The history of the westside of Albuquerque goes back a long way. Paradise Hills was an unicorporated area of Albuquerque along with Quaker Heights and the original Taylor Ranch. The lure of Paradise Hills was the country club lifestyle surrounding the golf course. Taylor Ranch was an equestrian community. Two families ranched the area. The Blacks and the Taylors. There is still an original homestead of the Taylors against the Petroglyphs. The Blacks ranched from the Rio Grande River to the Rio Puerco. Some may even remember the old airport near Alameda and Cottonwood they owned. As Albuquerque grew the Blacks developed the west side with business, housing developments, and other commercial ventures while still maintaining the ranching business to the west and some agricultural near Paseo and the River. As an early resident of the west side I remember not even getting phone service until almost 4 months after we moved in. I love the quality of life these areas provide with good schools, entertainment, health facilities, shopping but also providing outdoor recreational opportunities and preservation of open spaces for wildlife

Many people don't realize that "Paradise East" enjoys as much historical significance in the development(s) west of the Rio Grande---as that of even Rio Rancho! Long before there was a Ventana Ranch, or Cottonwood Mall, or even the Paseo del Norte bridge over the river---the area that now surrounds Desert Greens Golf Course (the former Paradise Hills Country Club), was an island of newly developing roads, housing tracts, schools, stores, and parks--circled by a high desert landscape on all sides. Access was limited to driving a two-laned Coors Road, and "to get there from here"...the old Alameda bridge and the I-40 bridge 10 miles south..were the only ways to connect to this outpost on then Albuquerque's western flank, in the 1960's and 70's.
There's still a sizable portion of "Paradise East"(Paradise Hills) that is an unicorporated part of Bernalillo County, that is not within the Albuquerque limits--but most areas on all sides have been annexed by the city, and much of the area is bounded by the Petroglyph Open Space. Many friends and clients have come to love this part of the city, with it's easy access to all parts of town, proximity of nearby hike/bike trails--all while looking eastward to Albuquerque's mountain sights and city lights!

Paradise East is also a comfortable blend of new and older neighborhoods, many of which enjoy stunning views of not only the Sandia Mountains but also the Manzanos, Jemez, and even the Sangre de Cristo.