Congratulations to our favorite young Fredhead, Ruaidhrí “Roary” Crofton at United World College (Montezuma Castle) in Las Vegas, NM, who at the age of 13 is likely to be the youngest presenter ever at the annual New Mexico History Conference sponsored by the Historical Society of New Mexico, being held this year May 5-7 at the Ruidoso Convention Center in Ruidoso.

He’ll be speaking about Fred Harvey and the Montezuma–a subject on which I presented some new research last spring, and I’m looking forward to learning even more. There are, I think, still many tales to tell about the historic relationship between Fred Harvey and Las Vegas, NM (and the future of the other Harvey property in town, the Castaneda, is just one of them.)

Roary, by the way, now runs the UWC’s growing Fred Harvey memorabilia collection, and gives the wonderful tours of Montezuma Castle–which are a little easier to schedule now that he is doing them!

Again, mazel tov to Roary for, as Fred would say, “maintaining the standard”!

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