La Tules of Image and Reality

La Tules of Image and Reality

Deena J. González

Zaragoza Vargas, Ed. Major Problems in Mexican-American History, Houghton-Mifflin, 1999.

In the summer of 1846, Dona Gertrudis [sic] Barcelo stood at an important crossroad. Exempted from the hardships and tribulations endured by the women around her, Barcelo' had profited enormously from the “gringo” merchants and itinerant retailers who had arrived in Santa Fe after the conquest. The town’s leading businesswoman, owner of a gambling house and saloon, and its most unusual character, Barcelo exemplified an ingenious turnaround in the way she and others in her community began resolving the problem of the Euro-American… Barcelo also epitomized the growing dilemma of dealing with newcomers whose culture and orientation differed from hers.