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my southwestern home
Take a look at a time line for the inhabitants of north America.
Our history didn't start with Columbus although that's as far back as our
history lessons in school tell us about. People had inhabited the
dry, harsh climate for thousands of years before the Spanish came marching
through in the 1500's and changed almost everything. The southwestern
part of the U. S. is the only place in the world where the influences of
Spain, England, France and Mexico blend with the local Native American,
to form a unique culture all it's own.
I came from a long line of southwestern pioneers starting with my great
great great grandfather James Coffman and his wife Elizabeth. The
couple had tried to homestead some land in Tennessee around 1820 but
found out that some unscrupulous person had filed for legal title to the
land that they had cultivated for over 5 years. So around 1825 they
packed up everything their wagon could carry and headed into the Texas
wilderness. Four generations of my family would make the area their
home.
In 1936 my grandfather, L. H. Coffman, was told by his doctor that he needed
to head for a dryer climate. His father had died of TB and
he was also diagnosed with the illness. The humid Texas air was bad
for his health so he packed up his family and headed for California just
like a lot of his neighbors had done during the depression. He got
as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico and decided that was far enough.
The climate there was perfect for him, it has all four seasons with hot
summers, snowy winters, colorful falls, and fragrant springs. New
Mexico has mountains, deserts, streams, lakes, pine trees, sagebrush, juniper
and something for everyone who loves the outdoors. The Southwest
has a very unique heritage, it was one of the last frontiers to be invaded
from the east. New Mexico did not receive statehood until 1912 and
was the 47th state. The people of the borderland states remain culturally
isolated from the rest of the states for many reasons, two of which are;
their proximity to Mexico, and the people who have always lived there.
I grew up in Albuquerque and it wasn't until years after I had moved away
that I could really begin to appreciate my unique homeland and southwestern
influences. So here is a little tribute to my southwest heritage. |
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