North 14 Scenic Trail
Twenty minutes east of the bustling city of Albuquerque, the property the stone house is built on has a documented history dating back to the 1820s, coinciding with the settlement of San Antonio as part of the Cañón de Carnué Land Grant. In 2023, the structure and property were graciously donated to the East Mountain Historical Society (EMHS) by Charles& Shelly Jackson. Mr. Jackson is a descendant of Carlos Campo, who once lived here, and ran a store, saloon and dance hall from the late1880s to the 1920s. The property and the settlement of San Antonio are a part of the Cañon de Carnue’ Land Grant. The location is adjacent to a prehistoric Pueblo that was first occupied in the 1300s.
1820 – In 1819, the Cañon de Carnue’ Land Grant was settled, which included allotments of land at San Antonio. The first plaza was located near the Villa Santa Maria property. In 1820, a second plaza was established near what now is N. Hwy 14 and Cirquela Road, which was occupied for at least ten years. In 1887, when Carlos Campo purchased the property, there was still evidence of the 1820 settlement. Into the early 20th century, remnants of the foundations were still visible, including a defensive wall for the second plaza that contained round apertures designed for muskets.
1862 – During the Civil War, Confederate troops were pushing north through the Territory of New Mexico. In the spring of 1862, troops set-up camp for several weeks at San Antonio. A soldier, A.B. Peticolas, kept a journal of his time in the war. His journal entry dated March 16,1862 included a sketch of the Village of San Antonio. The drawing appears to indicate an enclosure or corral near the arroyo where the Campo House is currently located.
1887 – Carlos Campo, an Italian immigrant, purchased this parcel from the heirs of Juan Zamora. The Zamora family was among the first families to receive allotments of land at San Antonio in 1819. Juan Zamora was a well–known figure in the local community and ran a flourmill east of Primera Agua. Zamora was killed at Henry Carpenter’s Saloon in Tijeras in 1881. The 1887 land deed makes no references to any buildings or improvements on the property, but we know that by the late 1880s, Campo’s store and saloon were fixtures of the community. While Campo tended an orchard and vineyard, he also worked in nearby lime kilns and was active in local politics, hosting meetings and polling stations at his home.
1907 – The Campo Store became the location of a short-lived post office whose postmistress was Carlos’ wife, Dina Campo. The name of the office was “Kemp,” a variation on the name Campo, which the family used in the early 20th century. The Kemp Post Office only ran for one year and closed in 1908. The Campo store served as the post office again in 1917, when the Tijeras Post Office moved there. Dina (Campos) Kemp returned to her role as postmistress. After Carlos Campo died in 1924, Carl Webb, who owned the Cedar Crest Resort, took over as postmaster. In 1925, Webb relocated the post office a short distance north and renamed it Cedar Crest. Although the original location of the Cedar Crest Post Office has changed, it remained the namesake for the community of Cedar Crest.
1930 – Shortly after Dina Campo’s death in 1929, the old store and saloon were purchased by newlyweds Flaviano Sanchez and Dulcinea Armenta. The couple renovated most of the structure and converted it into a home; however, they continued to use the dance hall for community events. The home was originally on a larger piece of land that the Sanchez’s used for agriculture. The land was later divided between other family members.
1945 – In 1945, a car ran off Highway10 (now Hwy 14 N) and destroyed the dance hall. The dance hall extended south of the east side of the building that remains now. Flaviano Sanchez died in 1981, and Dulcinea continued to live in the house until her death in 2003. Since that time, the house remained vacant.
2022 – On a Sunday drive with his wife, Mr. Jackson saw a “for sale” sign on his Grandmother’s former home. He contacted the East Mountain Historical Society to inquire of their interest in restoring the property-and the rest is history!