Historical Potpourri: Tularosa Basin Museum of History gives glimpse of days gone by

Summer 2017 was my target date to explore the exhibits at the Tularosa Basin Museum of History (TBMH) at their new location at the corner of 10th Street and White Sands Boulevard in Alamogordo. I stopped this week and was amazed at their collection of historical items. Their grand opening was in January 2016.

The museum building was originally the Plaza Bar and Café in 1938. The 78-year-old building was a part of the Works Progress Administration, an American New Deal agency; employing millions of unemployed people for the construction of public work projects, including buildings and roads. This was one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s largest agency created during the Great Depression.

TBMH exhibits focus on the history of the Tularosa Basin, including Alamogordo, Tularosa, Ruidoso, La Luz, Cloudcroft and other Sacramento communities. The many exhibits cover the railroad, the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and other schools in the area, the military community, White Sands Monument, La Luz pottery, ranching, scouting, early Native American, ancient past and so much more.

Several items on display relate to Albert Fall, Secretary of the Interior

1921 - 1923, appointed by President Warren G. Harding. I saw the chair belonging to Fall that he used during his time in Washington, D. C. On the table is a photograph of Harding’s cabinet, including Fall.

Hanging on the wall is a 47-star flag displayed in a case. New Mexico became the 48th state on Jan. 6, 1912, but since the United States only adopts new flags on the 4th of July, the addition of Arizona as the 48th state on Feb. 14, 1912 changed the number of stars again before a new flag was adopted. Because of this, only a few 47-star flags were made.

Of the currently known 47-star flags in New Mexico, TBMH is proud to display the one donated by Ward Topping, who was born and raised in Alamogordo. Ward Topping was living in northern California where he owned and operated a bar between 1976 and 1982 and the flag was tacked to the wall behind the bar. Ward donated the flag to TBMH and established a fund to have the prized flag preserved in an archival frame.

The minimal entry fee at TNMH allows one to see a large volume of historical collections, in photographs, documents, and relics. Children

12 and under are free. They are open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Sunday). They have a wonderful bookstore and unique gift shop.