The Chronicles of Grant County
This column will feature items that relate somehow to Grant County - the name of a street in the case of the first one, and maybe other streets, or the name of a building or whatever catches the fancy of the contributor, Richard Donough. Readers are encouraged to send him topics of interest to them, so he can do the research and write an article.
Zombie Territory In Grant County Part One
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 25 October 2023 25 October 2023
Nuacht Aoir
Zombie Territory In Grant County
Part One
The top image is from a public document issued by the United States Census Bureau showing that the land area of Grant County decreased from 2010 to 2020. The bottom image is from a different public document issued by the U S Census Bureau detailing that the land area of the State of New Mexico increased from 2010 to 2020. (The images were provided courtesy of the United States Census Bureau, 2023.)
In the unrelenting quest to answer questions that many have never thought to ask, Nuacht Aoir has learned that a portion of Grant County has disappeared.
Peach Street Deming
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 11 October 2023 11 October 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Peaches ripening on trees in Byron, Georgia. (The photograph was produced by Chunxian Chen and provided courtesy of the Agricultural Research Service of the USDA.)
Peach Street is a road in the City of Deming in Luna County. The street was named after the Peach tree.
The Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (ARS of the USDA) indicated that there are more than 2,000 varieties of peaches.
Georgia is one of a number of states where peaches are grown in the United States.
"Though peaches were originally planted in St. Augustine, Florida, Franciscan monks introduced them to St. Simons and Cumberland islands along Georgia's coast in 1571," according to a statement from the Georgia Peach Council. "The first Georgia peaches were shipped to the New York market between 1858 and 1860."
COVID-19 Status Report shows low risk in area
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 04 October 2023 04 October 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
COVID-19 Status Report shows low risk in area
This map shows that the risk level for COVID-19 is low throughout much of New Mexico. In Southwest New Mexico, only Luna County is considered to have low risk. Catron, Grant, and Hidalgo Counties, according to this map, have less than low risk for COVID-19.
(The map was provided courtesy of Covid Act Now, September 28, 2023.)
There is a low level of risk for COVID-19 throughout much of New Mexico.
According to Covid Act Now, reports of COVID-19 infections were either extremely low or non-existent in Southwest New Mexico as of September 28, 2023.
An Update From Our Canis Lupus Baileyi Friends And Neighbors Of Southwest New Mexico
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 19 September 2023 19 September 2023
Nuacht Aoir
An Update From Our Canis Lupus Baileyi Friends And Neighbors Of Southwest New Mexico
We're Heading South!
Wearing a new radio collar, a Mexican Wolf was released into the wilds of New Mexico in January of 2023. (The photo was provided courtesy of the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, January 27, 2023.)
Several packs of Mexican wolves began the evacuation from Bernalillo County late on Friday, September 15. Nuacht Aoir is able to report – exclusively – that the Mexican wolves are coming home to Southwest New Mexico.
One wolf commented – through a wolf-to-human translator, of course – that the Mexican wolves have had it with the Governor of New Mexico.
Lilac Street - Lordsburg
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 30 August 2023 30 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Lilac Street
Lordsburg
Lilacs growing in Arizona. (The photograph was produced by Jake Weltzin and provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey.)
Lilac Street is a lane in the City of Lordsburg in Hidalgo County. The street was named after the lilac shrub. Some also call the lilac a "bush" or a "tree."
"Lilacs are versatile flowering shrubs, which have a wide range of uses in the home garden," according to information in "Growing Lilacs, Home and Garden Booklet Number 199" issued by the Agricultural Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in August of 1973 and slightly revised in October of 1977. "They can serve as border plants with smaller shrubs, as corner plantings, as windscreens, or as flowering hedges. Both plants and flowers are very attractive."
"Although lilacs display flowers that are among the most delicate of the ornamentals, the plants are among the most hardy," this booklet continued. "Some varieties can survive winter temperatures of -60° F. They are therefore suited to all parts of the United States except the South, where winters are too mild to provide the plants with the seasonal rest period they need."
The booklet noted that "lilac plants often grow and continue to flower for many years even if totally neglected. Normally, the only care they need is pruning to keep them within bounds. The plants range from 3 feet to as much as 30 feet in height, depending on the age or type grown. Most, however, remain under 10 feet."
The shrubs have flowers that come in a variety of colors.
"Lilac flowers can be white, violet, blue, true lilac, pink, magenta, purple, or variations of these colors," according to the booklet issued by the USDA. "Depending on where you live, and the lilac varieties you choose, lilacs can provide color and fragrance from April through June."
The "Plant Guide" issued by the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the USDA detailed several economic and ethnobotanic uses of the lilac shrub.
"A green dye is obtained from the flowers and the leaves and a yellow-orange dye is obtained from the twigs," detailed this USDA guide referencing information from "Nature's Colors – Dyes From Plants" by Ida Grae in 1974. "An essential oil is obtained from the flowers and used in perfume fragrances."
In addition, this guide from the USDA, referencing information from "Native American Ethnobotany" by Daniel Moerman in 1998, indicated that an ethnobotanic use of lilac shrubs was that "the bark and leaves [have] been chewed as a treatment for [a] sore mouth."
The U S Forest Service defines "ethnobotany" as "…the study of how people of a particular culture and region make use of indigenous (native) plants."
Do you have questions about communities in Grant County?
A street name? A building?
Your questions may be used in a future news column.
Contact Richard McDonough at chroniclesofgrantcounty@mail.com.
If your email does not go through, please contact editor@grantcountybeat.com.
© 2023 Richard McDonough
Orchid Street Reserve
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 23 August 2023 23 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Orchid Street
Reserve
Orchids blooming in the Big Cypress National Preserve. (The photograph was produced by Heather Henkel and provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey.)
Orchid Street is a roadway in the Village of Reserve in Catron County. The street was named after the orchid plant.
There are a number of varieties of orchids growing in the United States.
One of the newest varieties found to be growing in the U S was seen first in New Mexico less than 20 years ago.
The U S Forest Service issued a report that detailed how that new orchid variety was found to be growing on Federal ground.
Lead Street Deming
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 16 August 2023 16 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Lead Street
Deming
This piece of lead was from the Wermland Mine in Långban, Sweden, and is part of The University of British Columbia Geological Mineral Collection. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Pacific Museum of Earth of The University of British Columbia.)
Lead Street is an avenue in the City of Deming in Luna County. The street was named after the metal. Lands in this region of New Mexico have been mined for lead.
"Lead is a very corrosion-resistant, dense, ductile, and malleable blue-gray metal that has been used for at least 5,000 years," according to a statement from the National Minerals Information Center of the United States Geological Survey (USGS). "Early uses of lead included building materials, pigments for glazing ceramics, and pipes for transporting water. The castles and cathedrals of Europe contain considerable quantities of lead in decorative fixtures, roofs, pipes, and windows."
Bureau Of Land Management Photo Contest For 2024
- Category: The Chronicles of Grant County The Chronicles of Grant County
- Published: 09 August 2023 09 August 2023
The Chronicles Of Grant County
Bureau Of Land Management
Photo Contest For 2024
Displayed here is the front of the 2023 Local Pass for access to the recreation areas of the Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The pass includes photos produced by the two people who won the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2023. According to the BLM, the photo of the Three Rivers Petroglyphs (to the right) was produced by David Turning, while the Dripping Springs Snowfall photo (to the left) was produced by John Ferrales. (The photograph was provided courtesy of the Bureau of Land Management, July 26, 2023.)
The Las Cruces District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is conducting a photo contest again this year. Entries are now being accepted for the "Picture That Pass Photo Contest" of the local district of the BLM in 2024.
The district of this Federal agency includes all of public lands managed by the BLM in Grant County as well as a number of other counties in southwestern New Mexico. Substantial portions of Grant County as well as southern New Mexico are controlled by the BLM.