Pember and Elizabeth Nuzum bought property and moved to Álamos in 1969. They first visited the pueblo mágico in 1953, and stayed at both the Tesoros and the Portales Hotels. The Tesoros was not official open at the time, but the management fixed them sandwiches and treated them graciously. Elizabeth remembers that the rooms were heated by fireplaces.

They bought the house at #2 Comercio in 1969 from Jack and Jane Stewart. The house had not been lived in for 50 years, had earthen floors, no plumbing, no electricity, and a fallen roof. It was a total ruin.

They moved from room to room as the restoration was completed. In the spring another member of the household arrived: a tutor for their daughter, Cameron. They later bought an additional part of the house from Micha, a nurse in town. To complete the sale, they provided her with a front door, a fireplace, and a set of false teeth. It was difficult to get the deed to the additional part, but they were greatly helped by Anna María Alcorn.

Comercio street was of cobblestone, and the next-door property (#3 Comercio) was called the “Forum” and was a location for boxing matches. At the time there were 20 or so North Americans living in Álamos. Among them were the Summers, who lived in the Bishop’s House a few doors down from the Nuzums.

Álamos was filled with abandoned houses: many were fully furnished, and some had grand pianos, beautiful chairs, chandeliers, and other expensive items. These houses were not locked and open to all! None of these old homes, though had fireplaces.

Pember and Elizabeth painted their house green, a departure, since most of the homes were painted white at that time. (Elizabeth recalls that there may have been an ordinance requiring houses a certain distance from the church to be painted white or pastel.) In painting the inside of their house, they tried to match the original colors. The coral color in their living room had been a popular color in the Álamos homes of the 19th Century.

Ms. Nuzum recalls that Sra. Rafaela Marcor occupied a house on Obregón, now the location of the Mansión Hotel. She described Sra. Marco as being tall and elegant. In her front room she taught English and dancing, which explains the wooden floors in that room.

The Portales Hotel in those early days was the hub of activity. Managed by Bill Alcorn, people received their phone calls there and the phone number was “Alamos #1.” It also featured a fine dining room, and Polo (now of Polo’s restaurant) was a waiter.

Elizabeth Nuzum’s impact on Álamos has been extensive. She mentored young people, taught classes in sewing and needlework, and assisted in all community efforts to improve educational opportunities for youth. When retired museum director Tony Estrada was in high school, she encouraged helped open a city library—assistance which Tony believes greatly inspired him in all aspects of his life. She affected many others, as well as Tony.