Oral History Tour of Madrid, NM: The Town Too High To Die

Welcome to the Madrid Oral History Tour.

I am your host, author Andrew Wice, W-I-C-E. Learn about my new novel, “The Object: a love story,” and my other projects at Andrewwice.com.

Let’s get oriented. You should be standing in front of the world-famous Mine Shaft Tavern. If you're standing with your back to the tavern, you can see the only paved road in town, Highway 14, which runs north to Santa Fe. North is the direction you’re facing if you are looking across the highway at the Hollar restaurant.

In 2001, I was travelling and fell in love with this village at first sight. Let me be the first to welcome you to the place Abbie Hoffman called, “the town too high to die” – Madrid, New Mexico. Or wait, shouldn’t it be MaDRID?

>Madrid pronounce

Doesn’t seem like there is a right answer, or a wrong one. Just there we heard from Big Mike, Gavin, Kay, John, Lily and Waz. This oral history is derived from over seventy hours of interviews conducted by myself, as well as Historic Albuquerque Incorporated and the Madrid Old Coal Town Museum, which wisely recorded the old-timers whose voices would have been lost otherwise, and have so generously allowed me include them.

Before you get going, I'll briefly explain how VoiceMap works.

It uses your location to play audio automatically, at the right time and place. This means that you can put your phone away now. Don't worry if I'm silent for a while, when I'm not giving directions or telling stories. There's a map on your screen if you ever feel lost, and if you do get way off track without noticing, VoiceMap will let you know.

You can explore at your own pace. Start, stop, shop, skip ahead, finish next month or rewind again and again.

So, let's get started.

Please turn to the right and walk along the highway towards the Cantina upper deck bar. You'll hear from me again when you arrive at the Cantina.