the Enchantment Chronicles

Step into the shoes of Pancho Villa, the enigmatic figure whose raid on Columbus, New Mexico, became a legendary act of defiance. Join us, Johnny and Drew, as we uncover Villa's journey from an outlaw to a revolutionary leader, challenging the United States in a brazen border conflict. Through the smoldering ruins of Columbus, we piece together the fateful events of March 9, 1916,

When we think of outlaws and bounty hunters of New Mexico, we probably don't picture a London-trained artist who authored the Boy Scout Handbook, or a pack of wolves who evade all pursuit, including that of a Texas Ranger, in Northern New Mexico. But that's just the beginning of a tragic story that began to change the narrative of wolves in America, a story that is still unfolding

Discover the enthralling saga of how a young Kansas farm boy with a telescope rewrote astronomy books and what an 11-year-old English girl had to do with it. Our journey through the stars celebrates the momentous day when Clyde Tombaugh spotted the elusive ninth planet from the Lowell Observatory—a discovery that danced on the edge of myth and science.We'll traverse the events le

Step into New Mexico's treacherous Jornada del Muerto with our latest installment of "The Enchantment Chronicles." Unravel the motives propelling Spanish settlers to navigate this formidable desert, eschewing the Rio Grande's waters and Apache skirmishes in a bid to reach Santa Fe. We also recount the harrowing saga of Bernardo Gruber, the German whose tragic encounter with the Spa

Embark on a time-traveling adventure with us as we commemorate New Mexico's inaugural governor, William C. MacDonald, a man whose triumph in office reshaped a state's destiny. Through this episode, you'll witness MacDonald's remarkable evolution from a Kansas clerk to a visionary leader, his strong advocacy for education, and the establishment of a legacy that reverberates through

Unlock the secrets of how a diverse territory blossomed into the 47th state of the United States. As we celebrate New Mexico's rich history, you'll uncover the harrowing challenges and cultural triumphs that led to the signing of its statehood by President William Howard Taft on January 6, 1912. With a past steeped in the fight against slavery, and a commitment to overcome linguist

Don Juan de Oñate was a man of La Frontera-- the frontier. Determined to bring the laws of the Spanish Crown to new territories, he wound up being condemned to exile by those same laws. He was the author both of glowing accounts of his own successes as well as some of the very testimony used to convict him after accusations of mistreatment of his fellow colonists and torture of th

Gunfights from Hydrogen-filled ballons? Well, not quite, but it was a near miss. (Well, nine or ten near misses.) In this episode, Johnny and Drew blow some hot air and puff up New Mexico's ballooning history, from coal-gas flights to shots fired to the first pass over the mountains, and all the way to today's 51st anniversary of the International Balloon Fiesta.We'll hear about Ro

George McJunkin, a self-taught African-American cowboy from Folsom, New Mexico, became a local hero and a pioneer of American Archaeology. We trace George's incredible journey, from escaping Night Riders in Texas to his profound influence as a cowboy to his incredible ability to teach himself two languages. Despite facing racial prejudice, George was a renowned figure in New Mexico

What would you do if you held the power to save your town from an impending disaster? Experience the riveting tale of Sally Rooke, a heroic telephone operator from Folsom, New Mexico, who, in 1908, put her life on the line to warn her fellow townsfolk about an imminent, catastrophic flood. In one of history's most tragic chapters, Folsom, located precariously along the Cimarron riv