Historic Photos of Albuquerque

I had wanted to buy a copy of this book for quite a while so I jumped at the chance when I was offered a review copy!

I am not sure how much appeal this would have to someone from out of state unless they are just big history buffs, but I think as someone who grew up in Albuquerque that anyone from Albuquerque would love this book.

There isn't much in the very old photos from the late 1800s that resemble modern Albuquerque, except for San Felipe de Neri church and a few other buildings. Really it could be any small western town. So funny to think of nothing between downtown and the mountains.

In the early 1900s the Alvarado Hotel appears. It was a large hotel located by the train station. By the time I was born it had been torn down, but it was spoke about with almost reverence by the older members of my family. There is no doubt from the photos in this book that the Alvarado was the hub of activity in early Albuquerque. Apparently there were a lot of people upset about it's destruction because just a few years ago they built an exact replica. It is a very good replica because I can't tell the difference between the one in the old photos and the new one.

There were two things that old Albuquerque had plenty of and so does modern Albuquerque - Saloons and Churches!

There are also lots of photos of celebrity visits to Albuquerque, like Annie Oakley, Rin Tin Tin, Charles and Anne Lindbergh, General Patton and others.

Anyhow, I can't imagine that anyone from Albuquerque wouldn't adore this book, it is packed full of history in the form of amazing photos.