Historic Taos Inn
Pawnee Bill definitely partied here (and may have slept here too!)
By: Candy Moulton 04/01/2008
A blue thunderbird neon sign and an old wooden bench have been icons at the Taos Inn for more than 50 years. They are links to the inn’s former owners and to the past. What began as individual residences and a center of support for the Taos artistic community has become a historic lodging property.
Dr. Thomas Paul Martin came to Taos in the 1890s, purchasing one of the largest of the 19th-century adobe casas that surrounded a small plaza near the community well. As the first physician in Taos, he treated patients throughout the county; first he reached remote areas via a horse and buggy, then he took advantage of the latest technology and drove an automobile to his house calls.
His wife Helen, a batik artist, had support from her brother-in-law Bert Phillips, known as one of the Taos Founders. In 1912, in the Martin home, Phillips and Ernest Blumenschein founded the Taos Society of Artists. When the Martins purchased other buildings surrounding the plaza and rented them to writers and artists, their home became a true haven for creative people.
Following Doc Martin’s death and a fire that burned the only hotel in Taos, Helen purchased the Tarleton house, the last remaining property on the plaza, and enclosed the plaza. Then she entered into the hospitality business, opening Hotel Martin in 1936 with fanfare and a host of dignitaries.
Comments (1)
Great place and what history!
Visit the Taos Inn when in Taos.
Great food at Doc Martins Restaurant and awesome complimentary live music in The Adobe Bar.
MMM Margaritas... The Best!
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