Into the Mystic: Taos Favorite Son

Currently In: Questa, NM
On to Santa Fe and Albuquerque before we head to Utah

We spent our first full day in New Mexico in Taos, a very quirky town. The downtown area is full of restaurants, galleries, shops, old buildings and the historic Taos Plaza.

There were some homes from the late 1800s in the downtown are that we looked at. Love the colors. Total New Mexico!

This is the home of Padre Martinez who was instrumental in the building of New Mexico and Taos in the 19th Century.

We saw this cool home at the start of historic Bent Street. It is being rehabbed and become a gallery.

Next up was the John Dunn Home turned shopping area. John Dunn was a businessman in the late 1800s who brought transportation to the region. We haven't made it to the old bridge where he charged a $1 toll. He sold the bridge to the government in 1912.

But by far Taos most favorite son is Kit Carson. He was a frontiersman who helped to settle the West. He and his wife settled in Taos and raised their family. There are streets, parks and the National Forest named after Kit Carson. We toured his home and museum. I didn't really know anything about this man, but now I do!

Here is a photo of the house and then the garden in the back.

Right across the street from Kit Carson's home is the oldest store in Taos.

We had lunch at the oldest bar in Taos (and I think in all of New Mexico). A couple of walls of the Alley Cantina structure date back to the 16th Century when it was built by Pueblo Indians.

I really liked the fireplace next tot our table - not in use in the summer! But still unique.

We took a drive to the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. It is the second tallest bridge in the US Highway system. We were there toward the end of the day when the lighting was a little difficult for photos.