Oh The Alleys & The Crunk

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Where we live in the States—Truth or Consequences, New Mexico—we’re hardly representative of mainstream American culture in that there seems to be a general disinterest in preserving the past through architecture. Often a structure becomes idle, and is deemed condemned, and the local gravel company, Bar Two, is called in to demolish it and haul it away. In my time I’ve seen a drive through liquor store/bar (with stylish 20’ high metal arches from the 1950s), an old firehouse, an antique tavern that dated back to the 40s, and multiple administrative buildings reduced to rubble and hauled away and replaced by nothing. 

In the 19 years I’ve lived there, I’ve seen stunning architectural gems destroyed and dragged out of town—probably melted down for scrap or lost to some unknown fate. I doubt it’s about a lack of appreciation for history; more likely, it’s about keeping money circulating through familiar channels. Bar Two is as rooted in local nepotism as any long-established business in the area. I’ve seen more than a couple of people (new to Truth or Consequences) attempt, to no avail - to set up a historic preservation society. They were met with resistance and a clear lack of interest. 

By contrast, Greece is saturated with its history and buildings are allowed to age gracefully. Decay is part of the aesthetic—evidence of lives once lived, of stories layered into stone. Crumbling walls and ancient ruins aren’t seen as eyesores, but as reminders that we live among ghosts, and that the past is never far from the present. 

There’s also plenty of restoration here. Narrow old streets are peppered with empty buildings in need of restorations and newly tidied up remodels flaunting the best modernity has to offer. 



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