Historic Main Street - Aztec New Mexico
by Debra Martz
Title
Historic Main Street - Aztec New Mexico
Artist
Debra Martz
Medium
Photograph - Photography With Digital Enhancements
Description
Historic Main Street - Aztec New Mexico by Debra Martz Spent a few days in Aztec, New Mexico mainly to visit the Aztec Ruins and explore some of the lesser known arches on the back roads. Had some extra time and spent several hours walking the historic downtown. From left to right..
109 S. Main Avenue
Townsend Building, N&SHR
Built by Fred W. Townsend to replace a one-story
structure destroyed by fire in l910. Mr. Townsend
operated a meat market on the lower floor and the
family lived on the upper floor.
Neo-Classical, pressed metal sheathing and cornice on second
story.
107 S. Main Avenue
Odd Fellows Hall, N&SHR
Odd Fellows Lodge members built this structure in
l903 and have occupied the upper floor ever since.
The lower floor was first occupied by the San Juan
Stores Company, Joe Prewitt, agent, dealers in
General Merchandise.
Italianate/Decorative Brick style, stone sills and lintels.
105 S. Main Avenue
Citizens Bank Building, N&SHR
T. A. Pierce moved to Aztec in l903 and brought
a safe with him, qualifying him to begin the first
"bank". He built the Citizens Bank by 1910. Law
offices were on the second floor.
Neo-Classical Style with typical carved columns, windows
have stained glass transoms.
Why different styles of architecture side by side??? Influences from the East and the coming of the railroad caused Aztec’s bustling businessmen to adopt an assortment of architectural styles popular at that time, such as Italianate and Neo-Classical, and to incorporate embellishments such as stained glass windows and pressed metal siding
carried in by rail. Still, the brick mason’s pride in craftsmanship is evident on
these structures’ decorative but functional features.
Copyright of Debra Martz
20180903-DSC_7833-Et
Uploaded
January 24th, 2019
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