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Governor Bent House and Museum 117 Bent Street Taos, NM 87571 505-758-2376 Home of the first Governor of New Mexico.19th century artifacts of the area as well as works of Taos artists. Hours daily: 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. (summer) 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. (winter) Fees: $1 adult, $.50 children

Governor Bent House and Museum and Gallery of Western Art Home of New Mexico's first American governor, early trader, trapper and mountain man. Charles Bent was a highly respected, much loved figure of the Old West. He was a trader and owner of a number of wagon trains on the Santa Fe Trail. He owned trading posts in Santa Fe and Taos and had many dealings with early mountain men. He provided them with supplies and bought their furs and buffaloi hides. He, his brother William, and Ceran St. Vrain built Bent's Fort in Colorado, famous throughout the West as a trading center for the Indians and early mountain men.

He was appointed Governor of New Mexico in 1834 when it became American territory during the Mexican War. In January of 1847 he was killed by an angry mob which was protesting the American rule. The Governor Bent House is the scene of his death.

Today a museum, open to the public, is housed in the old adobe home. The Bent House is located one block north of the Plaza and one-half block west of the Taos Inn on Bent Street.

Bent Gallery of Western Art featuring the paintings of Leal Mack, Rural Americana.
Other Artists:
Robert Dennis
O.E. Berninghaus
Endre Szabo
Ann Mallen
Tom Waugh
Joseph Imhof
M. Monteverde
Joseph Fleck
Herbert Dunton
Don Partridge
Victor Czerkas
.....and others