Plaza to Plaza: MetroABQ’s Downtown Civic Plaza to Old Town Walking Tour, Part II

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Heading North from Mary Fox Park, which is a good half-way mark for the Plaza to Plaza tour, you come to Lomas Blvd.

Crossing Lomas Blvd at 14th St to the north side works well, then head a block west to the Gertrude Zachary Jewelry Store. The building is a funky modern take on Art Deco-style.

How did I get here? Read the Plaza to Plaza Walking Tour: Part I:

Plaza to Plaza: MetroABQ’s Downtown Civic Plaza to Old Town Walking Tour, Part I

Just beyond, on the same side, is a public art sculpture, called Formas Esperando Palabra de Otros Mundos {Shapes waiting for word from other worlds(?)}, installed back in 1984, seen below.

That abstract public art sculpture Forms Waiting sits at the Lomas Blvd entrance to the Leon Watson neighborhood of adobe-built homes.

In the late 1930’s & into the ‘40’s, Leon Watson built most of the homes along 16th & 17th St, heading north from Lomas Blvd to Old town Road. The Watson-built homes created a unique pocket neighborhood, mostly of the typical SW Pueblo Revival-style: vigas, portales, corbels, thick adobe walls, sometimes stone floors, etc. However, Watson often added his own special features. The front walled gardens & courtyard private spaces, seen above from a home sold a few years ago, are typical of the Downtown Watson Adobe neighborhood.

Heading north up 16th or 17th St past Granite Ave brings you to Old town road, & the SE corner of the tremendous Tiguex Park, an 8.4 acre city park that is the eastern border to Old Town Historic District, & adjacent to numerous museums. Below is one of the park entrances & where two walking loop trails connect…

Just above is the Tile Mosaic Entrance to the Old Town Plaza area. When the ABQ Museum is open, so too is the Mosaic Path, which stretches from behind the museum to the shops on San Felipe St NW.

The ABQ Museum:
Crossing 19th St from Tiguex Park, is the ABQ Museum — it’s an amazing place. Head south from the main entrance to the Museum Sculpture Garden. Two images above show two sculptures from the ABQ Museum’s outdoor garden. The offerings are ever changing, so I check it out regularly.

If the Museum is closed, the grande entrance below will work just as well, a little further south of the Museum…Once on San Felipe St, the famed Old Town Plaza is a block south.

This image, found on the way into the historic district, epitomizes Old Town for me: Creative & decorative spindle work, painted the welcoming blue; it lets light into the space beyond, while also functioning to keep folks out of that courtyard. Great form & function design to end the Plaza to Plaza Walking Tour.

Walking back to my car, parked Downtown a few blocks west of Civic Plaza near 7th St, is an excellent mural on the east side of the Albuquerque Community Foundation building, seen above. An image straight-on of the mural is here.

Walking back to my car almost doubles the length of the tour, which can work well if you have the time.

However, there are easy ways to walk the 1.75 mile tour & be done at the end of the one-way walk. Parking in Old Town or around the Downtown Civic Plaza, then taking an Uber ride back to your car costs $3-$4 & is quick & easy.

Or meet a friend where she/he parks in Old Town, & drive her/him to Civic Plaza with you to start the walk. When finished, they can drive you back to your car…

Thx for reading & for making it this far…

Plaza to Plaza: MetroABQ’s Downtown Civic Plaza to Old Town Walking Tour, Part I

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About me

Extraordinary architects live & create in Albuquerque; beautiful & profound art installations abound; Greenspaces & Parklands define whole areas of the city; extras like Growers’ Markets & cultural events add to our quality of life. I’m a Realtor & write about it all in the MetroABQ Newsletter.

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