primarily after beaver pelts, for which there was a strong market in the East. Much of this trapping was conducted along the Gila and Colorado rivers. Sylvester Pattie and son James Ohio Pattie, Hugh Glenn, Jacob Fowler, S.M. Williams, and Ceran St. Vrain were all noted trappers. Beaver trapping waned in the 1850s due to both lessened demand for pelts and sharply depleted beaver populations.
- Becknell, William(1787?-1865) Freight operator credited with opening the Santa Fe Trail in 1821; in 1825 assisted federal surveyors in mapping the sections of the trail that he had established. Book: William Becknell: Father of the Santa Fe Trade.
- Benavides, Fray Alonso deSometimes as de Benevides. (1578-1635). Portuguese Franciscan friar who came to New Mexico in 1625. His work The Memorial of Fray Alonso de Benavides, 1630, prepared as a report to the king of Spain, is considered a classic glimpse into New Mexico of the 17th century. Served as the third head of the mission churches in New Mexico; masterminded the formation of schools and the building of many churches (he claimed 50 as the result of his efforts).
State Historian wepage on Fray Alonso de Benavides - Ben-Hur (book)Full title: Ben-Hur, a Tale of the Christ. Published 1880; written by Lew Wallace, who completed the work (his second novel) while serving as New Mexico Territorial Governor 1878-1881. Ben-Hur was the best-selling American novel from its publication until Gone With the Wind was released in 1936. The story has been filmed several times, including the 1959 version which won 11 Academy Awards.
- Bennewitz, Paul F.(1927-2003) Physicist, owner of an electronics company in Albuquerque. Living near Manzano Base, he noticed "mysterious aerial lights" in the Manzano Mountains; interested in UFOs, he became convinced that he was gaining evidence of human interactions with aliens at the govermental level. He further claimed to have intercepted communications between several groups of aliens and to have proof of the existence of an underground alien "base" in northern New Mexico, the Dulce UFO base. Bennewitz's persistence, and a paper he wrote on the subject, did much to standardize the legend of alien influence in northern New Mexico.
- Bent, Charles(1799-1847) Fur trader and merchant who established business ties in northern New Mexico in 1828. With his brother William Bent and trader Ceran St. Vrain, founded the Bent & St. Vrain Company, operating out of Taos with a number of fortified trading posts reaching north including Bent's Fort in southern Colorado which was built by masons from the Taos area. Appointed first Governor of New Mexico Territory in 1846; slain during the Taos Revolt of 1847.
- Bent, William(1809-1869) William Wells Bent. Fur trader and merchant who, with brother Charles Bent and Ceran St. Vrain, established trading posts along the Santa Fe Trail, most notably Bent's Fort. With offices and a store in Taos, William Bent maintained strong ties with Native American tribes in the area, marrying the daughter of a Cheyenne chief and serving as mediator between various tribes and for them with the expanding United States. The Bents had a vision of a peaceful multi-cultural region centered around Bent's Fort, which dream seemed realized until the cholera epidemic of 1849 depopulated the area.
- Bent's FortAKA: Fort William. In southern Colorado, along the Arkansas River. Established in 1833 by the Bent & St. Vrain Company as a fortified trading outpost; for many years the only permanent settlement along the Santa Fe Trail. Founders Charles Bent and William Bent envisioned a peaceful neutral zone for trade; the massive adobe Fort (built by adoberos from the Taos area, where the Bents had business offices and a store) became a multi-lingual, multicultural center housing up to 250 people. The Fort was abandoned during the cholera epidemic of 1849; in 1852 William burnt the Fort, for reasons still not clear. The Fort was reconstructed in 1976 and is now a National Historic Site and popular tourist attraction, with staff dressed in period garb.
- Bernalillo Mystery HoleOn state land about six miles west of Bernalillo, first reported in January 2003 by an anonymous informant who said there were 3 or 4 people sighted nearby. When Sandoval County Sheriff's personnel investigated, they found a 70 foot deep hole lined with plywood to form a 3 by 3 foot straight-drop shaft with wood forming ladder steps along one side. The shaft ended at an unlined 8 foot tunnel. The excavated earth had been spread around beneath surrounding vegetation, and the opening concealed. Officials kept the area under surveillance for months to see if the diggers might return; the military was also involved in the investigation as the shaft was near the New Mexico National Guard Hawk Missile Training Facility Site. No one was identified as being responsible for the shaft, and no conclusion was ever reached regarding its purpose. The mystery shaft was finally filled in for safety reasons.
- Bernalillo SawmillAKA: El Molino. In operation beginning 1924 to process timber brought in from the Jemez Mountains by the White Pine Lumber Company along the Santa Fe Northwestern Railway. The mill was shut down in 1931, reportedly because of low lumber prices, then reopened under control of the newly-formed New Mexico Lumber and Timber Company. The sawmill was a major employer in the area, with more than 200 working in the sawmill and up to 70 in a secondary facility that manufactured washboards and scrub brushes. The rail line was taken up in 1941; truck logging continued until 1973, and after a sawmill was built in Gilman the Bernalillo sawmill was closed in 1948, though a planing facility did continue to operate for several years.
- Berninghaus, Charles(1905-1988) Taos artist, son of Taos artist Oscar E. Berninghaus.
- Berninghaus, Oscar E.(1875-1952) Painter; one of the "Taos Six", the founders of the Taos Society of Artists. Noted for his paintings of Native Americans and New Mexican themes; first visited Taos after he was given a commission in 1899 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad to produce promotional sketches of the Colorado and New Mexico landscapes. After numerous visits, he moved full-time to Taos in 1925. His son, Charles Berninghuas, was also a Taos artist.
- Bezos, Jeff(1964-) Born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, in Albuquerque. American technology entrepreneur, investor; the founder, chairman, and CEO of Amazon.com. Founder of spaceflight company Blue Origin, to encourage humans moving into space. His company, Bezos Expeditions, has invested in dozens of technology startups. Estimated (2016) as the 2nd richest person in the U.S. and one of the top 10 richest people in the world.
- Bibo, Emil(1862-1925) Trading post owner at Cubero where the Bibo family had great influence at both Acoma and Laguna Pueblos. Recorded the area 1898-1912, with journals and photography, including religious ceremonials and Penitente activities.
- Bibo, Solomon(1853-1934) German-born Jew who settled with his family at Cubero, where they operated a trading post. Applied for a license to trade with Acoma Pueblo in 1872; the business was called Sky High. Became a fluent speaker of the Keres language, and closely involved with Acoma social and political life. Served as mediator between the tribe and the U.S. Dept. of the Interior over a land grant survey dispute, which involvement led him to meet with President Ulysses S. Grant on the matter. In 1875, married into the tribe, to the granddaughter of the Pueblo Governor. In 1885(?) was elected Governor of Acoma Pueblo, the first non-tribal to so serve.
- Bibo FamilyJewish family from Germany who settled in Cubero and ran a trading post there; Nathan and Simon Bibo established themselves first as traders with the Navajo Nation. The family had close ties to both Laguna and Acoma Pueblos, and were noted for fair trade practices, selling tribal produce to the U.S. Army under contract. Solomon Bibo helped mediate a land grant dispute between Acoma Pueblo and the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, and was in the mid-1880s named Governor of the Pueblo. The family, who among them learned several Native American languages, eventually developed stores at Laguna, Fort Wingate, Cebolleta, Grants, San Rafael, and Bernalillo. Simon Bibo served as postmaster in Grants 1880-1891. Emil Bibo a noted photographer of the area.
- Billy the KidAKA: William H. Bonney, Billy Bonney, Bill Bonney, William Bonnie, William Bonny, William Henry McCarty Jr., Henry Antrim, Kid Antrim, William Antrim, Mr. Billy Kid, El Cabrito. (1859-1881) Outlaw who gained an iconic reputation as a gunman of The Old West. A noted participant in the Lincoln County War as a member of The Regulators, a strongarm group formed by rancher John Tunstall. Famously shot by Pat Garrett, though several men in later years claimed to be The Kid.
- Billy the Kid MuseumFort Sumner, New Mexico. Privately-owned museum in operation since the 1950s. In addition to items reportedly belonging to The Kid, the Museum has a wide range of frontier-era materials, antique firearms, and old automobiles. A replica of Billy the Kid's grave is featured (the real grave being in the cemetery of the Old Fort Sumner Museum nearby -- though even that is a replica, as the exact location of the Kid's burial has been forgotten and the tombstone stolen several times.) The Kid, and the Museum, draws visitors from around the world.
- El BimboChimpanzee in Carlsbad. Owned by a Marine who was deployed overseas in World War II, El Bimbo was left in the care of the owner's sister. Local lore has it that he would rattle his cage until she let him out, travel up the street to get his beloved daily tortilla, then "terrorize the neighborhood". Legend has it that the chimp disappeared suddenly and is entombed within a retaining wall in a backyard.
- Bisti BadlandsFormally, Bisti Wilderness Area, part of the De-Na-Zin Wilderness. 4000 acre area in the San Juan Basin, administered by the BLM. Noted for a striking landscape of layers of sandstone, silt, mudstone, shale, and coal, with many erosion features such as sculpted rocks and hoodoos. The Badlands are also a noted source of important fossils including several varieties of dinosaur. Although there are no established trails the area is popular with hikers and photographers.
- Bisttram, Emil James(1895-1976) Hungarian-born painter who arrived in New Mexico in the early 1930s, moved to Mexico to study under Diego Rivera, then returned to the Taos area in 1932 where he opened an art gallery and the Taos School of Art. Co-founded in 1938 with Raymond Jonson the Transcendental Artists Group. In 1952 co-founded the Taos Art Association. Often worked in abstracts.
- Blackdom New MexicoFormer community south of Roswell founded by African-Americans in 1901 under the Homestead Act. Founded by Frank Boyer, whose father had been in NM with Kearny during the Mexican-American War. An anti-Jim Crow activist, Boyer's life became endangered in the South and he moved to NM with his life Ella; once established, they advertised around the country to encourage other African-Americans to join their community. Blackdom grew to 300 people but with the rest of the area was affected by the drought starting in 1916. Though the town was officially incorporated in 1921, by that time most of the residents had left. October 26, 2002, was proclaimed Blackdom Day by the governor of New Mexico.
- Blackwater DrawArroyo in Roosevelt County southwest of Clovis, famed for an archaeological site that established the Clovis Culture of Paleo-Indian. The presence of artifacts was first revealed in 1929 by Ridgely Whiteman of Clovis; excavations followed in 1932. Other Clovis Culture sites have been identified in the U.S., but the Blackwater Draw artifacts remain some of the most important and best-dated. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. Research is ongoing; the Blackwater Draw Museum, operated by Eastern New Mexico University, is open to the public.
- Bloom, Lansing B.(1880-1946) Lansing Bartlett Bloom. Came to New Mexico with tuberculosis; became ordained as a Presbyterian minister and did missionary work in the Southwest. With his wife, Maude McFie, became interested in archaeology, joining the staff of the School of American Archaeology in 1917, eventually becoming director of its department of history. Taught at UNM, longtime editor of the New Mexico Historical Review; editor with The Quivira Society. Author of numerous articles; author / co-author / editor of books on New Mexico history, including New Mexico History and Civics.
- Bloom, Maude Elizabeth McFie(1880-1973) Moved with her family to Mesilla in 1884; later married historian Lansing B. Bloom with whom she pursued archaeological research. Daughter of New Mexico Supreme Court justice John R. McFie. An early student at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (now New Mexico State University). Noted works: A History of the Mesilla Valley, 1903 and the play Tonita of the Holy Faith.
- Blue HoleAKA: The Blue Hole of Santa Rosa, Blue Lake, Agua Negra Chiquita. Artesian pool, 80 feet in diameter, in the Santa Rosa area. The water in the pool, noted for the clear blue color that gives the pool its name, is a constant 62 degrees Fahrenheit. The diameter of the pool widens out to 130 feet at the bottom. At 80 feet in depth, the Blue Hole is one of the deepest pools in the Southwest and is often used for sport scuba diving, and diving training and certification. The pool was once used as a fish hatchery.
- Blumenschein, Ernest L.(1874-1960) Painter; one of the "Taos Six", the founders of the Taos Society of Artists. Blumenschein came to Taos in 1898 with Bert Geer Phillips after they had heard of the area from Joseph Henry Sharp. He spent his summers from 1910 in Taos, moving there permanently in 1919. Though he helped found the Society in 1915 and served as its president from 1920-21, he resigned from the group in 1923 citing time conflicts with another art group. Blumenschein is noted for bold portraits of Native Americans. Father to noted artist Helen G. Blumenschein.
- Blumenschein, Helen G.(1908-1989) Taos artist, daughter of artist Ernest L. Blumenschein. Noted for mountain landscapes and Southwestern subjects, working in numerous media including oil, watercolor, lithography, silk screen, ink and charcoal. Works exhibited worldwide during her lifetime and featured in major collections including the Library of Congress and the Carnegie Institute. Gifted the Blumenschein estate to the community of Taos and the Taos Historic Museums. Author of Sounds and Sights of Taos Valley which includes sketches of Taos notables including Joseph Henry Sharp, Oscar E. Berninghaus, Frank Waters, and Spud Johnson.
- Bolo TieAKA: Bola tie, Shoestring necktie, Bootlace tie. Official State Tie (also Official Neckwear of Arizona and Texas). Noted as being appropriate in a wide range of settings from casual to formal; it is not unusual to see politicians and those attending the Santa Fe Opera wearing bolo ties. The slide of the tie can be made of a wide range of materials and feature a wide range of objects or stones; slides featuring classic Native American silverwork and turquoise are highly prized.
- Bonney, William H.See Billy the Kid
- Bonnie and ClydeAugust, 1922. Noted outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow came to visit Bonnie's aunt in Carlsbad NM. Deputy sheriff Joe Johns investigated their vehicle and saw weapons. Deputy Johns was taken hostage by the outlaws and was held by them during a 48-hour drive to Amarillo TX, where he was released.
- Bosque RedondoInternment camp 1863-1868 in southern New Mexico at Fort Sumner, for Navajos and Mescalero Apaches who were moved there from their ancestral lands. Kit Carson was in charge of the force that attacked Navajos in northwestern New Mexico, seeking to force them into submission; Navajos were brought to Fort Defiance and then marched 400 miles to Bosque Redondo, an arduous trip during which many died. This relocation is referred to as the Long Walk. Conditions at the camp were often harsh; malnutrition and disease were common. The Mescalero Apache responded to the crowded conditions by orchestrating a mass exodus from the camp. The failure of the camp drew national attention and a new treaty was signed with the Navajo, restoring to them their lands in the Four Corners region, and they begin returning home in 1868.
- Boyer, FrankA university-educated anti-Jim Crow activist, Boyer's life became endangered in Georgia; recalling tales told him by his father who had been in New Mexico with Kearny during the Mexican-American war, moved to New Mexico in 1896 to homestead the community of Blackdom south of Roswell. Once his wife Ella and four children joined him in 1901, they advertised around the country for other African-Americans to join them in building a community. The town, which grew to a population of 300, was formally incorporated in 1921 but had been affected by the drought beginning in 1916 and was soon afterward left a ghost town. Boyer moved with his family to Vado New Mexico and again became the center of an African-American community. Descendants of these settlers live in the area today.
- Bradbury Science MuseumLos Alamos. "Interactive exhibits revealing nuclear defense history and the research in life sciences, material sciences, space, supercomputing, energy and the environment." In downtown Los Alamos, run by Los Alamos Labs. Named for Norris Bradbury, second director of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Attracts approximately 80,000 visitors a year.
- Bradford, Richard(1932-2002) Richard Roark Bradford. Author who moved to the Santa Fe area in the 1950s. Worked as a staff writer for the New Mexico State Tourist Bureau. Most famous work is Red Sky at Morning (1968), a coming-of-age story set in northern New Mexico. The book was made into a movie released in 1970, starring Claire Bloom and Richard Thomas and filmed in northern New Mexico.
- The Brave Cowboy (novel)1956 novel by Edward Abbey, made into the 1962 movie Lonely Are The Brave shot around Albuquerque and starring Kirk Douglas. Subtitled "An old tale in a new time", the novel revolves around cowboy Jack Burns and his attempts to resist the encroachments upon the freedoms he once enjoyed.
- Breaking Bad (television series)Crime drama television series of five seasons, produced 2008-2013. Filming locations around Albuquerque, where the story is also set. Starring Bryan Cranston, the series chronicles the dissolution of a chemistry teacher who discovers he can become very wealthy producing illegal drugs. The series received strong critical acclaim and numerous awards including multiple Emmys, and is considered one of the best drama series of all time. Such is the popularity of the series that tourism to visit the filming locations became common. The prequel series Better Call Saul was also filmed around Albuquerque.
- Brocius, Curly BillSometimes as Brocious or as "Curley Bill", name very likely an alias. (1845-1882) William Brocius. Outlaw who worked Arizona and New Mexico in the 1880s. Noted as a likely participant in the assassination of Morgan Earp, one of several incidents Brocius had involving the Earps. Wyatt Earp shot Curly Bill Brocius after the brothers sought out Morgan's killer.
- Brown, HoodooHyman G. Neill. Outlaw who "legally" worked Las Vegas in the late 1870s -- he served as the town marshal, coroner, and occasionally mayor. Member and sometime leader of the Dodge City Gang, Kansas outlaws he recruited to the group. Hoodoo Brown's campaign ended in 1880 when the citizenry of Las Vegas raised a vigilante committee, whereupon he left the area. He was thereafter reported in Texas and Kansas, and reputed to have died in Mexico.
- Brown, Nacio HerbAKA: Ignacio Herb Brown, Ignacio Herbert Brown. 1896-1964. Born in Deming, moved with his family to Los Angeles at a young age. Became a composer and lyricist, often working on movie scores including Singin' in the Rain. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, and the New Mexico Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2012. Though he grew up in California he maintained ties with Deming and in February 1960 visited the town which threw a birthday celebration in his honor; the Governor's Office proclaimed it Nacio Herb Brown day in New Mexico.
- Bubonic plagueBacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis, most commonly spread by infected fleas on rodents. Conjectured to be the disease known as the "Black Death" in Europe, bubonic plague kills two-thirds of untreated humans within four days. The less-common pneumonic form may be spread by airborn particles, making it highly contagious. New Mexico is noted as being the only state with annual cases of bubonic plague. Prevention involves avoiding wild rodents and their living areas, reducing rodent shelters around homes, and using flea killers on pets that may come into contact with wild rodents.
- BuboniconScience fiction and fantasy convention held annually in Albuquerque since 1968, typically in August. Up to 900 people attend the event; included in this number are many members of New Mexico's sizable contingent of science fiction and fantasy authors, as well as genre notables invited from elsewhere. The name is a wry reference to the fact that New Mexico is the only state with annual cases of bubonic plague; in line with this theme, the convention's mascot is a rat named "Perry Rodent" (a play on the SF character Perry Rhodan.) The convention features discussion panels, readings and seminars with authors, an art show and dealers' room, and a costume contest.
- Buffalo SoldiersAfrican-American soldiers, primarily cavalry, stationed in New Mexico after the Civil War, often serving with distinction in the Indian Wars. The term "buffalo soldiers" was said to have been applied to the soldiers by their Indian adversaries. The Buffalo Soldiers were also an element in the Lincoln County War.
- BullfightingBullfights were held in Santa Fe on important religious and secular occasions from the city's early days to as late as the 1890s. A bullring was located on the outskirts of Socorro in the late 1800s; during the 1887 San Miguel festival there a reported 15,000 New Mexicans attended the fights, with bullfighters from Chihuahua Mexico. A "bloodless" bullfight was staged by a troupe of professional bullfighters from Mexico and Spain in Old Town Albuquerque on January 21 1894. The event was controversial and challenged as possibly being illegal in New Mexico; then-Territorial Governor William Thornton sent a telegram to cancel the event, but the District Attorney ruled that there were no grounds to do so. The event took place before 2,000 spectators, with both matadors and bulls protected by bundles of straw.
- Bunting, Bainbridge(1913-1981) Joined UNM in 1948 as the only member of the Art Department, remaining on the faculty until 1980. Did extensive work on architectural history around New Mexico, notably Of Earth and Timbers Made : New Mexico architecture (1974) and Early Architecture in New Mexico (1976). Served as co-editor on the New Mexico Architecture journal; served as trustee of the Albuquerque Museum. Received the Governor's Award in the Arts in 1978.
- Bursum BillCongressional bill introduced in 1922 by Senator Holm O. Bursum. The Bill ostensibly sought to protect the Pueblos, which were not wards of the state as per the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and therefore not eligible for government protection, from trespassers and squatters on their land. In actuality, the Bill would grandfather non-Native claims on land of more than ten years standing before statehood, and arbitrate disputes in state courts -- effectively leaving the Pueblos sovereign in name only. The Bill became a cause of the Taos Art Colony, who strove to draw national attention to the problem; poet John Collier was especially active in spreading news of the threat to the Pueblos. An All-Pueblo Council was formed to resist the Bill; Tesuque Pueblo closed its borders and threatened to starve rather than yield. Several national organizations took up the cause and the Bill was recalled. In 1924 the Pueblo Lands Act confirmed Pueblo land and legal rights.
