HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 34

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Don Tripp

A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT THE GOVERNOR DESIGNATE MARCH 14, 2006 AS THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF THE NEW MEXICO STATE MONUMENT SYSTEM.

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico state monument system was established on March 14, 1931 by an act for the preservation of the scientific resources of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, Laws 1931, Chapter 42, Section 2 authorized the commissioner of the state land office on recommendation of the science commission with the approval of the commissioner of public lands to "declare by public proclamation that historic and prehistoric structures and other objects of scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the state of New Mexico, shall be state monuments and may reserve as a part thereof such parcels of land as may be necessary to the proper care and management of the objects to be protected"; and

     WHEREAS, in 1973 the governor of the state of New Mexico was delegated the power of proclamation upon the recommendation of the cultural properties review committee and the board of regents of the museum of New Mexico to "declare by public proclamation that any cultural property situated on lands owned or controlled by the state shall be a state monument and may reserve as a part thereof such parcels of land as may be necessary for the proper care and management of the cultural property to be protected" and that "any such monument shall be administered by the museum division of the office of cultural affairs"; and

     WHEREAS, in the ensuing years, nineteen monuments have been proclaimed and designated; the first were designated in 1935 and included the Pecos, Gran Quivira, Jemez, Coronado and Quarai state monuments; the Lincoln state monument was proclaimed in 1937; Paako and Abo state monuments were proclaimed in 1938; the Glorieta Battlefield state monument and the palace of the governors were designated in 1940; the Folsom and La Mesilla plaza state monuments followed in the 1950s; Fort Sumner state monument was proclaimed in 1968; Fort Selden and Mimbres state monuments and the Dorsey mansion followed in the 1970s; the Taylor Reynolds Barela Mesilla state monument was designated in 2004; and the Bosque Redondo memorial at Fort Sumner and El Camino Real international heritage center were designated in 2005; and

     WHEREAS, over the years, five of the monuments were transferred to the national park service and included Pecos, Gran Quivira, Abo, Quarai and Glorieta Battlefield, and the Dorsey mansion was sold to a private party; and

     WHEREAS, on March 14, 2006 the state monument system will celebrate its seventy-fifth anniversary;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that this anniversary be recognized as a milestone reflecting the long-standing commitment of the state of New Mexico to the preservation of its rich heritage; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor be requested to designate March 14, 2006 as the diamond jubilee of the New Mexico state monuments; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the diamond jubilee be properly observed throughout 2006; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, to the secretary of cultural affairs and to the state monuments division.

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