Alamos Sonora Mexico

Welcome to Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:30:10 +0000

Horses, cobblestones, special garden, mining… visit Daily Journal to see more.

Alamos, 475 miles from Tucson, Arizona, is in the southeast corner of Sonora.
This media project by Anders Tomlinson takes one back through time to a National
Colonial Monument, in a majestic landscape, where a sense of serenity greets one’s arrival.

Late spring, dry heat and bare hills await the rainy season's rejuvenation.

Located at 1,360 feet elevation, Alamos, gateway to the tropics, savors a new season every six weeks in a picturesque valley that combines high Sonoran Desert, Sinoloan Thorn Forest and Tropical Deciduous Forest. Sierra de Alamos, the highest point in southern Sonora, is a federal preserve for the protection of flora and fauna. You may find many things to do here, and or, like numerous visitors who are simpatico with Alamos, you will find yourself enjoying the profound realization of simply being…”if you stare at a cloud long enough it will disappear“.
Let your imaginations soar in this elegant outpost along the El Camino Real.

Back in the Old West When There Was No Old West

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:50:24 +0000

Looking west, explorer Coronado was struck by this mountain and landscape.

Tucked away in a picturesque valley in the foothills of the Sierra Madre is an enchanted Shangri-La that sings of other eras. Indians called this region Calimaya long before Spanish Explorer Vasquez de Coronado noted in 1540, ” here is something special…”

The Spaniards called this land Real de los Frailes because of some tall white rocks resembling hooded monks overlooking a small Indian village shaded by cottonwoods.

These towering rocks speak loudly. They call for, and command, your attention.

In 1683, 143 years after Coronado, two abundant veins of silver were discovered seven miles to the west of present day Alamos. The mines of Aduana and Minas Nuevas, in a zone 4.5 by 1.5 miles, produced an estimated $100,000,000 in 1910 dollars.

Aduana is now a sleepy little village amid mine ruins.

Soon, Alamos was the richest and most important city on the El Camino Real. Juan de Anza departed Alamos in September 1775 with local families and freshly mined silver to settle San Francisco. Alamos money and citizens were also vital for expeditions that settled Monterey, Santa Barbara and five years later, Los Angeles. Father Kino used the Royal treasury to finance a chain of missions in northern Sonora and southern Arizona. The Bishop and Governor resided in Alamos, as did the first high school, printing press and newspaper and important trading center.

The plaza was the heartbeat of Alamos as it grew in power and prestige.

The lure of silver brought international miners from Europe and other continents. On the Sea of Cortez galleons from Asia, Phillipines and Europe called on the port of Huatabampo loaded with cargo, a week by burro from Alamos. They brought luxuries such as silk and satin and the world’s finest furniture. Opera Companies visited. China minted coins here. Merchants came from India and Japanese supervised a silk factory. The indigenous population included Mayos, Yaquis, and Tarahumaras. Hordes of miners and traders, who endured great hardships in their travels, overran Alamos.

As many as 30,000 people made Alamos their home during the peak of its glory in the 18th century. Here, new Spain was pomp and circumstance with a beautiful Church, grand haciendas built in the style of Andalusia, Spain, flower-filled patios, romantic serenades, elegant carriages, flourishing commerce, and mines that ranked amongst the most productive in the world.

Struggles, Survival and Moments of Serenity.

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:49:09 +0000

The Past is Alive in the Structures and the Sparkle of an Eye.

For the past 300 years Alamos has been built and shaped by families of wealth and taste. Experienced builders and skilled craftsmen, through good times and bad, have gone about town building and restoring ruins. Today it is a National Colonial Monument, an ageless tribute to the men and women who entrusted their designs, possessions and dreams to the future.

The Plaza was the prize, conquer the Plaza and Alamos was yours.

The Sunday promenade in Plaza de Armas goes back to the 1680’s. In peaceful times families gathered here for conversation, worship and grand public celebrations. The church and prominent colonial mansions were built surrounding the plaza for protection against the Indians: Tarahumara, Yaquis, Mayos and Apaches. Later, the plaza afforded a prestigious address.

Looking down from the Church at a street sweeper on Calle Comercio.

The Alameda, the commercial center of Alamos, was laid out in 1769.

For Every Action There is An Equal and Opposite Reaction.

With prosperity came hardship. The poor could not afford the inflated prices of merchandise shipped by pack trains from Guadalajara and Mexico City, a hazardous trek that took four months. Indians were used as slaves or cheap labor. Sanitation and disease were a problem: in 1770 alone plague wiped out 6,000 people.

There are times when the Plaza is quiet and reflective and there are times when...

There were continual power struggles between Colonels, Governors, Admirals, Priests, Bishops, and an unending parade of Royal emissaries. The city was heavily taxed by the Crown and by those who controlled the local territory. Political instability raged, treaties and agreements were broken. Alamos had its ups and downs depending on the mood of the day, month and seasons.

Alamos endured two centuries of siege mentality and the prize was control of silver and politics. At one time or another the plaza was overrun by the Spanish, Mexican colonists, Federalists, Liberals, French, Apaches, Independents, Reformers, Pancho Villa, Renegade soldiers and bandits. Along with droughts, pestilence and floods Indians continued constant uprising. Apaches came south to plunder and the independent Tarahumara sought revenge for their forced slavery. By 1849 only 4,000 people remained in Alamos. The miners had left for California’s gold rush.

And Then They Were Gone.

Trade shifted from El Camino Real to coastline ports. Plazas, arches, ornate ironwork, hand carved wood, high ceilings and cobblestone streets fell upon hard times. Roofs caved in leaving two to five foot thick walls open to the sky. The once great patios filled with debris. Despite the wars, bad weather and impoverished neglect. old families stayed, as did some miners. Alamos continued on… the sun would rise another day in this land that remained in a forgotten age.

The streets of this National Colonial Monument echo history, here, one is never alone.

The Plaza is peaceful these days. Alamos streets are safe from intruders and invaders.
Town folks sleep well at night knowing tomorrow is another day, another song, another hug, another laugh, another challenge, another moment to be part of Alamos…

And Then Along Came A Man Named Levant.

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:48:03 +0000

Not until the 1950’s did a lone American, Levant Alcorn, come to the cobble stone streets, and see the potential for the future. He saw value in the plazas, arches, ornate iron-work, carved wood doors, high ceilings, five-foot thick walls and proximity to the United States International border.

Late in his life, a childlike Levant had a quick smile and a fading memory.

He began to acquire ruined mansions. Soon, he was selling property to independent Americans hoping to realize their dream standard of living. Restoration projects began and continue today. Now, Alamos has over 200 American families as part of its social fabric.

Roofs are always in need of repair. They are also another place to relax.

Each wall, every window and door is a story. Where did it come from, how and when did it get here? Was it made by an Alamos or imported craftsmen?

There is a prideful sense of ownership that comes with undertaking a restoration project that in reality will never end. And there is a humble realization that the casa is really owned by history and this is but a brief opportunity to be part of a continuum of gatekeepers and masters.

Restoration-maintenance is an industry, it is a way of life. Owners, maestros, workers
and house-help are a team that can last a lifetime.

Think of the coats of paint these columns have worn over the past 200 years.

Another Day, Another Age

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:40:25 +0000

Somewhere in the mountain Indian’s timeless spell, framed by stately 18th century Spanish architecture, and peppered with modern electronic gadgetry is a small quiet town whose women are beautiful and men handsome. This Shangri-La, at the very end of paved road leading from the west, is Alamos Sonora, Mexico.

The sun has risen from behind these forbiding ridges, the silence is deafening.

From here, looking east, one’s imagination is stirred by the forbidding, virtually impenetrable
Sierra Madre Occidentals. This is the legendary “Mother Range” protecting Mexico’s great central plateau. Behold ridge after volcanic ridge, separated by deep narrow canyons, marching on for a hundred miles, and climbing to ten thousand feet where giant hawks and eagles soar. The monumental silence is all powerful. Time is reduced to mere sand, worn off of towering rock faces and airborne on the wind. These endless ridges conjure up stark silhouettes of reclining warriors, upon whose barren stomachs humble life persists. Over the horizon, to the southwest, is the famous Copper Canyon region.

Summer time is vibrant as surrounding foothills come alive with green growth.

The eye continues to sweep the horizon and returns, as it always does, to the cathedral’s classically proportioned three-tiered belfry announcing civilization on the half hour.
Past, present and future comes together, in a special way, as one walks down hand swept cobblestone streets listening to laughing children behind bougainvillea-crowned walls.
Here, is the eternal blue sky that is Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.

Alamos Photo Portfolios

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:39:22 +0000

Chasing the moment and capturing that which allows itself to be captured.

Photographing Alamos, Sonora, Mexico was a great pleasure, and challenge, for Anders Tomlinson. His portfolio of 1,200 selected scans from 35mm film – Fuji Velvia 50, Provia 100, Provia 400 and Fujichrome Tungsten 64 – is divided into 17 subjects.

Anders shooting with a 35mm Canon body before the digital dawn.
photo- Jim Morgan

Presented below are one image representing each of the subjects with the number of images in that collection. There is a DVD of all the slide-scans that is available upon request.

Aduana Time… 25 images

This donkey could have been related to animals used to grind mercury in the 17th century, The satellite dish brings a rural Aduana school in touch with all of modern Planet Earth. photo- Anders Tomlinson

Alameda Action… 87 images

Only in the afternoon heat of a summer day is the Alameda this quiet.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Barrio Life… 222 images

Near the northern edge of town it is a simple life, not easy, but simple.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Church Days… 52 images

Our three-tiered belfry glows gold in spring morning light.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Flood Stage… 23 images

End of August, this is not the day to take a bicycle trip to the east side.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Garden Graces… 74 images

Serenity and the touch of tropical sun upon bare shoulders,
it is Alamos time... photo-Anders Tomlinson

Cemetery… 45 images

Alamos families, and friends, are here in the Cemetery-Pantheon.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Inside Walls…15 images

Art, artists and music are part of the Alamos lifestyle.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Mirador… 24 images

A summer kite festival at the Mirador ovelooking Alamos.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Views from High Ground…30 images

Alamos in the summertime from Red Cross Hill.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Nature Notes… 47 images

Looking south towards Sinola from atop Sierra de Alamos.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Night Music…90 images

Cat and dog rest near a house filled with bird cages.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Palacio… 26 images

The Palacio is the cultural and governmental center of Alamos.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Portraits… 96 images

Not all roads lead to Navojoa, but this one does.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Plaza Promenade… 109 images

Later that evening a tropical storm would tear through the Plaza.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Colonial Center… 156 images

These kids continue a long history of public education in Alamos.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Ruins…66 images

Time to restore and build a new roof, and drink beer.
photo-Anders Tomlinson

Anders is looking for partners to publish a book that Anders would design using these photos.
These images will also be used in high-definition multi-media Alamos presentations.
Later this year more slides will be scanned with an emphasis on details of daily life in Alamos.

To see more Anders Alamos photos visit the Daily Journal or visit Night Magic photos.

Return to the home page.

Night Magic Photos

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:38:48 +0000

Nightfall brings out spirits, ghosts and legends.

Oh little town of Alamos dreams, as seen from Gringo Point in the Sierra de Alamos.

Lights sparkle in the evening darkness. Pungent smells float with the shifting breeze. Music rises up from the homes and neighborhoods. Birds sing under star filled skies. Dogs bark and cars passe by. Footsteps on cobblestone and smoke from fireplaces create mystic.

Friends gather outside a Friday night dance.

Anders arrived his on first visit to Alamos at 4 am, after an 18 hour drive from Tiajuana. Coming into town at night accented the fact he had arrived in a place where time stood still and discovery awaits. Seeing the town in morning light did not diminish his first impression.

Thick walls embrace outside and inside a house on Calle Comercio.

Children of all ages play late into the night on the quiet streets. Dogs and cats lay together by front doors. Night time is not threatening, it is a celebration of another day both coming and going.

Romantic songs, live and recorded, come from many houses aglow with music.

Music concerts happen on a public and private level. Guitars and singing takes place all over Alamos. Singing and dancing are part of the passion for life that begins as little children and continues throughout life. It is felt with every step and heartbeat.

The plaza at night is refuge for a young couple.

It is a wonderful feeling to sit in the plaza on a pleasant evening with a friend. Here, one can watch the people come and go. The church draws people throughout the day and into the evening.
It is a joy to listen to the church choirs practice.

The Estudiantina entertains at a local hotel.

The Estudiantina de Alamos are a group of young men learning music and performance styles from the days of old. The Museo de Costumbrista de Sonora coordinates their training and busy schedules. They are bring a pride and joy wherever they go.

For over 300 years people have been in their homes on this corner.

The thick walls help keep out the cold and heat and hold in the spirits of anyone who has walked inside. If there is a place where past, present and future come together it is inside the walls of Alamos. These photos are slices, literally. from a portfolio of 100 Alamos night scenes by Anders Tomlinson. Some day Alamos may be able to look at them on exhibit or projected at night.

On a road heading out of the colonial center lights become fewer..

Imagine the horse drawn carriages, the burro pack trains, and cars that have come into Alamos along these streets. Imagine the families that have been here for centuries. Imagine the change of government, some peaceful some violent. It is all here in the shadows of night.

Two friends share thoughts at the entrance to town center.

Summer nights find townsfolk outdoors in the cooling air. The sky can light up with a roll of distant thunder. If it begins to rain people stay under the sky and embrace the blessed moisture. Listen to the crickets. Listen to your heart.

Rain is always welcomed in Alamos. It is Life.

Night time is magical. The town seems smaller. The world becomes all you can see looking down a street. It is easy to focus on the smallest thing.
And behind the walls there is another world. Private legacies. Conversations. Comforts.
Learnings. Entertainments. Deliberations. Dreams…

Return to the home page or visit the Alamos photo portfolios.

Summer: Explosion of Color

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:32:42 +0000

The rainy season arrives on a cannonade of lightning as surrounding hills turn to jungle and children of all ages, cooled and cleansed by spirited showers, dance on glistening streets…

An occasional summer storm floods three arroyos in Alamos with mountain runoff.
Summer is the rainy season. Occasional tropical storms, remnant of hurricanes, come in from the Sea of Cortez to the west. This is the morning after a storm hit the region hard the previous evening.

A summer rodeo – music concert with trained horses dancing the two step.
Throughout the summer there are activities to enjoy in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. On this day the rodeo came to town along with a Mexican pop singer who was backed up by the local “Halcon de Sierra Alamos” band. The stars of the show were the dancing horses.

To the east, the Cuchujaqui River is a nearby Alamos summer getaway.
The Cuchujaqui River is to the east of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Three arroyos join together in Alamos and flow to the Cuchujaqui River, on to the El Fuerte River and ultimately the Pacific Ocean. It is a cooling retreat for Alamos folks especially in the hot summer. On this day, Antonio, an Alamos dentist, spear-fished one bass, a couple of catfish and many carp.
A good time was had by all.

Summer is the Alamos season of vibrant color, rains and nights of natural magic and wonder.
Lightening on a warm Alamos summer evening is a show to remember. The romantic Plaza is a wonderful vantage point. Rolling thunder punctuates child’s play and lovers embraces.

Daybreak in the Plaza is a quiet song that slowly builds into a symphony.
As the day turns from dark to light watch Alamos come alive. Everyday is a new start, another challenge, another opportunity. The late Levant Alcorn is seen collecting bird feathers on his morning walk around the Plaza de las Armas.

Estudiantina de Alamos performs before a packed Plaza as a film crew captures the event.
It is a big day in the Plaza. A TV crew has come to town and is filming a music concert. Estudiantina de Alamos, a crowd favorite, is performing. They will also back up several other acts. The bandstand is surrounded by adolescent girls and an scattered smiling mothers.

In the hearts of many, Alamos is the center of the universe.
Independence day starts early in the morning with a municipal parade through the town’s colonial center. Alamos school kids, the first high school in the Californias started here, and the entire city government take part. In 2010 the students added their own uniformed marching band to the parade. From children to government, Alamos continues.

This is a Blessed Season for a Multitude of Reasons.
In mid-afternoon the air pressure begins to drop and a stiff wind sweeps the valley from the west, a storm is coming. Night falls and showers start. We go from the Plaza to the Alameda and back. The following day the sun comes out and then is covered by clouds. Kids play and men work gathering sand in the arroyos. A summer day can be complex in its textures and atmospheres.

If ones wants to have fun, one can have fun. And today Alamos is smiling.
The season’s strongest storm passed through in early September. A couple of weeks later there was still a little water flowing in the arroyos. Celebrating Mexico’s Independence Day, thousands of folks, young and old, gathered in the Arroyo de la Aduana north of the Plaza.
Dancing horses, music and beer is everywhere.

Folks from all over the Alamos region gather in the arroyo to celebrate Independence Day.
And the celebration in the arroyo continues. Everyone wants to have a good time and enjoy the warm sun, brillant blue sky and the murmurs of running water. There is much to do and see. The party will continue late into the night under beautiful Sonoran stars. How romantic.

Alamos is home to the jumping bean along with elements that touch all the senses.
This video features the jumping bean, a drive into town from the west, and several cameos: church bell ringing, closeup of flood waters, timelapse of clouds passing in front of Mt. Alamos, and a street puddle at night reflecting shimmering light.

A Ranch on the outskirts of town, looks forward to the future.
Estancia Crysalis, along the El Camino Real, is a mile southeast of the Plaza in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. The 140 acre ranch, on Sierra de Alamos sloping foothills, is focusing on a new day. And new opportunities gliding on tropical breezes.

You can see more Alamos, Sonora, Mexico videos at Anders Tomlinson’s http://vimeo.com/channels/alamos Alamos on Vimeo

Special thanks to the following contributors:

Pember, Elizabeth and Kit Nuzum, Puerta Roja Inn, Estudiantina de Alamos, Quartet de Alamos, Los Angeles Cathedral Choir, Museo Costumbrista de Sonora, Antonio Estrada, Francis Curry, Antonio Figueroa, Teri Arnold, Sharon Bernard, Rudy Hale, Chaco Valdez, Dr. Joaquin Navarro, Ernesto Alcorn, Antonio Mendoza, San Sanchez, June Ray, Swickards, Meisenheimers, Frielobs, Cooks, Stephanie Meyers, Bruce Miles, Earle and Joan Winderman, Doug Reynolds, Robert Ganey, Gary Ruble, AtomicSonics, William Brady, R. Harrington, Donna Beckett, Del Mar TV 38, Robyn Ardez and all the people of Alamos for their grace, warmth and hospitality.

Return to the home page or visit Winter: a time of grace videos.

There are also videos to see at Alamos videos on Vimeo

Spring: Transitions Abound

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:40:46 +0000

Neighboring towns come to Alamos in the spring and celebrate their Indian Heritage.
Indian Day comes to Alamos in the Spring. Villagers from around the Alamos region come by bus to the Alameda and celebrate their native culture. Dancers, musicians and exhibits fill the business center with color, motion and music. Nacion Mayo and Nacion Popagayo are some of the regional dancers, musicians and exhibits competing in front of a panel of judges.

A mourning mother’s deep wails, crows cawing – perched on white crosses…
It is a warm spring day as we explore the “Pantheon” – (Cemetery) on the road to the Sierra Madres, minutes east of the Colonial Center. The ages speak here. Be it ancient mountain sounds or human voices, mourning and celebrating since 1794. All is timeless, and all thoughts are a point on our circle of life.

It all begins and ends in the Working Center of Town.
The Alameda, center of activity, transportation hub, bars, offices, shops, gas station and markets … This is Mexico working, traveling and playing. Boom boxes serenade food carts and shoe shines.

Not that long ago the best way to travel to Alamos was by mule train.
Alamos has a 5,000 foot runway, at 1,300 feet elevation, awaiting your landings and takeoffs.
The Alamos City Airport, to the west, is minutes away from downtown. Talk about arriving first class.

Behold a Cornucopia of Color, Shapes, Textures and Scents.
Alamos has six seasons a year and a diversity of native and imported flora. Gardening is both a passion and industry. It can become all consuming. It can be an mental oasis, freedom from the outside world’s cares and concerns. And it is something to share with those who visit, be it bug, bird, mammal or human.

Spring Day in the Plaza – Part One: The Race.
Spring days in the Plaza de Las Armas are a portrait of the community at large. Here, we start with small children with big back packs enroute to their classrooms. This sunny morning, there are school races, boys and girls, around the Plaza.

Spring Day in the Plaza – Part Two: Getting Ready for another Day.
In the cool of the morning folks go about hand sweeping and cleaning the streets and sidewalks of Alamos, Sonora, Mexiso. Residents take pride in the town’s appearance. Enjoy a 360 degree pan of the plaza from the gazebo-bandstand in its center. We end with the garbage men making their rounds.

Spring Day in the Plaza – Part Three: People come and go and the day goes on.
This is easter weekend in the Plaza De Las Armas. People come and go across the Plaza or are headed for the bus station to leave town for the holiday. A crowd leaves the church and will travel along the streets of Alamos following a reenactment of the Crucifixion.

Spring Day in the Plaza – Part Four: From Light to Night.
Afternoon shadows begin to creep across a Plaza shared by all: young and old, workers and those relaxing on a bench, going from here to there, meeting others, watching Alamos pass by, hearing the news, being one with all that surrounds… Horseback, on foot, bicycle or driving – it is wonderful to be part of the eternal promenade.

The Streets of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico become Another Time in Another Place.
Easter week in Alamos is a special Spirit. Viernas de los Delores is celebrated on Good Friday. Decorated altars are displayed in windows and doorways throughout town. In the evening people stroll the streets viewing these commemorations of Christ”s suffering. In this segment we join a reenactment of the Crucifixion through the streets of Alamos to Guadalupe Hill.

Fast paced music video that is more than its parts, much like Alamos itself..
This is an experimental clip that weds close-ups textures shot out a moving car’s window and 120 blended stills images of Alamos life. High speed video at its best. Alamos, Sonora, Mexico has never looked like this.

In another era, Estancia Crysalis was a working horse ranch.
Today, the spirits of these departed steeds, proud Arabians, are present, be it a sound of a branch breaking under weight or a small flurry of dust. Shut your eyes and listen, they are still here.

Special thanks to the following contributors:

Return to the home page or visit Early history videos.

There are also videos to see at Alamos videos on Vimeo

History: Time Marches On

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:01 +0000

Let us start with an introduction to a Short History of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.
“Here is something Special”, Spanish explorer Vasquez de Coronado noted in 1540 as he headed north, passing by tall white rocks on Alamos de Sierra. This is the opening chapter to “A Short History of Alamos” written, filmed and edited by Anders Tomlinson. Narrated by Bruce Miles. Soundtrack by ClaySonics and Estudiantina de Alamos.

Alamos shares a strong maternal bond, steeped in history, with all the Southwest.
Juan Batista de Anza departed Alamos in September 1775 with silver, and local families, to settle “Monterey and the Californias”, including San francisco. Another expedition, five years later, left Alamos to settle Los Angeles.

The conclusion to a Short History of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico embraces the Sierra Madre.
Here, Bishop Reyes’ Cathedral in the Plaza, a three-tiered belfry, shines gold in morning light. Here, looking east, one’s imagination is stirred by the forbidding beauty of the Sierra Madre Occidentals. Together, they shape the Alamos experience.

Special thanks to the following contributors:

Return to the home page or visit Spring: transitions abound videos.

Winter: A Time of Grace

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:00:18 +0000

Buckle-up as we take a super fast car ride through Alamos on a grey winter day.
Driving Across Alamos on an overcast December day starts at La Puerta Roja Inn. We head east and circle the Plaza de Las Armas before heading to the Panteon – Cemetery. We head back to La Puerta Roja exploring different routes. The best way to travel is walking.

A parade of lights brings song and joy to colonial Alamos streets during Christmas.
We see a traditional Posada visiting from house to house and arriving at Casa de los Tesoros where children in their holiday attire play and adult family take in another Christmas in Alamos. It is a tradition. Another scene is a trip to the Alameda.

A special time in a special place for people who feel special.
This is the introduction to a film that was shot over the 1993 winter holidays in Alamos. This is a glorious season for the town. We start out at the airport and head east into town and visit the Alameda lined with stores and professional offices.

Pember told Anders, “always call us Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.” And Anders has.

Pember and Elizabeth Nuzum were a major part of the North American Community for decades. Their casa next to the Church on Calle Comercio #2 greeted many many who visited Alamos, including Anders. It is not uncommon to have rain squalls in December. And it was common to hear Pember playing his theater organ in the Nuzum music room. Those days are gone. But the spirit lingers, it always does.

Music is part of the Alamos fabric, the Alamos way of living.
The location is the Old Miners Hotel on the east side of Plaza de Las Armas. The event is a holiday wedding reception with imported polka band and a free flowing bar. High spirits, friends, family and a driving beat makes for a good time. Tomorrow would be another day.

Time stands still: a river moves on and letter-press printing continues.

Two days before Christmas 1993 the film crew travels out to the Rio Cuchujaqui. It is a world unto itself but not that far away from Alamos. And then we visit a print shop that has been in operation for over 100 years. Alamos had the first printing press in the Californias. One wonders if these presses are still at work. Letter presses have an imprint-edge that can be felt with the fingers and the soul.

They come from all over the region with things to buy and sell.
Sunday, north of Arroyo La Aduana, there is an open-air market filled with people and music. Meals, snacks, produce, clothing, toys, tires, bikes, tools and what ever folks bring to sale fill out both sides of a colorful promenade. It is a wonderful place to shop and meet neighbors, family and friends, new and old.

Warmth Radiates off of Adobe Walls as Another Winter Day Begins.
Kite flying is popular in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. Drinking beer outside the pickup with friends is popular. Fun and work go on side by side as we visit a wood shop.

Tis the Season of Love and Jackets.
Christmas in the Plaza de Las Armas is a time of of sharing and joy. Food, fireworks and the town coming out to be seen and see is what community is all about.

Night is Filled with Sounds and an Occasional Lull of Only Stars Whispering to Each Other.
The Bells of Alamos ring through the day and night. They have for over two hundred years. We visit the bells as they are being rung, watch folks mill about the Plaza and enter the church from the belfry. And then it is out for an evening walk from the Plaza to the Alameda. And the steps we take have been taken for hundreds of years.

Towns Live On Through the Skills and Attention of Its Maestros, Craftsmen and Laborers.
Walking is a common choice of transportation in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. To school, work, play, church, shopping to the buses. There are taxis and cars but walking is the Alamos way for most. And in the day wherever you walk there are workers at work. Big jobs, little jobs, it is all work.

Exuberance is Everywhere: Listen for the Laughter of Youthful Rhythm.
Kids playing games on the streets of Alamos is a common fabric of everyday life. We also tour a couple of homes and their gardens. Smiles are honest and come easy.

It takes a Village to Make these Films.

This is the crew that captured Alamos-Christmas-1993 and our hosts the Nuzums.

Here are, left to right, Chaco Valdez, Anders Tomlinson, Gary Ruble, Donna Beckett, Robert Harrington, Robert Ganey, Jo and Kit Nuzum, and Elizabeth and Pember Nuzum. Rudy Hale and Teri Arnold also provided assistance. A fine time was had by all. Photo-Gary Ruble.

Special thanks to the following contributors:

Return to the home page or visit Summer: the rainy season videos.

There are more videos to watch at Alamos videos on Vimeo

Alamos Daily Journal

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:04:55 +0000

Middle school… Independence celebration… youth church choir… making adobe bricks… crucifixion… workers… curio shops… men on ladders… umbrellas… Plaza de las Armas… Palacio… old train tunnel and jumping beans…

10 … Man working on high ladder without a net…

Work on roofs will never come to an end in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.

Second story work at the southeastern end of Calle Comercio. Elements at play take their toll on that man made, and man at work protects against elements and the hand of God, or so he tries.

Yesterday, today, tomorrow... it is always time for more paint.

Work is being done on the Casa that the youth choir uses a couple of afternoons a week to practice. This is on the north side of Calle Comercio.

09 … How things came to Alamos are stories that could be tall tales…

Behind the doors of Alamos there are many wondrous things.

Three doors down from the Church on the south side of Calle Comercio was a shop filled with objects. Everywhere one looked there was color, shape, form, texture, age and history. One of the folks running the shop was also a school teacher who enjoyed talking with visitors.

Imagine the objects that have come to Alamos over the past two hundred years.

Items have been passed down through the centuries and moved from casa to casa as well as being ransacked and raided for plunder. Much of what one sees in Alamos was a ruin as recently as the 1940’s. Things, objects and art pieces have come and gone as buildings fall into disrepair and then are brought back to magnificent states. I have a feeling Antiques Roadshow would discover a mother-load in Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.

08 … Bright Sun on a brilliant Spring Day…

Textures, colors, light, shadow, graphics and the human spirit.

Woman walking with Umbrella was shot on my first day on my first visit to Alamos in Spring, 1983. She is walking towards Plaza de los Armas on colorful one-way Calle Aurora. The poster on the left announces the circus is coming to town. I learned a couple of months later that Les Meisenheimer was taken by the photo and wanted to buy the right for him to paint this scene. This was my first photo sale, and he had to do all the work to have it on a wall. The photo was taken with a 35mm film pocket camera Olympus XA-2. In those days it was one of the smallest cameras available to the public. This photo proves light is the most important factor in photography.

07… The stories these Doric columns could tell, they have seen it all…

Two men continue a long tradition of maintaining this their Ciudad de los Portales.

The Hotel Los Portales was originally the stately Almada Home overlooking the Plaza de las Armas. Antonio Almada y Reyes came to Alamos from Leon Spain in 1783 to visit his uncle, the first Bishop of Sonora, Don Antonio de los Reyes. Antonio started to acquire mining property that made the Almada family extremely wealthy. His son, Don Jose Maria Almada. was born in 1791. He owned two of the richest mines, the Quintera and Balbanera and was a powerful political figure He was the father of 31 children by two wives. This was their home, 15 rooms surrounding beautiful patios. At their long dining table everything was silver: dishes, pitchers, eating utensils, cups and saucers, everything.

Burro access ramp brought silver from the mines into the house.

Inside the house there was a large room where silver bars were stored waiting for mules trains to move them to southern ports and on to Spain. These trains had as many as 1,000 mules. Depending on the weather they would make two to four trips a year.

06… Friends, and morning sun, converge outside the Palacio Municipal…

The Federal, State and Municipal government offices are all here.

This busy building has a large open courtyard and stage that are used for public political and cultural events. Theater presentations, dances and concerts are common.

The opposition party leader walks to his seat on stage during the State of the City address.

Dr. Joaquin Navarro Quijada is the man walking across the stage. He lost a bitterly contested election in 1994 with Dr. M. Alfonso Valenzuela Salido. The Palacio was shut down for weeks by protesters. Eventually, Joaquin was given his own office in the Palacio and municipal life went on as normal. In 2009 he was elected Presidente Muncipal. Perseverance is a virtue.
To see more of what the local government is doing visit Municipio de Alamos, Sonora

05… These young spirited voices are heard in church, homes and streets…

Practice, practice, practice - their harmonies transcend the moment and beyond.

During the week these young singers practiced in a house on Calle Commercio. The church and police station, in opposite directions, were a couple of doors away. The words and voices reverberated throughout the youth choir’s practice room and floated out for all to hear. Many pedestrians and bike riders stopped to listen. From a distance, the mix of birds, dogs, people, automobiles and heavenly choir created an urban opera in a rural setting. My notes indicate that Elvia B. Hurtado Figueroa, Lourdes Acuna, Magdalena Acuna, Jesus Acuna and Virginia Salido Antelo(?) may be some of the subjects in this photo.

On the church steps they learn together as a team, and one can hear it as they sing.

04… Tight traffic when you are the only bus in town…

This is from my first trip to Alamos, Spring of 1983. Journey on the History Bus.

The commercial center of Alamos, Sonora, Mexico, the Alameda, was laid out in 1769 and it has been busy ever since, some decades more than others. Today, it is bustling with activity. The bus station is the transportation hub for surrounding towns and ranches. On a couple of visits I took a bus from Tiajuana to Navajoa, hiked a couple of blocks to catch a bus to Alamos, and then strolled across the plaza for a taxi to take me and my equipment to awaiting lodging. These journeys, averaging 22 to 24 hours, made for some interesting days in my life. I found it easy to write in air conditioned comfort as Sonoran desert passed by.

03… Days of iron horses, fire, smoke and clouds of steam…

There was a day that trains to Navajoa traveled atop this tunnel.

In 1904 rail lines would be extended south of Guaymas, reaching Navajoa in May of 1907. 1908 was the year the railroad reached Alamos, Sonora, Mexico. And then things came and left, in 1931 railroad service between Navajoa and Alamos was discontinued because there wasn’t enough ore to justify the cost of shipping by rail. If one listens closely the faint cry of a ghost train whistle can be heard echoing off the surrounding hills. Mining has returned to the region since Anders last visited, has the train?

02… Rainbow of earth tones spread across bare ground dry under warm blue sky…

Hard work is no stranger to Alamos. For some, proudly, it is their lifetime.

On the way to the airport one passes an adobe brick factory quietly at work. In the background dogs bark, birds sing, children flying kites laugh, and a bus rumbles by on its way to San Bernardo. The bricks are made four at a time with wooden forms. These humble bricks, made of local soil, will be used to build dreams, simple and majestic, across Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.

With simple tools these men of dirt dirt create basic elements of shelter.

01… Secondary School morning recess on a late 1997 Spring day…

Summer approaches, soon the mountain and surrounding hills will turn green.

What better place to start than with the children of Alamos. Escuela Paulita Verjan, grades 7 through 10, sits on the site that was the Alamos mint from 1864 -1869. This photo opportunity was assisted by the young man waving at the camera in the foreground. His english was flawless. He would impress anyone who saw him interacting with peers and adults around town, working the front desk at the Hotel Los Portales and speaking with passion in front of a huge crowd on Independence Day in the Plaza.

This is the day the young man spoke clearly to his community.

Anders is in search of names and, if possible, updates.

Who is this young man, where he is today and what he is doing?

Anders has several notebooks that people signed their names after they were photographed. Most likely this young man’s autograph is in one of these books. One of this Alamos Journal’s goal is to marry signatures with faces.

Journal entries 91 – 100… Alamos horses… Elizabeth Nuzum’s special place-garden… Cobblestone crew… kids playing in streets… the red brick building… View from Tecolote Hill, mining, Mirador, gangs, dump… sweeping streets… restoration and repair… and Easter Sunday in the country…

Journal entries 81 – 90… Taxi ride to Easter Sunday… El Palomar Guest Ranch… inside Bishop Reyes’ Cathedral… Cathedral details… grave diggers and street mourners… Ceremony at the cemetery… Victor digs a cistern… flower details… Border politics… and Galeria de Arte…

Journal entries 71 – 80… Summer rains… four Almada women… Nuzum rooftop garden… Jacoby gardens & tequila… Plaza kiosk-bandstand… traveling hypnotist… anthropocene & human nature… ethnic accounting… Spanish Conquistadors… and Pueblo Magico….

Journal entries 61 – 70… Beisbol, rodeo and dancing horses… Estancia Crysalis… Pemex… kids in the summer… painting the Mercado… kids at night… two churches, two men, two bells… Uvalama pottery family… woodworkers… and Dr. Joaquim Navarro…

Journal entries 51 – 60… Security devices… dry tropical forest… good cop, bad cop… Sadnah and San… Doug Riseborough… population history… ode to the “mother range””… human condition, Hotel La Posada… Los Tianguis… and reflections from high ground…

Journal entries 41 – 50… Geologic timeline… street posters… ruins with no roofs… on Calle Delicias in La Compana… blue painted houses… history of Mexican political parties… Missionaries of Fatima, Mexican army base, Nueva Esmeralda… winter film crew members… Tebeto, auto icons… and children at play and work…

Journal entries 31 – 40… Conasupo comes and goes… workers repairing roofs… Casa Obregon 18… an Alameda tree falls… history walk at Escuela Paulita Verjan… Calle 16 de Septiembre… Casa Esmeralda… traffic cops and artists… Casa de los Santos… Calle Alberto Guitierrez… and VW, watermelons and night time in the cemetery…

Journal entries 21 – 30 … Night Scenes… cattle, El Camino Real… late Spring, mountain views of Alamos, hornet hive… highways, roads… Jacoby gardens, El Pedregal, Elizabeth & Pember Nuzum, Calle Comercio #2… Margo Findlay, Jim Wilson… Maria Felix, Calle Galeana #41… Antonio Figueroa… and the Plaza waking up…

Journal entries 11 – 20 … Windows treatments… cats, sheep… Bishop Reyes Cathedral… summer floods… fiber optics and Mexican mechanics… Estudiantina de Alamos… Aduana… Pantheon… peeling paint… and a tale of two seasons…

Journal entries 1 – 10 … Middle school and Independence celebration… youth church choir…
making adobe bricks… crucifixion… workers… curio shops… men on ladders… umbrellas… Plaza de las Armas… Palacio… old train tunnel… and jumping beans…

©2010 Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.