“They were just a lot of people… doin’ the best they could…”

http://www.amazon.com/Capitan-New-Mexico-Coalora-History/dp/1609494512/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1335273922&sr=1-1

As I was reading Gary Cozzen’s most recent book CAPITAN NEW MEXICO: FROM THE COALORA COAL MINES TO SMOKEY BEAR I found myself wishing that every small town could have such endeavors and works. Thanks History Press for making short documentations like this available. There are plenty of wonderful vintage photographs of bygone times in this slice of rural Americana. Sure, at times it read like something out of Genesis with a chronology of relationships, but that will certainly provide context for future generations. Most importantly it left me wanting to find out more: always a clear indication of good educational works. I can foresee this spawning additional research and voyages of historical discovery. To say it has sex, mystery & murder would be true, but it mostly chronicles the basic facts of well-over a century of an important place in the annals of this “Land of Enchantment.” It reminds me again to sing songs of praise for those that came before us, as the folksinger John Stewart reminded us in the ballad: Mother Country: “ya know they were just a bunch of people, doin’ the best they could… and they did it pretty up-and-walkin’ good…”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWwayDfJtkE

Thanks Gary, can I get you to write one now for Burbank and Malibu (California)?