January 11, 2016 – Las Cruces, NM - On this edition of PUENTES, bridges to the community, host Emily Guerra meets with Taylor-Barela-Reynolds-Mesilla Historic Site Curator Lisa M. Pugh. Thirteen years ago long-time Mesilla Residents, New Mexico State Representative J. Paul Taylor and his wife, historian and photographer, Mary Daniels Taylor, donated their home and two commercial properties to the Museum of New Mexico to preserve the history of Mesilla by creating a museum and an interpretive center. The site is now called the Taylor-Barela-Reynolds-Mesilla Historic Site (TBRM).
Pugh says they “are looking at storytelling as a way of preserving community history with interviews with long-time residents of Mesilla to get a better understanding of what it was like to grow up in the Valley, and to hear coming of age stories…because we want to know where these hidden stories in the valley before they disappear. The project has already started with Beth Morgan of Full Circle Heritage Services, and Caitlin Wells of the Rio Grande Historical Collections at New Mexico State University Library with an oral history presentation and workshop, “Sharing and Preserving Family History.” The free workshop will take place on Saturday, January 16th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mesilla Community Center, 2251 Calle de Santiago. Presentations times: 10:30 a.m.; 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. They would like to include stories from the entire community. To participate and for more information you can contact Lisa Pugh, at the Taylor-Barela-Reynolds-Mesilla Historic Site at (575)649-9088, or by email at lisa.pugh@state.nm.us.