Lovato, Alfred A. (Albuquerque, NM)
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Document Type
Audio
Publication Date
7-24-1984
Recommended Citation
Atrisco Oral History Project (MSS 565), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University Libraries, University of New Mexico.
COinS
Comments
Born and raised in 'Cinco Puntos' part of the Atrisco Land Grant. Family genealogy. As a WWII veteran he studied how to be an optician and started the first Optician store in the area. He attended the old Armijo school when he was a child. Memories of the area when he was young: people used to farm various crops in their 'jardines' [plots]. People used to do their shopping at the stores on the 1st street. People used be more united, helpful, and generous. Las fiestas; every family contributed to celebrate the celebration of the Saint. Funeral practices: misa y rosario y el velorio en la casa de la familia. The loss of a neighbor used to be mourned by the community as it was small and everybody used to know each other or were family related. Ways to prepare for the winter time: empacado de comida, secaban la carne. Los remedios mexicanos y las curanderas. Herbs to heal common health issues. People used to have more time to talk with each other unlike the current time. Community activities centered on farming their plots and cleaning the dich [limpieza de las acequias]. The Hubble family in the area, a rich family who used to own large herds of sheep and real estate businesses. The Armijo Yankees, a local baseball team who used to play in la Plaza on Sundays. Elections in the community, the estafeta [post office] in Armijo. The WPA and the CC Camps. The roads and means of transportation in Five Points when he was young. Roads were built by the homesteaders in La Merced de Atrisco. The small ferry that people used to cross the Rio Grande. Many houses did not have electricity so they used oil lamps to light the houses. Memories of how people used to go collect wood in the closes mountains for heating their house and for cooking.