Who killed the motorettes?
This story is a little different from what I usually write about because it's not centered around a building, but a group of people—pioneering women who broke down barriers in the early 20th century. They were called motorettes, a name that probably doesn't mean a whole lot to most people today, but back in 1920s they were a familiar part of Albuquerque's urban landscape, as commonplace as paperboys or milkmen. The motorettes were the drivers of the city's streetcars, and for nine years they braved crime, accidents, and the elements to take people where they needed to go. And then they were rewarded for this hard work by being deliberately cast aside and forgotten about. Meanwhile, the man who was largely responsible for their demise continues to be remembered and honored to this day. I would like to set the record a bit straighter. Motorette Elsie Westerfeld, c. 1927. Via Albuquerque Museum . First, a little context. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
