Arroyo Hondo in Taos County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Cleofas Martinez Jaramillo

1878-1956

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 4, 2022

1. Cleofas Martinez Jaramillo Marker

Inscription. By the early 20th century, Spanish traditions hundreds of years old began to fade from the northern New Mexico landscape. There was concerted effort to preserve them by newly arrived artists and people whose families lived the traditions for generations. Cleofas wrote four books that record oral traditions in writing. Spanish Fairy Tales was published in 1939. A cookbook followed and after that two more about cultural traditions including Shadows of the Past, which describes the fall tradition of gathering piñon nuts in the woods around her native Arroyo Hondo.....Other side.

... Continued

"Cleo” wrote about customs she also helped preserve and revive. By 1935 she had lost her husband and three children, but found inspiration from an article about preserving culture and clothing from the pre-Civil War South. It inspired her to found La Sociedad Folklórica, which preserves Spanish folklore, colcha embroidery, traditional attire, tinwork, literature, dance, music, and art. The society continues to bring these traditions to new generations by making them a part of annual events and celebrations held in northern

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New Mexico.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Arts, Letters, Music • Women. In addition, it is included in the New Mexico Women’s Historic Marker Initiative series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1878.

Location. 36° 32.799′ N, 105° 40.264′ W. Marker is in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico, in Taos County. It is at the intersection of State Highway 522 and Old Highway 3, on the left when traveling north on State Highway 522. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 793 NM-522, El Prado NM 87529, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Northern New Mexico.

It is also in the American Southwest

and in the Mountain West.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Lawrence Ranch (approx. 2.3 miles away); Jack M. Campbell

Photographed by Jimmy Emerson, September 4, 2022

2. Cleofas Martinez Jaramillo Marker

(approx. 5.8 miles away); Rio Grande Gorge State Park (approx. 6.1 miles away); Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (approx. 6.1 miles away); Taos (approx. 9.3 miles away); Taos Pueblo (approx. 10.2 miles away); Taos Pueblo Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.2 miles away); Casa Espinoza (approx. 11 miles away).

Credits. This page was last revised on August 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 23, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 23, 2026, by Jimmy Emerson of Dalton, Georgia. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.