Queen, New Mexico - Flying Paper Boy of the Guadalupes
Field Report by the Roadsideamerica.com Team
- Address:
- Hwy 137, Queen, NM [Show Map]
- Directions:
- North of Carlsbad on US 285 to Rte 137 (Queen Rd/Hwy). Head toward Queen at every fork in the road. The monument is 36 miles west from US 285, inside the Lincoln National Forest, just past the Guadalupe Christian Camp, on the right hand side. Almost to the Texas border, but there's no way to get here from Texas. Make certain to have a full tank of gas.
- Admission:
- Free.
- Hours:
- Always.
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Queen, New Mexico - Flying Paper Boy of the GuadalupesThis is one of the most obscure, remote monuments in America, marking the spot where "the flying paper boy of the Guadalupes" crashed. Roadsideamerica.com Report...
Visitor Tips and News About Flying Paper Boy of the Guadalupes
Following are Flying Paper Boy of the Guadalupes reports and tips that were sent in by RoadsideAmerica.com visitors like you, as well as news stories about the attraction. Submit your own tip or update. Some tips may not be verified -- please contact attraction for current hours and admission prices.
Queen, New Mexico - Flying Paper Boy of the Guadalupes Frank A. Kendall was a walking one-man-chamber-of-commerce for Carlsbad, N.Mex. in the 1950s and early '60s.
One Sunday in October 1963, he took me with him on his Sunday paper route. We met at the dock at the Carlsbad Current Argus newspaper at about dark:30 in the a.m. and got a bundle and took them with us to three or four restaurants that were open to the tourist business at about six in the morning. He walked through the cafes wearing a hat with a bat on it or something to do with Carlsbad Cavern National Park, passing out papers, brochures and tourist information. Pleasant feller, he made the tourist glad they were up and ready to see the sights in our fair city.
By 7:00 a.m. we were up in his little red plane flying over ranches, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park Rangers homes and then over some ranches in the Guadalupe Mountains. As we made a pass over the Rangers' residences, we could see them come out in their jammies and robes looking up at us and waiting. Frank was in front, at the wheel and he would have me put a paper in his hand. He would wait 'til the right moment, holding it in the drop-hole, and then he'd release it and bank the plane so we could see the paper as it sailed right down to the front yard of the expectant ranger and wife. After it was all done, he'd do a wing wave as we left the area.
I was a teen-ager at the time and Frank was gone soon. Forty years later, I was taking my new bride on a honeymoon hiking trip. We were in the Guadalupes near Queen as I was telling her this story. On that long lonesome road, we came around the bend to a wide spot and there was the monument. Nowadays, none of my stories are doubted. Not by her, anyways. [Mickey C. Lavy, Jr., 04/26/2008]
Nearby Offbeat Places
- Carlsbad Caverns, White's City, NM - 17 mi.
- Million Dollar Museum, White's City, NM - 21 mi.
- Apache Canyon Trading Post, White's City, NM - 24 mi.
- "The Gargoyles" Motel, Carlsbad, NM - 28 mi.
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