NW New Mexico News

From December 7, 2022 post.

On November 12, 1958, a hearing in Aztec set the wheels in motion for a project that would change the very essence of Aztec. Since Aztec’s beginnings, the road from Farmington had crossed the Animas and traveled into the center of town at Main and Chaco. The road then crossed Main and proceeded two blocks to Mesa Verde. Over time, at least six service stations along Chaco supported the travel corridor. A left at Mesa Verde proceeded on to the Durango Highway. The road from Albuquerque (NM Highway 44) followed the same route. Residences on North Mesa Verde were on State Highway 44.

At the November 1958 hearing, the Highway Department proposed to construct 2.7 miles of highway and two parallel bridge spans, just north of Aztec’s single span bridge. From the bridge it was proposed that the new highway would head toward Fairgrounds Road, bypassing downtown. The new road would then pass just north of the Catholic Church, where it would join up with the existing road to Durango, which was considered to be an extension of Mesa Verde. Folks who lived along the road, even as far north as today’s Dairy Queen had Mesa Verde addresses. The new construction would follow the existing road and end 800 feet north of what is now the Navajo Dam Road, which would not be built for several more years. The November 1958 hearing was well attended and highway engineer Burton Smith noted that attendance was greater than their hearings in Albuquerque. The Daily Times reported that support for the new project was overwhelming. In fact, the newspaper noted that no one in attendance objected to the proposed road. It seems odd, considering the adverse impact that Aztec Boulevard would have on Aztec’s downtown businesses.

In April 1960 Skousen and Hise, contractors from Albuquerque, were awarded the contract for construction of the bridges and new highway. Even before that, the clearing of the right of way was in progress. Frank and Stella Pawley lived in a house at 103 W. Fairgrounds. In March 1960, their house was in the way of progress. The Pawley’s decided to lift the house, put it on a truck bed and move it to a new location. Hicks Movers handled the job . (See the photo below.) It was also in March 1960, that the Aztec city commission voted to extend Main Street so it would join up with the new bypass. The vote was needed to obtain state funding for the paving of North Main and the extension of Main Street.

Written by Mike Maddox. Sources: Farmington Daily Times and the Aztec Independent Review. Note: Frank Pawley, who had been forced to move to make room for Aztec Boulevard, would live but a short time after the move. On Friday, October 20, 1961, Pawley was up Largo Canyon working for Southern Union Gas when he suffered a massive heart attack. He died the following week at San Juan Hospital. His wife Stella died in 1992 at the age of 96. Stella’s maiden name was Rhodes. Her two brothers, Maurice and Floyd, were married to Frank’s sisters, Norene and Lorene, respectively.

Original source can be found here.