What kind of buildings in a Mexican/Zorro/Alamo village?

[Jase]

For my Zorro/Alamo/Old West/Mexico games I want to build a small village (skirmish size as I will most likely be using the Pulp Alley rules). However, I want my buildings to have a function rather than just table fillers. For that reason I'm compiling a list of buildings that can be found in a typical village:

- Church
- Cantina
- Barracks
- Prison
- Nobleman's House
- Market/Vendors (what kind of vendors?)
- Well
- Stables/Corral
- Cacti
- ?

But what else could be found in such a village? Granaries/Warehouses? I reckon that farmers would live outside the village on their farms near their fields and not in the village itself.

[Johnno]

Actual houses for people to live in.
Town well
Cemetary

[Jase]

Cemetery is a good one.

What kind of people would live in such a village? I take it they have some sort of business there otherwise they wouldn't be living there, right?

Or shouldn't I bother with such trivialities and just build some houses 

[former user]

with prison and barracks You are desribing a small town already or a lively garrisoned outpost.
Farmers would not live in the village/town, but outside, yes
as would the hacienda of a nobleman be

if You seriously want a "lived in" settlement and not a gaming "soundstage"  some basic research into the social structure of the period and setting would be necessary.

Alternatively, watching "the magnificent seven" might also be a good approach

[Elbows]

Even in rural Mexico you might have a small post-office of such. I'm not sure how their system worked though.  Perhaps a bridge over a dry river-bed (simply called as 'wash' in western-lingo).

The reality is that a small town would be just that - a very small town.  You have already listed enough for a rather decent sized town.  A vendor's market would be very suitable; the local farmers bringing in their goods etc.

Many towns would have sprung up around a resource - namely a crossroads, or a water source.  A well would have been quite important.  A garrison would have brought a number of local support buildings etc.  If a garrison comes to town, you'd surely have a large cantina, etc.

Perhaps a small outpost to guard a vital river crossing or mountain pass entrance etc.

[workerBee]

Field trip:  http://www.yelp.com/biz/colonial-spanish-village-st-augustine

Another:  http://explorenm.blogspot.com/2010/07/spanish-colonial-village-el-rancho-de.html

http://www.golondrinas.org/

http://golondrinas.org/Museum_Info/Museum_Map/index.html

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-58878578/stock-photo-view-of-an-old-spanish-colonial-village-at-rancho-de-las-golondrinas-a-living-history-museum-at.html

A little modernised - http://www.adobenido.com/blog/2009/albuquerque/villanueva-nm-spanish-colonial-village-and-beautiful-setting-for-a-new-mexico-state-park/

Maybe something here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmperez/1105342828/in/set-72157601416754457/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_the_Indies

Scroll down to Artist Conception of Kuaua Pueblo in 1500 - http://www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation/parks/veterans-memorial-park/documents/COLONIALNEWMEXICO_Final.pdf

Historicpensacola.org has a PDF document  "PlanC" that discusses Colonial Pensacola 1781-1821 that may contain information useful to your planning.

Somewhat depends on when/where you place you village as to the influences that would affect the "city plan map" of your games.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Jase]

Awesome!!! 

[Malamute]

Here is a photo of my Zorro game from last years BLAM:



And a link to the thread with more pictures:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=47588.0

I think most of what is needed is there; church, cantina, merchants houses, peasant huts, governors palace etc.

You can mix in some thatched peasant jacales on the outskirts of town and perhaps a corral or two.