Frequent visitors of Ávalos…Te Recuerdo may have noticed the sidebar link to the blog of watercolor artist Eduardo Uranga Fernández, COLONIAVALOS. Eduardo lived with his family in the Colony from 1966-1982 and his time there is a cherished memory which he is graciously sharing with us through his art.
Eduardo sent me the following information about his watercolors and how we can purchase these wonderful memories.
“De antemano les envío un saludo esperando se encuentren bien. A solicitud de amigos y conocidos que vivieron en este maravilloso lugar Colonia Americana en Ávalos Chihuahua, en esta fecha he puesto a la venta las acuarelas que iré publicando en el blog COLONIAVALOS. Las acuarelas están realizadas en papel de importación marca Arches de 140 lbs. en diferentes tamaños que se especifican en el blog. Las acuarelas se envían con marialuisa y fondo listas para enmarcar. En caso de requerir alguna acuarela especial favor de contactarme por mail. Ninguna obra está comprometida hasta no recibir el pago. Lista de precios de Acuarelas Originales del acuarelista Eduardo Uranga Fernández. Cada obra tiene un número de referencia para facilitar su identificación., y los precios están en dólares americanos o su equivalencia en M.N.”
As of February 3, 2010
“La forma de pago y la fecha de entrega se negociará con el comprador.
La forma de envío será por cuenta del comprador, y este definirá la Cía. para el envío y destino.”
Casino de Chihuahua photo by El Heraldo de Chihuahua
For many living in Ávalos, Casino de Chihuahua was one of the places to go for a night out on the town. The Chihuahua newspaper El Heraldo de Chihuahua has many articles about Casino de Chihuahua. These articles speak to the history of the casino:
Do you have memories of Casino de Chihuahua that you would like to share?
Below is a photo taken at Casino de Chihuahua in October 1956 and includes Dr. Cos, Martha Santa Cruz, Florence Wilson, Irma Rodriguez and Lolita Bradford.
These photos, courtesy of Gabriel Díaz-Montemayor, an architect, landscape architect and assistant professor at the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture at Arizona State University, show the Ávalos smelter in production mode in the early days of its existence.
Familysearch.org is a great resource to discover marriage records for Iglesia San Jose in Ávalos. If you visit the site, be sure to include under location Ávalos, Chihuahua, Mexico.
My grandparents, Renie Wilson and Catherine Felicitas Wilson, were married in Iglesia San Jose on August 16, 1934. I thought you might enjoy seeing their marriage announcement and a photo of the two of them on their wedding day. They lived in Ávalos until my grandfather’s death in 1959.
Marriage Announcement for Renie Wilson and Catherine Felicitas Morris
In case you haven’t seen this comment submitted by Margie and Lolita Bradford, do read this lovely remembrance about the Colony.
Lolita and I just watched the video of the 1986 reunion. What a blast! We saw Nena Navarro and Alan Bradford and Lolita. We laughed and cried when we saw the school, the slide, the hotel, the pool–of such happy summer days…but then when were there any days that we didn’t enjoy!
Do add us to your list of grateful friends with so many happy memories. My two best friends, Toni Bremer and Estelita Maxwell, are missing! Does any one know what ever happened to Estelita? I saw Juanito Bremer not too long ago in Guerrero Negro, Baja California and we shared many memories. I lived there from 1936 to 1949 and returned for a visit in 1954 then again, around 1998, Lolita and I went for a visit and had to ask permission at the General Office to walk in (they said no to a car). When I said the last time I was there was in 1954, the man looked at me and exclaimed, “That’s before I was born!” The lady living in the Rasor’s house let us in and I remembered Tommy and Martha. But it was sad to see things so lonely. Thank you!!
The Bradford Sons, Tiquis Avila and Flossy Wilson
I remember that after the Seavers left, the Furbers moved in to house #16.
You have mentioned Mrs. Harbin, she taught my brothers, Andy, Charlie and Alan. My teachers were Mrs. Nichols in 1,2 and 3 and Mrs. Smith (of happy memory and gratefulness for such a good foundation!) in 4,5, 6 and 7.
Do you all remember playing kick the can in the evenings! Such fun!!
I’m not sure when my great-grandparent’s, William and Felicitas Morris, and their daughters, Catherine and Julia, arrived at the Ávalos Colony but they were living in Quinta #5 as of 1930. The photo above was taken at the 1986 Ávalos Reunion and shows my Aunt Catina Wilson and my grandmother Catherine Morris Wilson, sitting on the porch of #5.
Friends of Ávalos, Eduardo Uranga sent the photo above in the hope that we might help him identify what looks to be a copper coin stamped with “1/2 olla A.S.&R.CO.” Any thoughts as to what this might be? Possibly a smelting sample?
My thanks to Gabriel Díaz-Montemayor for letting me know about a series of articles about Ávalos in El Diario de Chihuahua. The three articles published on January 1-3, 2010, were written by Esmeralda Guzmán Pando with photos by Octavio Romero. They currently can be found at:
I wanted to take this moment to thank you all for visiting this little blog.
When I started the blog back on March 27, 2009, I had no thoughts in mind as to where this would lead. My family had a wonderful collection of company documents, family photos and video. That along with the stories shared by my mother, aunt, grandmother and cousin about Ávalos, recalled a memorable time filled with laughter, love and a yearning to go back and visit.
As I look through the blog, seeing the faces and reading the stories of so many people who lived in Ávalos, I am happy that this blog now exists so the story of life at La Fundición de Ávalos in Chihuahua, Mexico can be shared. For whether it was a life lived in the Colony or Las Cuadras, it is memories that help hold onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.
My thanks to Gabriel Díaz-Montemayor for sharing his Ávalos photos, old and new. My thanks to artist Eduardo Uranga who grew up in the Colony and who has transformed from memory and photos, beautiful scenes from the Colony in watercolor. Special thanks to the Wildman family and Tito Gutierrez for sharing their family photos.
I’d especially like to thank my mom, Flossy Wilson Delgado, for listening to me and putting up with all my questions about Ávalos. My thanks to my dear Aunt Catina Wilson Shupe for sharing her photos and memories. Un abrazo to my cousin, Catherine Austin Thomas, whose friendship I treasure. She has become a big part of this journey by sharing her story and photos as well as encouraging me to continue with the blog. My thanks to my husband, David, who has patiently watched as I’ve spent many evenings researching and blogging. Finally, my thanks to all who have commented, shared and visited the blog.
I look forward to discovering more about smelter life in Ávalos. Prospero Año Nuevo!
Do you have memories of wintertime in Avalos? Below you’ll find some Christmas photos shared by the Wildman Family, who lived in Avalos from 1946-1954 while their father, Horatio Wildman, Sr. was Superintendent of the Mill. During that time the Wildman’s lived in Casa #32. Included below are photos of my mom, Flossy Wilson, from the 1940s and 1950s. Finally, a video from the Wilson Family from about 1940 which gives a brief view of my Aunt Catina Wilson in front of Quinta #21 and the surrounding snowy area in the Colony.
