2004 Most Endangered

Most Endangered Places in New Mexico 2004

• Albuquerque Locomotive Shops, Bernalillo County
  
• Motel Blvd. / Old U.S. Highway 80
  
• Aztec Ruins National Monument
  
• Marked and Unmarked Cemeteries Throughout New Mexico
  
• Mesa Prieta
  
• The Hoyle House
  
• Traditional Village of Agua Fria
  
• Folsom Hotel
  
• Lake Valley Ghost Town
  
• Valle Vidal Unit
  
• St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church
  

Folsom Hotel

Folsom, Union County. Nominated by Betty A. Griffin, Black Forest CO

SIGNIFICANCE This hand-hewn stone two-story building was built in 1888 and served the then-thriving town as a hotel, school, mercantile, residence, and town hall, and survived the flood of 1908. It is listed on the National Register and the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties. It is privately owned and has had preservation work done over the years so that it is now usable. The owners plan to adaptively re-use the structure as their permanent residence and artist?s (Betty Griffin) studio. The building has hosted many public and private events in recent years, and is again becoming a focal point in the community.

THREAT The new roof stopped water damage that had been going on for many years, but not all the damage has been repaired. Much additional damage that resulted from years of abandonment and neglect prior to the current owners 20 years ago remains and must be repaired. Another threat is posed by the heavy truck traffic on nearby Wall Street, a gravel road. The resultant vibrations cause cracking to the plaster walls. Much work remains to be done to assure the future of the old hotel. Betty Griffin says, "Since we are 20 years older than when we began the restoration in 1984, much of the necessary work yet to be accomplished will, of necessity, have to be contracted. We have used all our resources, financial and physical."