New Town a couple years after the arrival of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Photo detail from Perrigo Collection Courtesy of the Citizens' Committee for Historic Preservation

18. St. Nicholas Hotel	NW corner Douglas & 6th	1880-1898
19. M.A. Otero Jr. House	NW corner University & 7th	1880-ca.1955

Here is a view of New Town about a year after the A.T. & S.F. arrived in Las Vegas. The New Town boomed quickly, despite the crime wave, an outbreak of smallpox, and ferocious fires in the railroad district, which wiped out large groups of buildings. At the time most buildings were of wood frame construction, including large commission houses and hotels. Keller and Clemm were the proprietors of the St. Nicholas Hotel, which had a distinctive stepped gable. Miguel Antonio Otero Jr. grew up following the railroad through Kansas and Colorado with his father, befriending the likes of Kit Carson, Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Generals Sheridan and Custer, Buffalo Bill Cody, Clay Allison, and Dick Wooten. Don Miguel was responsible for being a main leader of the Vigilantes. With his adventuresome life having calmed a bit, Miguel involved himself in banking then politics, marrying Caroline Emmett in 1888. He was Governor of the Territory of New Mexico between 1897-1906. Miguel built this house with his two friends, Jacob Gross and Thomas Parker. It's cause of destruction is unknown as yet. The St. Nicolas Hotel was transformed into many shops before it was removed for the Crockett Building.

Miguel Antonio Otero Jr. Photo Courtesy of the Museum of N.M. # 50608

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