New Mexico during the 1940s was an interesting place. We all know that the top-secret Manhattan Project was underway up at Los Alamos. But were you aware that, in 1943, Albuquerque housed a POW camp? At its fullest, it held 171 German prisoners.

During this decade, Kirtland Airforce Base was founded and, in 1947, the Roswell Incident occurred (interest in this event only reached a fever pitch in the 1970s). Overall, the 1940s were a decade of change and modernization for the country as a whole and New Mexico in particular. So let’s see what our state’s cities looked like during those years.

1. Welcome to Hobbs. This is what main drag looked like in 1940.
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
2. Nothing makes you feel nostalgic - even for times you weren't around - like the sight of retro signs and vintage cars parked in Hobbs. Of course, in the 1940s, these were just cars...
Photogrammar/Russell Lee
3. Check out the prices written on the window of a Hobbs grocery store (in 1942).
Photogrammar/John Vachon
4. This is what housing looked like for those who worked on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in Gallup.
Photogrammar/Jack Delano
5. Now we move to Santa Fe. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi may not have changed much, but San Francisco Street certainly looks less busy.
Photogrammar/John Collier
6. This is the old Governor's Residence that was in use from 1870 through 1940.
Photogrammar/John Collier
7. Let's head south to Albuquerque. This was the city's "business district" in 1943. There was so much more open space.
Photogrammar/John Collier

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8. The Sandias with buildings in the foreground. This was archived under "Albuquerque, residential district," but the picture looks as if it might have been taken from Corrales. What do you think?
Photogrammar/John Collier
9. This was what UNM looked like in 1943.
Photogrammar/John Collier
10. It's hard to see the YMCA without hearing the Village People's catchy lyrics in your head but that song wasn't released until 1978, 35 years after this picture was taken.
Photogrammar/John Collier
11. Burque residents going about their business.
Photogrammar/John Collier
12. The Hotel Franciscan used to be located on Central Avenue and Sixth Street. It closed in 1970 and was torn down two years later.
Photogrammar/John Collier
13. The Combs Hotel, which once stood at 115-117 West Central Avenue, is visible in this picture of downtown Albuquerque.
Photogrammar/John Collier
14. This Albuquerque auto court was originally built with tourists in mind but, during the 1940s, defense workers lived here instead.
Photogrammar/John Collier

We know that we haven’t included images of major cities like Las Cruces. Some places were simply better documented than others during the 1940s. If you have any pictures from that time period, please share them on the Only In New Mexico Facebook page. We’d love to see them.

History fans may also be interested in these photos taken during World War II and in some strange but true events you’re unlikely to find in the history books.

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