Classic Lamy watering hole gets new life (NM - "Legal Tender")

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | August 25, 2019 | Andy Stiny

[CedarDave]

SANTA FE, N.M. — When a mutual friend of long-time Santa Fe restaurateur Murphy O’Brien and hotel entrepreneur Allan Affeldt introduced them a year ago, little did O’Brien know that he would end up re-opening the Legal Tender, Lamy’s landmark bar and restaurant.

Those who know the enthusiastic Affeldt and his passion for renovating the classic American railroad hotels of Fred Harvey would not be surprised.

Affeldt acquired, renovated and opened La Posada Hotel in Winslow, Arizona, several decades ago with his wife Tina Mion and, more recently, the Castañeda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico – both former Harvey House properties that were moribund.

The Castañeda opened in April and now has its first 13 rooms, bar and restaurant going, with four rooms left to finish. The hotel, built in 1898, was shuttered for 70 years. In the same deal in which he acquired the Castañeda, Affeldt also took over and upgraded the Plaza Hotel on the historic Las Vegas Plaza.

Assuming management of the Legal Tender Saloon and Eating House – like the famous Harvey Houses, it’s located at a railroad stop – is a natural progression of his passion for history, and the hotels and dining rooms that are credited with helping open the West to tourism.

“We are trying to tie together all these historic railroad properties,” Affeldt said, when asked why he’s in the middle of yet another project.

O’Brien said Legal Tender’s food will be true to the Harvey legacy, but with modern preparation. “We want to do Fred Harvey (food), which kind of means anything goes,” said O’Brien. “Fred would do a lot of regional American cuisine."

[CedarDave]

When I lived in Santa Fe many decades ago, the Legal Tender was a place to take a date to dinner on a weekend night.

[CedarDave]

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[Monkey Face]

I really like it when old buildings are restored! I hope you enjoy dinner there once again.

‘Face

:o]

[untenured]

...the enthusiastic Affeldt and his passion for renovating the classic American railroad hotels of Fred Harvey...

When traveling through Clayton I’ve stayed a couple of times in a renovated Eklund Hotel. Wonder if he has anything to do with it.

[Migraine]

“Where shall we go tonight, sweetie?”

“Lamy”.

“OK, fine; but after that, where shall we go?”

[LegendHasIt]

The best steak I ever had in my life was at The Legal Tender, many years ago.

Speaking of Fred Harvey and Harvey houses: My Great Aunt was a Harvey Girl at The San Marcial Harvey House until It got washed away in a flood. (Surviving that, she went on to being Elfego Baca’s secretary in Socorro for a while.)

[Robert DeLong]

San Marcial is now nothing but a:

Ghost Town

[spankalib]

https://tinyurl.com/y3ybhsgp

[LegendHasIt]

Yeah, I’ve been there many times. In my Youth I was a member of “The Friends of Fort Craig” and we spent many weekends in the area, trying to document and preserve the history of the area.

[LegendHasIt]

Thank you.

I have read it.

And my Grandfather, (his Sister-in-law was the Harvey Girl) who came west working for the Santa Fe Railroad, but ended up working at the Santa Fe Indian School in the from 1928-1964 facilitated the production of ‘Native American Arts’ done by his students and their families that were sold through the Harvey Company.

[T-Bird45]

The public spaces of La Castenada in Las Vegas NM still need updated restrooms, at least based on my visit in July. La Posada in Winslow AZ is definitely the result to be aspired to for the NM hotel.

[waterhill]

;^)

[CedarDave]

The Eklund Hotel is not listed in this now-outdated list of Harvey Houses in New Mexico.

http://www.harveyhouses.net/states/newmexico/nmhouses.html

[Robert DeLong]

Sounds like fun. 8>)

[Bookshelf]

La Posada at Winslow is a true American gem. Wonderful hotel, wonderful restaurant. A must stop when on the way to and from California.

[Liberty Valance]

Stayed at The Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas last Sept. Stayed in the Tommy Lee Jones Suite. The service, restaurant and bar were great!