The sandwich board sign propped up outside the village market delivers a warning. “Absolutely nothing next 50 miles.” I recommend you heed the warning. Buy your bottled water, snacks and, most importantly, fill your gas tank before you leave home. Mosquero is a small isolated village in the middle of the vast New Mexico prairie.
My First Attempt to Visit Mosquero
The first time I tried to visit the town, I was on my way to a sustainable ranching conference that was held in Mosquero’s high school. I was excited to see this ranching town and to explore a part of New Mexico that was relatively unknown to me despite decades of living in the state.
I was not far from Santa Fe when the snow began. By the time I neared Las Vegas, the snow was coming down hard. I aborted my trip and returned to Santa Fe.
Second Attempt to Visit Mosquero
This Fall, I tried to visit Mosquero again. I left early hoping to make some images of the prairie in the morning light. After driving more than 50 miles east from Wagon Mound, I began to see the silhouettes of scattered ranches against the sky. At last, I arrived at the the remote village of Mosquero, population 94.
Bright scenes of homesteading and ranch life decorate the facades of almost every store and eatery The cowboys and ranchers depicted in the murals are real people who lived in and contributed to this frontier town.
The Mural Project of Mosquero
As I learned, in 2008, the Multimedia Education Program of the local high school received a small grant, followed by others, that jumpstarted the mural project. For five years, The artist, Doug Quarles, mentored students in grades 7-12 teaching them the craft of mural painting. The residents of the entire town contributed by cleaning up their properties and raising money to help the students.
The Results of the Mural Project
The results are remarkable. The positive affects of the mural project on the entire community are inspiring. The students and villagers experienced an increase in cultural pride and self respect. The grant money and support were well worth the investment.
