Collecting For a Josefina Montoya Doll Or a Doll from Colonial Latin America

        Hispanos of New Mexico (less commonly referred to as Neomexicanos or Nuevomexicanos) are people of Spanish descendants of the Spanish and Mexican colonists who settled the area of New Mexico and Southern Colorado. From 1598 to 1848, most settlers in New Mexico were of Spanish ancestry (either directly or through Mexico), Like Californios and Tejanos. The descendants of the settlers still retain a community of thousands of people in this state and that of southern Colorado.

       New Mexico belonged to Spain for most of its modern history (16th century – 1821) and later to Mexico (1821–1848). The original name of the region was Santa Fé de Nuevo Mexico. The descendants of the settlers still retain a community of thousands of people in this state. Also, there is a community of Nuevomexicanos in Southern Colorado, due to shared colonial history. Currently, the majority of their population is distributed between New Mexico and Southern Colorado. Most of the Nuevomexicanos that live in New Mexico live in the northern half of the state. There are hundreds of thousands of Nuevomexicanos living in New Mexico. Those who claim to be descendants of Spanish settlers in this state currently account as the first predominant ancestry in the state. Read more...

       As we collect objects for our Josefina Montoya doll, I will photograph these and record them here so that visitors may see our progress and perhaps find similar items themselves. Josefina was the doll of our youngest daughter and she was given to her for Christmas many years ago. We only have a few dresses and a goat left from her limited collection, including the doll. However, I have begun to collect and craft new play things for this doll for the next generation at our house and I'm certain that it will not be difficult to build up and replace lost pieces. In fact, our new collection will be much better and certainly more detailed than the old. Whatever we can not find or pay for, we will craft together online with visitors.

Traditional, hand woven Mexican palm baskets such as this one are easy to find in the market places today.
We will store Josefina's ears of corn in this one.

Left, Indian Corn picks. Center Crucifix. Right, Clay Vase.