These fascinating photos from Leon Reed were taken by his father Walter Reed that documented everyday life of Mexico in 1958.
“A trip to Mexico. We drove in via Nuevo Laredo, drove down to (and beyond) Mexico City (including Taxco, Cuernevaca, Teotihuacan, Morelia, etc.), and returned back via Nuevo Laredo. We were in Mexico for nearly a month.
We traveled everywhere you could go by trailer in the years between 1950-1964, and Mexico was by far the most spectacular trip in every sense of the word: most fabulous sights (both natural wonders and manmade/historic stuff), most "different" place, etc. My only regret is that we didn't get far enough south or east to see any Maya sites - a shortcoming I need to fix in the next couple years.”
“A trip to Mexico. We drove in via Nuevo Laredo, drove down to (and beyond) Mexico City (including Taxco, Cuernevaca, Teotihuacan, Morelia, etc.), and returned back via Nuevo Laredo. We were in Mexico for nearly a month.
We traveled everywhere you could go by trailer in the years between 1950-1964, and Mexico was by far the most spectacular trip in every sense of the word: most fabulous sights (both natural wonders and manmade/historic stuff), most "different" place, etc. My only regret is that we didn't get far enough south or east to see any Maya sites - a shortcoming I need to fix in the next couple years.”
Guanajuato. Narrow street and stairs, Christmas Day 1958 |
Leon. Arch, Christmas Day 1958 |
Cuernavaca. Burros loaded with firewood, December 1958 |
Cuernavaca. Door and wall of Chapel of Third Order, December 1958 |
Cuernavaca. Market scene, December 1958 |
Cuernavaca. Street scenes from balcony of Cortes Palace, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Boatmen playing dominos at Xochimilco, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Cathedral at Xochimilco, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Metropolitan Cathedral, Zocalo, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Monument to the Revolution, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Old Basilica of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Pilgrims approaching the Shrine of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Mexico City. Taxis and department store, Zocalo, December 1958 |
Mexico City. The Old Basilica of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Mexico City. UNAM campus, December 1958 |
Mexico City. UNAM library, December 1958 |
Puebla. Christmas parade, December 1958 |
Puebla. Tile-fronted buildings and church, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Aqueduct, along with 2 Srs and 2 Srtas, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Aqueduct, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Christmas floats, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Church of Santa Cruz, Plaza of Obregon, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Market scene, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Market scene, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Mexican women selling corn and other vegetables, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Pots in market, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Side street scenes, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Stands and vendors at market, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Street market, December 1958 |
Queretaro. Street scenes, 'Alimentos Purina', December 1958 |
Queretaro. Waiting for the bus in front of Sears, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Candy vendor during Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Dancers at Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Dancers, vendors, and crowd at Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Food vendors at Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Mexican children with hula hoops, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Mexican men on sidewalk, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Outskirts, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Street scenes, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Tile makers, Mexico, December 1958 |
Saltillo. Woman cooking tortillas at Festival of Guadalupe, December 1958 |
Taxco. Christmas decorations, December 1958 |
Taxco. Market scene, December 1958 |
Taxco. Santa Prisca church, December 1958 |
Taxco. Steep cobblestoned street, December 1958 |
Taxco. Tile roofs, December 1958 |
Taxco. Water carrier, December 1958 |
Toluca. Bus with helper on top, December 1958 |
Toluca. Capitol Square, December 1958 |
Toluca. Fruit market, December 1958 |
Toluca. Market and shoppers, December 1958 |
Toluca. Selling fruit on the street, December 1959 |
Toluca. Street scenes, December 1958 |
Backyard of village, near Teotihuacan, Mexico, December 1958 |
Burro caravan alongside road, Mexico, December 1958 |
Closeup of Mexican boy, near Morelia, December 1958 |
Main street, village of Lagos de Moreno, December 1958 |
Mexican girls herding sheep, December 1958 |
Mexican village and banana peddler, December 1958 |
Oxcart loaded with corn stalks, Mexico, December 1958 |
Oxcart, rural Mexico, December 1958 |
Pots and kiln in Mexico, 1958 |
Smiling Mexican children, December 1958 |
Women doing laundry in a stream, northern Mexico, December 1958 |