NPS News:WATROUS, NM ― Fort Union National Monument and the Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation announce an open house to introduce the “Friends of Fort Union” non-profit support group to the community.
The National Park Service and the Friends of Fort Union invite you to celebrate the kickoff of the Monument’s first ever Friends Group. The public is invited to an open house, at 6 p.m., Monday, Feb. 29, at the Santa Fe Trail Interpretive Center, 116 Bridge St. in Las Vegas. Light refreshments will be provided.
The goals of the Friends Group will be to educate the community about the early history of the Santa Fe Trail and Fort Union; to support the park’s living history unit, the 3rd New Mexico Volunteers; and to conduct youth activities which celebrate the heritage of New Mexico Volunteers during the Civil War.
The “3rd New Mexico Volunteers” is a group of park staff and community volunteers which portrays citizen-soldiers from New Mexico during the Civil War. The group is a popular attraction at area parades and festivals. “We are eager to hear the ideas of community volunteers for guiding this new Friend’s Group, and thank the community for its support of both Fort Union and the Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation”, said President Ernie Quintana.
The meeting will discuss goals for the new group and invite volunteers to assist with special events this coming year, including the Santa Fe Trail Descendants Conference June 15-18.