New Mexico: Architecture 3: Alamogordo: New York Avenue

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

I suspect only the most devoted archiphiles will look at the slide show of these New York Avenue houses. You can be pretty sure I wouldn't be sitting here looking at what appears to be a listing page for a realtor. Nevertheless, I just couldn't stop taking photos of the houses on New York Avenue because they are so damned interesting. No cookie-cutter-itis here.

So before I lose you, I'll tell you about the man who owns this house:

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

We got to talking; he was sitting outside on the front porch while his two granddaughters played in the yard. Considering I was slowly walking down the street taking pictures of his neighbors' houses, I thought I'd at least better say, hey, to set his mind at ease. So glad I did.

I told him I was admiring the many housing styles on the street, and we agreed that some had been beautifully maintained or rehabbed and some were in pretty dire straits. He told me he'd lived in this house for 20 years and that he'd rehabbed it himself.

He built that wall. And you know where he got the metal pickets? He salvaged them from the braces that hold up the "t" bar of a wooden telephone pole. And the fence finials? Bowling balls.

I also like how his house telescopes: 

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

Here are a few solo shots of houses on New York Avenue.

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

New York Avenue, Alamogordo, New Mexico

On New York Avenue in Alamogordo, there are houses made of adobe, stucco, brick, wood, and stone. There are white, gray, taupe, butterscotch, cream, cafe au lait, brown, blue, pink, green, and mustard houses. There are bungalows, arts-and-craftsy sorts of houses, ranches, colonials, shotgun houses, and I don't know what else.

#30