Crossing the Line, by Doloris Huerta Lloyd and Sharon McCracken Heston, is the story of two families whose lives crossed in Douglas during the Mexican Revolution. Manuel Huerta was a Spaniard who studied medicine in Mexico City, married Enriqueta Haskell Almada of Alamos, Sonora, and settled in Douglas where they lived in a small adobe house at 634 Green Street. A long-time reader of Regeneración, supporter of the Partido Liberal Mexicano, and opponent of Porfirio Díaz, Dr. Huerta smuggled arms to revolutionary forces through his pharmacy in Fronteras. In 1918, he was framed for murder and hung on the plaza of Agua Prieta along with three companions, punished for supporting Governor José María Maytorena and Pancho Villa against Plutarco Elías Calles.

Robert Shipman was a cavalryman from back east who was stationed in Douglas at the time. He married Dr. Huerta’s widow and together they moved to the Pacific Northwest. Many years later, Huerta’s and Shipman’s granddaughters met and learned of their connection and then spent twelve years researching the story. This book is rich with adventure and includes a number of documents. It is available on Amazon and from the local library.