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I had forgotten about that old outdated place and am not even sure it's still doing business. I was just through there two days ago and didn't even notice it. Will look again when I drive by next Wednesday.
If it's still in operation, its relevance to this thread is mostly cautionary, lest anyone mistakenly think it's a viable lodging option.
Went by today on my way up to the old Blazer Cemetery in Mescalero, hunting for the graves of Buckshot Roberts and Dick Brewer. I don't believe it is "viable" either. Lots of comfy rooms in Alamo.
Went by today on my way up to the old Blazer Cemetery in Mescalero, hunting for the graves of Buckshot Roberts and Dick Brewer.
Did you have any luck? I've never understood why the historical roadside marker for Blazer's Mill is nowhere near the actual site of the mill ruins. Only explanation that I can think of is that the tribe does not want a bunch of sightseers stopping at the actual site of the ruins. From what I've been told, Blazer's Mill was not reservation land and the site is still non-tribal property, even though surrounded by reservation. When I was much younger, there were still visible adobe ruins of the actual mill building on the south side of the highway but in more recent years they have totally disappeared or "been disappeared" by those living in the residential area that it has become.
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Blazer's Mill now exists as old adobe ruins, and the historical marker sits on US Highway 70 about 2.5 miles south of Mescalero, between Mescalero and Tularosa near a village called Bent, New Mexico. It's a great bit of Americana and New Mexico history.
Joqua, yes I found the little cemetery. It teeters on the north edge of a road cut for Highway 70 and is several miles east of the historic road sign for Blazer's Mill. Where are the ruins of the mill? [url=https://flic.kr/p/21dFVC8]
Directly across and south of US-70 on the banks of Tularosa Creek but wasn't able to see them about ten years ago when I was accompanied by a woman who now lives in Tularosa but lived at the former site of Blazer's Mill as a girl. She is the one that told me the properties there are "private" - non-tribal ownership. The adobe walls were once visible from the hiway - but no longer. If one were to tramp around on the creek banks it's possible the remnants might be found - not sure.
I posted a link to the only definitive map of the site in 1878, and I have no idea how accurate it is. Seems there is a house missing that stood just to the right of the Agency Bldg., possibly not yet built in 1887.
By the way, I just realized the New Mexico State Police vehicle that raced past me toward Ruidoso Sunday morning must have been headed to the scene of the officer-involved shooting. Nasty business, and very sorry the peace and dignity of Ruidoso were bruised.
Joqua, here is a photo I took of some old cottonwoods across Highway 70 (hidden below the grass) immediately south of the cemetery. Close?
I can't tell what I'm looking at but surprisingly I was able to find the actual ruins I've been referring to in this screen shot from Google Street View dated 2008. So I must be mistaken about them no longer being there. I'll have to look on Wednesday when I drive down that way. Hard to understand how I've missed seeing them in recent years?
The view with the arrow pointing to the adobe wall remnants is looking NE just across the hiway from the large old adobe building with the tin roof that is the only full size building still standing that dates from 1878. The aerial view is dated 2017.
I'll stop there next time I go up. Looks like the ruins are very near where the old road leaves 70.
That's correct. Just east of that intersection but on the south side of US-70. The map shows the turnoff closest to the ruin as "Mill Drive (M357)." Looks like there is room to park there without intruding on a residence. I have only driven into that subdivision via the next road - Broken Arrow Rd., which is the main entrance to the subdivision.
An aside: There used to be an Old Road Restaurant about half a mile down Old Road. Haven't been there in years but it was always reliable due to the fact it was family owned and operated. Then came a divorce and one of the partners opened a brand new restaurant in Ruidoso - which I tried a couple of times and never returned - New Road restaurant/El Camino Nuevo.
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