GARFIELD STREET

SCOTTY'S

COURT STREET

THE SOCORRO COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS AN AWARD WINNING DESIGN. THE COURTHOUSE FACES NORTH AND SITS ON THE EAST-WEST AXIS OF CHURCH STREET ON THE EAST SIDE IS CENTER STREET ON THE WEST SIDE FROM THE COURTHOUSE TO THE PLAZA IS COURT ST.


DIXON GROCERY NOT POSITIVE OF THE DATE BUT ESTIMATED AT ABOUT 1910

MANZANARES STREET

THIS SET OF PICTURES SHOW THE WHOLE BLOCK FROM THE PLAZA TO CALIFORNIA STREET IT IS REALLY RESHAPED SINCE THIS WRITER USED TO TREK THE SIDE WALK FROM THE BEGINNING (PLAZA END) WEST END AND WALK FROM THE "HILTON DRUG" EAST TO THE DOOR TO "THE MASONIC
LODGE" AND IF THE TIME WAS RIGHT INTO "PETTY'S CONFECTIONARY" FOR AT TIME WHAT WAS CALLED A '400' IT WAS CHOCOLATE MILK. NEXT DOOR WAS "STAPLETON'S DRESS SHOP. THE NEXT SHOP WAS "GRIMES' 5 & 10 CENT STORE" 6 OR 8 STEP AND THE "BARBER SHOP" WAS THERE, THE NEXT STOP WAS THE POST OFFICE.

WHEN I CAME BACK FROM THE MILITARY (1954) "PETTY'S CONFECTIONARY" HAD CLOSED AND IT BECAME THE "BLAIR LADIES APPAREL. AND LATER THE BARBER SHOP BECAME A FLOWER SHOP.

ONE CAN NOW COMPLETE A LOT AND I MEAN A LOT OF SHOPPING IN THIS BLOCK NOW. YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR COMPUTER PROBLEMS/NEEDS, GET YOUR EARS LOWERED (BARBER SHOP FOR YOU FOLKS FROM TINKLE TOWN), CAR, BICYCLE, TV, HOME FURNISHING, AND MUCH MORE BY JUST THIS ONE BLOCK OF SHOPPING AREA.


STAPLETON DRESS SHOP MANZANARES STREET,

MIXED STREET SCENES

NORTH SIDE OF PLAZA FACING WEST. ABOUT 1923 YOU WOULD BE LOOKING AT WHAT BECAME THE LAW OFFICES FOR MANY OF THE ATTORNEYS THE COUNTY NEEDED THEM ALL. WELL AT TIMES!!
JUDGE CHARLES FOWLER, CAREY ENLOE.CLARON WAGGONER PRIOR TO HIM BECOMING DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND ALSO LAW OFFICE OF JERRY ARMIJO.

STREET TOWARD SAN MIGUEL CIRCA 1909

LOOKING TOWARD SAN MIGUEL 1909
AT THIS TIME IN SOCORRO THERE WAS THE START OF GROWTH THO MINIMAL IN COMPARISON TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THIS STREET WAS SLIGHTLY CROOKED AND UNPAVED BUT WE ARE GOING TO IMPROVE, WATCH.

CALIFORNIA STREET LOOKING NORTH

THE CORNER STONE TO THIS PART OF CALIFORNIA STREET LOOKING NORTH IS THE FAIR STORE. MR. KARRON, A SHORT, STOCKY, CIGAR CHEWING SMOKING GENTLEMAN WAS CERTAINLY AN OUT OF PLACE APPEARING FELLOW. HE ALWAYS WORE A BOWLER AND VEST AND SUIT COAT WHEN IN THE PUBLIC VIEW. OFTEN SEEN IN THE STORE ( HE WOULD IF PRESSED WAIT ON CUSTOMERS) WITHOUT HIS SUIT COAT. ONE WOULD THEN SEE HE WAS WEARING SLEEVE GARTERS AS THE SHIRTS HE WORE WERE A LITTLE LONG.

MR KARRON WAS THE UNOFFICIAL BANK/SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY. NOT WIDELY KNOWN WAS THAT THE FAIR STORE HAD THE BEST SAFE IN THIS PART OF THE STATE. MR. KARRON MADE IT AVAILABLE TO THE MERCHANTS AS A CONVENIENCE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE BANK WAS ESTABLISHED.


FIRST STATE BANK PURCHASED THE LOT THE FAIR STORE WAS ON AND TURNED IT INTO A PARKING LOT.


THE CORONADO RESTURANT AND BAR WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLOCK AT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE FAIR STORE. THE RESTURANT WAS FAMILY TYPE EXCELLENT FOOD AND A PLEASEANT ATMOSPHERE,

1959 THERE ABOUT COURTESY OF Don McKelvey's NMT Home Page





DAMIAN'S BAR OR AS IT WAS CALLED IN MY TIME "BUCKET O BLOOD" DAMIAN HAD A BUSY BUSINESS IN THE BAR, HE ALSO HAD A BRISK BUSINESS WITH THE POOL HALL (VACANT LOT
BEHIND BAR) THERE WERE OUTLAW SLOTS AND MOST OF THE HIGH SCHOOL WORKING BOYS WOULD
ON OCCASION DROP A FEW IN THE SLOTS.


SITE ACROSS FROM DAMIAN PADILLA'S BAR AND POOL HALL. ATENCIO FULL SERVICE SERVICE STATION OF COURSE IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS THEY ONLY HAD FULL SERVICE. THE WRITER WENT TO SCHOOL WITH ONE OF THE BOYS I THINK IT WAS SAM.





SUNSET BAR DIDN'T LOOK THIS BAD IN 1948 BUT I SUPPOSE IF ONE WAS SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AND LEFT AND THEN CAME BACK IT MIGHT HAVE LOOKED BAD.


SHIRLEYS CAFE ON NORTH CALIFORNIA ST. WAS AND EXCELLENT PLACE TO EAT. THE OWNER SHIRLEY GERARD GREW UP IN SOCORRO AND WAS IN THE RESTAURANT (CAFE) BUSINESS FOR HE AND HIS BROTHER JESSE WORKED IN THEIR MOTHER'S GERARD'S CAFE ON THE PLAZA.
SO IT ONLY STANDS TO REASON THAT HE WOULD EVENTUALLY ENTER THAT LINE OF BUSINESS.
THIS IS NOW A NAPA AUTO PARTS STORE


THIS WAS THE POSTER/FLYER SHIRLEY USED TO ADVERTISE HIS CAFE.


ANOTHER ENTERPRISE OF SHIRLEY GERARD WAS THIS DRIVE IN ALSO LOCATED ON NORTH CALIFORNIA STREET.


TO SOME A VACANT LOT IS A VACANT LOT TO OTHERS IT IS A MEMORY OF OTHER DAYS AND TIMES. THIS FOR INSTANCE IS THE LOCATION OF THE OLD CASA BLANCA BAR AND DANCE HALL. FROM OTHER TIMES AND SUCH.

CALIFORNIA STREET LOOKING SOUTH FROM EXIT 150

LOOKING SOUTH ON CALIFORNIA ST AT EXIT 150.

EAST MANZANARES STREET SOUTH SIDE

DRIVE THRU FOR FIRST STATE BANK, AT ONE TIME WAS CHEVRON SERVICE STATION.











OLD SOCORRO STEAM LAUNDRY NOW AFTER EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS DENTIST OFFICES.


LOOKING WEST ON EAST MANZANARES ST FROM IN FRONT OF VAL VERDE HOTEL





CONLIN CHEVROLET STARTED IN THIS BUILDING ABOUT 1932 AND WAS OWNER OPERATED BY TOM CONLIN UNTIL 1937 WHEN HE SOLD THE DEALERSHIP TO WILLIAM "BILL" CALDWELL.
THE DEALERSHIP REMAINED IN THIS LOCATION UNTIL AROUND 1945 WHEN MR. CALDWELL MOVED IT TO THE THEN KEITH GARAGE ON THE PLAZA.

THE BUILDING WAS AGAIN SHORT LIVED BY A DEALERSHIP FEATURING A CAR THAT JUST DID NOT
MAKE IT "KAISER-FRAZIER".

EAST MANZANARES STREET NORTH SIDE

FIRST STATE BANK THE PARKING AREA IN FRONT IS THE SITE OF THE OLD FAIR STORE.


FIRST STATE BANK


LOMA THEATER FORMERLY THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY (BOX SCOUT TROOP 136 MET IN THE
BASEMENT OF THE ARMORY FROM 1944 TILL IN THE 50'S)


LORRAINE'S BEAUTY SALON
SOCORRO BROWNBILT

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LOOKING WEST ON MANZANARES ST FROM IN FRONT OF VAL VERDE HOTEL.



Looking West on Manzanares st on the right is Loewensteins store .....on the left is the Knights of Pythias Lodge...note the Bull Durham sign at the top it is not as noticable as in other pictures of the building in any event the paint job of 1880 held very well. The building up on Manzanares on the left was where Frank Bernal first had his restaurant. Then it was Gambles and Smelser had part of it. Then the community got a real live watchmaker and fine jeweler, Joe Herrera. Now for those with discerning tastes you have a parking lot not yet attuned to the niceties of Socorrro missing a few potted plants or historical signs.


ELEGANTE HAIR DESIGNS----THIS IS IN THE VAL VERDE COMPLEX..................



VAL VERDE HAND COLORED ABOUT 1920 ARTIST UNKNOWN
THE VAL VERDE WAS ONE OF THE FINEST HOTELS OF THE TIME. IT SERVED EXCELLENT DINNERS FOR THE PATRONS AND VISITORS. MANY FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL INTEREST WERE CATERED HERE.