Highway 14 through Madrid is lined with artists' studios and shops. RELATED STORIES Dudley's Journal On the Turquoise Trail

Learning the history of Madrid was a bonus — we were thrilled to meet the inhabitants.

Where Madrid Got Its Charm

• Madrid started out as a coal mining town. When the mine closed down, so did the town. In the late 1960s, a group of artists looking for cheap housing moved into Madrid and rebuilt it into today's funky, yet somehow "down-home," artists' enclave.

• There isn't much water in Madrid, and what water is present contains large quantities of sulfur. This lack of plentiful water partially explains the continued "smallness" of Madrid.

Getting off I-25

• The Turquoise Trail runs on Highway 14 South from Santa Fe to Tijeras in New Mexico. Madrid is in the middle of this 52 mile stretch of back road.

• Other sights on the Turquoise Trail include Cerrillos, north of Madrid, which has been used for many Old West movies, and the Sandia Crest Scenic Byway, which runs through the Sandia Mountains in Cibola National Forest.

How to Spend Your Money in Madrid

• Shops and galleries hold a town-wide open house on the first Saturday of each month. There is a special open house in December to welcome the holiday season.

• Madrid is small enough that we were able to scope out several of the shops before deciding what to buy.

• We focused on the many shops that carry locally-made goods, with one notable exception: Seppanen & Daughters Fine Textiles imports beautiful Indian, African and Tibetan rugs and textiles and is worth a visit.

• We found some beautiful hand-tooled granite fountains and sink basins at Range West, which also has a selection of locally-made wooden utensils and some stunning leatherwork. One of our favorite items was a buttery-soft leather bedspread with an extravagant display of complementary pillows.

• The Turquoise Trail Trading Post features Native American jewelry, the highlights of which are pieces made with local Cerrillos turqoise, which ranges in color from dark green to white.

Contact Information:

Turquoise Trail Association
P.O. Box 303
Sandia Park, NM 87047
www.turquoisetrail.org

Turquoise Trail Trading Post
2864 Highway 14
Madrid, NM 87010
505-471-0629

Range West
Joshua & Vanessa Gannon
2868 Highway 14
Madrid, NM 87010
505-474-0925
www.rangewest.com

Seppanen & Daughters
Fine Textiles, Inc.
2879 Main Street
Madrid, NM 87010
505-424-7470
www.finetextiles.com

Tapestry Gallery
2863 State Road 14
Madrid, NM 87010
505-471-0194
tapgal@aol.com