For a long time, the Barelas Bridge at what is now the Hispanic Cultural Center was the only means across the Rio Grande for miles and miles (Alameda being the closest). In constant state of construction/destruction due to floods, pre-Conservancy, most newspaper accounts in the early 20th Century are centered on how badly the bridge was damaged, how much it would cost to fix, a ceremony announcing it was fixed/open, that it was again washed out, and how long and how much it would take to fix this time.

Amid that long, long seeminglly endless news cycle loop are scattered offering some context to life at the time and importance of this singular bridge to things Albuquerque. Below are two examples, one illustrating how different ABQ life is today versus 1907 and the other reminding us that, no, it’s really not that different. Enjoy.

EXTRA EXTRA!!!

And for those sticking around to the end of the blogpost, here’s some Barelas Bridge nudity from the Journal on August 24, 1922: