Welcome,

            This site is about the open space named after Elena Gallegos. Daughter of Antonio Gallegos and Catalina Baca, they fled to what is believed Parral, Mexico, after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Gallegos was born in 1680 to Spanish colonizers and at the time Gallegos owned land that went from the Sandia crest to the Rio Grande river, a total of 35084.78 Acres. Gallegos eventually returned to her birthplace of France in 1693 with husband Jacques Grolet, 2 brothers and an uncle in 1699. They were all part of the partially failed expedition to reach Mississippi but ended up reaching Texas instead. Gallegos later had a son Antonio in 1703, but then Jacques Grolet passed away only 8 years later. Elena Gallegos ended up raising her son alone, never to remarry, and raised cattle and other livestock on her own. She was a pioneer and the first woman to have her own livestock brand.

            Only a portion of the Elena Gallegos Open Space now exists. Much of the land is now part of Albuquerque which consists of Albuquerque Academy, dwellings, and other properties. The open space still contains part of the cattle ranch still standing and in existence with original wood. The portion that is preserved hosts to a variety of flora and fauna unique to that area of the foothills. Plenty of modern facilities now exists including plenty of covered picnic areas, restrooms, an outdoor amphitheater, a few benches, and an art installation dedicated to Philip B. Tollefsrud.

This site was developed as part of the OILS 534 Mobile Learning course. It provides a way to connect learning opportunities with the outdoor environment through mobile spaces using technology as a compliment.

Developed by,

Satyan Patel