History of Albuquerque’s North Valley

On Sunday, October 21, 2018 at 2:00 pm, author Francelle Alexander will present an overview of the North Valley through the centuries, beginning with the traditional life of the Hispanic villages established in the 1700s and continue today as both cultural and geographical locations. A book signing will follow the presentation.

For thousands of years, a strand of settlements was built along the Río Grande by the ancient Pueblo peoples, but many of these villages disappeared before and during the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. In the 1700s, when the Spanish returned to establish settlements, they built their villages along the Rio Grande, not only what is now Old Town but many others. To bring to life the history of the North Valley more fully, an effort is made to examine the North Valley and its small villages separately, to the extent possible, from a general history of Albuquerque. The North Valley provides a unique tapestry of Hispanic, Anglo, and other ethnic groups, rural and urban, historic and modern, old and new architectural styles, and a successful integration of traditional and modern ways of living. The two volumes are intended to appeal both to those readers who have a long history in Albuquerque’s North Valley and remember a previous time, and, also, those who do not remember the North Valley as it once was, but now appreciate its unique character.

The program will be held in the Ventana Room (just North of the main entrance) at the Albuquerque Museum at 2000 Mountain Rd. NW in Old Town. Parking is free in the lot south of the Museum. Admission to the Museum and the AHS program is also free.

Francelle Alexander grew up in Albuquerque’s North Valley, but graduated from Albuquerque High in the 1950s, before Valley High was established. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and education from the University of New Mexico and a master’s from UNM in education administration. She worked for the Albuquerque Public Schools for 25 years, serving as principal of schools including:  A. Montoya Elementary School; Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Taylor and Wilson middle schools; and Freedom High School.