FT03 from Farm to Serene Enclave: House-Stories of the Huning Castle Neighborhood

FT03 From Farm to Serene Enclave: House-stories of the Huning Castle Neighborhood Instructors: Ed Boles and Susan Palmer $10/1 session Fri, Apr 28, 1:30-3:30 pm Limited to the first 20 who enroll

Meet at Forest Park, 16th Street at San Cristobal Road SW, just south of Laguna Boulevard. Laguna is midway between Downtown and Old Town, south of Central Avenue. You can reach Forest Park from Laguna Boulevard via either 16th or San Cristobal. Park at the perimeter of the park.

Albuquerque’s leafiest districts include the Huning Castle Addition, commonly named the country club neighborhood for the Albuquerque Country Club. Stately Laguna Boulevard and cross streets feature house styles that range from period revival to mid- century modern. Design talent and construction skill are on display in the houses, whose existence bespeaks a third kind of know-how—entrepreneurship. The owners of this area, from Franz Huning in the 19th century to its two, 20th century developer-families, and its current stewards, have shaped our city in many ways.

The two-person teaching team includes Ed Boles, an LLL regular, and a newcomer, Susan Palmer. Susan resides in Huning Castle Addition and has studied the area’s houses and gathered its stories.

Ed Boles is an architect-planner retired from a government career spent mainly at the State of New Mexico and City of Albuquerque. A graduate of the University of Kansas, Ed has long specialized in historic preservation as both an amateur and professional. He leads field trips designed to find spirit in the built environment, serves on two non-profit boards, and consults in historic preservation.

Susan Palmer has resided in Huning Castle Neighborhood since 1978. She studied and wrote about its early history and architecture as a graduate student in art at UNM. While in law school at UNM, she focused on art law and historic preservation law. For 34 years Susan has collected stories and anecdotes about her neighborhood’s residents and their contributions to the development of Albuquerque.