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102-600: Alamo National Forest is a disestablished National Forest in southern New Mexico . The Forest was established on July 2, 1908, by an Executive Order (908) signed by President Theodore Roosevelt that consolidated two existing U.S. Forest Service units, the Guadalupe National Forest, established on April 19, 1907, to protect a part of the Guadalupe Mountains north of the Texas border, and

204-619: A third of the state is covered in timberland , with heavily forested mountain wildernesses dominating the north. The Sangre de Cristo Mountains , the southernmost part of the Rocky Mountains , run roughly north–south along the east side of the Rio Grande , in the rugged, pastoral north. The Great Plains extend into the eastern third of the state, most notably the Llano Estacado ("Staked Plain"), whose westernmost boundary

306-671: A central playa . An axial river existed in the Espanola Basin as early as 13 million years ago, reaching the Santo Domingo Basin by 6.9 million years ago. However, at this time, the river drained into a playa in the southern Albuquerque Basin where it deposited the Popotosa Formation . The ancestral Rio Grande progressively integrated basins to the south, reaching the Palomas basin by 4.5 million years,

408-407: A central plaza. The area was an important crossing in the valley since ancient times. Here, a good ford of the river lined with the path to an important mountain pass Between 1591 and 1942, 82 floods with flows greater than 10,000 cubic feet per second of flow were recorded. Flooding resulted from seasonal meltwater from snow in the northern mountains in the spring, and from storm runoff during

510-864: A former Forest Reserve first established in 1902 to protect lands around Capitan and Lincoln. Under this new administration the Carson Seep Ranger District was renamed the Guadalupe Ranger District, and the Fresnal district was renamed the Cloudcroft district. The Mayhill and Weed districts retained their names until 1961 when the Cloudcroft, Mayhill, and Weed districts were consolidated into the current Sacramento Ranger District. 32°48′03″N 105°36′47″W  /  32.80083°N 105.61306°W  / 32.80083; -105.61306 New Mexico New Mexico

612-485: A law granting all Native Americans U.S. citizenship and the right to vote in federal and state elections. However, Anglo-American arrivals into New Mexico enacted Jim Crow laws against Hispanos, Hispanic Americans, and those who did not pay taxes, targeting indigenous affiliated individuals; because Hispanics often had interpersonal relationships with indigenous peoples, they were often subject to segregation , social inequality , and employment discrimination . During

714-433: A more pronounced identity vis-a-vis the newer Anglo arrivals. Politically, they still controlled most town and county offices through local elections, and wealthy ranching families commanded considerable influence, preferring business, legislative , and judicial relations with fellow indigenous New Mexican groups. By contrast, Anglo Americans, who were "outnumbered, but well-organized and growing" tended to have more ties to

816-448: A plaza, from which four streets ran outward to small, private agricultural plots and orchards; these were watered by acequias , community owned and operated irrigation canals. Just beyond the wall was the ejido , communal land for grazing, firewood, or recreation. By 1800, the population of New Mexico had reached 25,000 (not including indigenous inhabitants), far exceeding the territories of California and Texas. As part of New Spain,

918-535: A prosperous empire to their north became the primary basis for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold , which spurred exploration by Spanish conquistadors following their conquest of the Aztecs in the early 16th century; prominent explorers included Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca , Andrés Dorantes de Carranza , Alonso del Castillo Maldonado , Estevanico , and Marcos de Niza . The settlement of La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís — modern day Santa Fe –

1020-589: A structural rift caused by the westward extension of the continental basement of the Western United States during the past 35 million years. The rift itself extends from Colorado in the north to Chihuahua in the south, where the river no longer flows. The valley is therefore also a rift valley . Before the Ancestral Rio Grande was integrated into a single watercourse, the valley was a series of closed bolsons each draining into

1122-460: A trading center for existing surrounding communities such as Barelas , Isleta , Los Ranchos , and Sandia ; it was named for the viceroy of New Spain, Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque . Governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés established the villa in Tiguex to provide free trade access and facilitate cultural exchange in the region. Beyond forging better relations with

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1224-493: Is Albuquerque , and its state capital is Santa Fe , the oldest state capital in the U.S., founded in 1610 as the government seat of Nuevo México in New Spain . New Mexico is the fifth-largest of the fifty states by area, but with just over 2.1 million residents, ranks 36th in population and 45th in population density . Its climate and geography are highly varied, ranging from forested mountains to sparse deserts;

1326-730: Is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains , sharing the Four Corners region with Utah , Colorado , and Arizona . It also borders the state of Texas to the east and southeast, Oklahoma to the northeast, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the south. New Mexico's largest city

1428-644: Is also evident in New Mexico's unique cuisine , music genre , and architectural styles . New Mexico received its name long before the present-day country of Mexico won independence from Spain and adopted that name in 1821. The name "Mexico" derives from Nahuatl and originally referred to the heartland of the Mexica , the rulers of the Aztec Empire , in the Valley of Mexico . Following their conquest of

1530-429: Is by far the most prominent, constituting about three-fourths of the state; it includes most of the plains, foothills, and valleys above 4,500 feet, and is defined by prairie grasses, low piñon pines, and juniper shrubs. The Llano Estacado in the east features Shortgrass Prairie with blue grama , which sustain bison . The Chihuahuan Desert in the south is characterized by shrubby creosote . The Colorado Plateau in

1632-507: Is characterized by low to moderate taxation of resident personal income by national standards, with tax credits, exemptions, and special considerations for military personnel and favorable industries. New Mexico has a significant U.S. military presence, including White Sands Missile Range , and strategically valuable federal research centers, such as the Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories . The state hosted several key facilities of

1734-719: Is marked by the Mescalero Ridge escarpment . The northwestern quadrant of New Mexico is dominated by the Colorado Plateau , characterized by unique volcanic formations, dry grasslands and shrublands, open pinyon-juniper woodland , and mountain forests. The Chihuahuan Desert , which is the largest in North America, extends through the south. Over four–fifths of New Mexico is higher than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) above sea level. The average elevation ranges from up to 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) above sea level in

1836-486: Is one of only seven majority-minority states , with the nation's highest percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans and the second-highest percentage of Native Americans, after Alaska . The state is home to one–third of the Navajo Nation , 19 federally recognized Pueblo communities , and three federally recognized Apache tribes. Its large Hispanic population includes Hispanos descended from settlers during

1938-413: Is the state bird, is abundant in the southeast. Endangered species include the Mexican gray wolf , which is being gradually reintroduced in the world, and Rio Grande silvery minnow . Over 500 species of birds live or migrate through New Mexico, third only to California and Mexico. New Mexico and 12 other western states together account for 93% of all federally owned land in the U.S. Roughly one–third of

2040-643: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in Albuquerque 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about 2 miles (3 km) east in what quickly became known as "New Albuquerque" or "New Town". A new line, the El Paso Subdivision , was built from New Albuquerque, 230 miles (370 km) south to El Paso, Texas. The northern and southern sections of

2142-482: The Chihuahuan Desert . It enters Elephant Butte Reservoir , the largest water body in New Mexico, between Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and the city of Truth or Consequences . Between Elephant Butte and Caballo Reservoir , the river supports very little agriculture. Ojos (hot springs) are located along the valley floor, and many spas offer natural mineral soaks in T or C. South of Caballo,

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2244-537: The Clovis culture of Paleo-Indians . Footprints discovered in 2017 suggest that humans may have been present in the region as long ago as 21,000–23,000 BC. Later inhabitants include the Mogollon and Ancestral Pueblo cultures, which are characterized by sophisticated pottery work and urban development; pueblos or their remnants, like those at Acoma , Taos , and Chaco Culture National Historical Park , indicate

2346-733: The Compromise of 1850 , these regions were forced by the U.S. government to drop their claims, Texas received $ 10   million in federal funds, California was granted statehood, and officially establishing the Utah Territory ; therein recognizing most of New Mexico's historically established land claims. Pursuant to the compromise, Congress established the New Mexico Territory in September of that year; it included most of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, along with

2448-765: The Las Vegas Valley and what would later become Clark County in Nevada . In 1853 the U.S. acquired the mostly desert southwestern bootheel of the state, along with Arizona's land south of the Gila River, in the Gadsden Purchase , which was needed for the right-of-way to encourage construction of a transcontinental railroad . When the U.S. Civil War broke out in 1861, both Confederate and Union governments claimed ownership and territorial rights over New Mexico Territory. The Confederacy claimed

2550-540: The Manhattan Project , which developed the world's first atomic bomb , and was the site of the first nuclear test, Trinity . In prehistoric times , New Mexico was home to Ancestral Puebloans , the Mogollon culture, and ancestral Ute . Navajos and Apaches arrived in the late 15th century and the Comanches in the early 18th century. The Pueblo peoples occupied several dozen villages, primarily in

2652-593: The National Landscape Conservation System are managed by the Bureau of Land Management . Units include but are not limited to: New Mexico's National Wildlife Refuges are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . Units include: Rio Grande Valley (New Mexico) The Rio Grande Valley is vital to the state's surface and groundwater municipal water supply , recreation , and agriculture , including irrigated farmland ,

2754-538: The New Mexican Monsoon in the summer. The Spanish noted that Pueblos living along the river would often build on raised land or natural highpoints along the valley floor; rarely, they would abandon settlements if the flooding was too frequent or severe in a particular location. An unnamed Spaniard in 1776 wrote of the floods in the Rio Grande Valley: "This river is in flood from mid-April to

2856-522: The Pecos , Canadian , San Juan , and Gila . Nearly bisecting New Mexico from north to south, the Rio Grande has played an influential role in the region's history; its fertile floodplain has supported human habitation since prehistoric times, and European settlers initially lived exclusively in its valleys and along its tributaries. The Pecos, which flows roughly parallel to the Rio Grande at its east,

2958-831: The Rio Grande Valley AVA , the Mesilla Valley AVA , and the largest acreages of land for growing chile peppers and pecans in the United States , accounting for 77% and 14% of US production, respectively. The middle Rio Grande Valley begins at Cochiti Lake where the river exits the Española Basin west of Santa Fe , and forms a shallow valley along the floor of the Santo Domingo Basin , where it hosts mainly Puebloan agriculture. The valley runs through Albuquerque Basin ,

3060-515: The Spanish era , and later groups of Mexican Americans since the 19th century. The New Mexican flag , which is among the most recognizable in the U.S., reflects the state's eclectic origins, featuring the ancient sun symbol of the Zia , a Puebloan tribe, with the scarlet and gold coloration of the Spanish flag . The confluence of indigenous, Hispanic (Spanish and Mexican), and American influences

3162-522: The Taos Revolt in 1847 by Hispanos and their Pueblo allies; the insurrection led to the death of territorial governor Charles Bent and the collapse of the civilian government established by Stephen W. Kearny . In response, the U.S. government appointed local Donaciano Vigil as governor to better represent New Mexico, and also vowed to accept the land rights of Nuevomexicans and grant them citizenship. In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln symbolized

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3264-588: The Union Army . The end of the war saw rapid economic development and settlement in New Mexico, which attracted homesteaders, ranchers, cowboys, businessmen, and outlaws; many of the folklore characters of the Western genre had their origins in New Mexico, most notably businesswoman Maria Gertrudis Barceló , outlaw Billy the Kid , and lawmen Pat Garrett and Elfego Baca . The influx of "Anglo Americans" from

3366-505: The northern and eastern regions exhibit a colder alpine climate , while the west and south are warmer and more arid . The Rio Grande and its fertile valley runs from north-to-south, creating a riparian climate through the center of the state that supports a bosque habitat and distinct Albuquerque Basin climate. One-third of New Mexico's land is federally owned, and the state hosts many protected wilderness areas and national monuments, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites ,

3468-462: The 18th century, raids by Navajo , Apache , and especially Comanche inhibited the growth and prosperity of the New Mexico. The region's harsh environment and remoteness, surrounded by hostile Native Americans, fostered a greater degree of self-reliance, as well as pragmatic cooperation, between the Pueblo peoples and colonists. Many indigenous communities enjoyed a large measure of autonomy well into

3570-587: The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) operates an adjustable height dam to supply the city with drinking water. The valley hosts the Pueblo communities of Cochiti , Kewa , San Felipe , Sandia , and Isleta . Other population centers include Albuquerque, Socorro, T or C, Hatch, and Las Cruces. The entire Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico follows the Rio Grande Rift ,

3672-736: The Aztecs in the early 16th century, the Spanish began exploring what is now the Southwestern United States calling it Nuevo México . In 1581, the Chamuscado and Rodríguez Expedition named the region north of the Rio Grande San Felipe del Nuevo México . The Spaniards had hoped to find wealthy indigenous cultures similar to the Mexica. The indigenous cultures of New Mexico, however, proved to be unrelated to

3774-468: The Manhattan Project. The focus on high technology is still a top priority of the state, to the extent that it became a center for unidentified flying objects , especially following the 1947 Roswell incident . New Mexico saw its population nearly double from roughly 532,000 in 1940 to over 954,000 by 1960. In addition to federal personnel and agencies, many residents and businesses moved to

3876-533: The Mesilla basin by 3.1 million years, to Texas by 2.06 million years. Although the Rio Grande flows primarily through desert and arid lands, the valley floor nearest the river supports a rich bosque habitat, featuring large cottonwood gallery forests . The bosque has been cleared in areas for agricultural fields. The fields themselves provide a habitat for migratory birds. The Rio Grande Valley has been inhabited for millennia. The Folsom tradition first reached

3978-420: The Mexica and lacking in riches, but the name persisted. Before statehood in 1912, the name "New Mexico" loosely applied to various configurations of territories in the same general area, which evolved throughout the Spanish, Mexican, and U.S. periods , but typically encompassed most of present-day New Mexico along with sections of neighboring states. The first known inhabitants of New Mexico were members of

4080-608: The Mexican and American militaries. The United States Congress admitted New Mexico as the 47th state on January 6, 1912. It had been eligible for statehood 60 years earlier, but was delayed due to the perception that its majority Hispanic population was "alien" to U.S. culture and political values. When the U.S. entered the First World War roughly five years later, New Mexicans volunteered in significant numbers, in part to prove their loyalty as full-fledged citizens of

4182-640: The Mexican government, culminating in the Revolt of 1837 ; at the same time, the region became more economically dependent on the U.S. Following the Mexican–American War in 1848, the U.S. annexed New Mexico as part of the larger New Mexico Territory . It played a central role in U.S. westward expansion and was admitted to the Union as the 47th state on January 6, 1912. New Mexico's history has contributed to its unique demographic and cultural character. It

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4284-630: The Pueblos, governors were forbearing in their approach to the indigenous peoples, such as was with governor Tomás Vélez Cachupín ; the comparatively large reservations in New Mexico and Arizona are partly a legacy of Spanish treaties recognizing indigenous land claims in Nuevo México. Nevertheless, relations between the various indigenous groups and Spanish settlers remained nebulous and complex, varying from trade and commerce to cultural assimilation and intermarriage to total warfare. During most of

4386-782: The Rio Grande Valley between 13,000 and 12,000 years ago near present-day Albuquerque . Following herds of bison across the West Mesa , they would frequent the valley for water, game, and wild plants. Artifacts left behind by the Folsom culture include flakes of stone cherts from the Chuska Mountains , the Zuni Mountains , and the Rio Puerco Escarpment , suggesting they were moving east toward

4488-416: The Rio Grande valley of northern New Mexico. Spanish explorers and settlers arrived in the 16th century from present-day Mexico. Isolated by its rugged terrain, New Mexico was a peripheral part of the viceroyalty of New Spain dominated by Comancheria . Following Mexican independence in 1821, it became an autonomous region of Mexico, albeit increasingly threatened by the centralizing policies of

4590-463: The Rio Grande, collecting high-quality stones along the way, and stopping to camp and kill game upon the mesa, before continuing west and south across the Americas . The Ancestral Puebloans inhabited the valley year-around starting sometime before 1300 CE , after abandoning their settlements near the Four Corners region, probably due to drought, in the late Pueblo III Period . They established

4692-627: The Rio Grande. The valley is famous for growing chile peppers ; the village of Hatch bills itself as "The Chile Capital of the World". The mix of desert minerals with clays and other alluvium carried south by the floods have created a unique terroir , resulting in peppers with unique flavors and uniform heat levels . It includes acreage for New Mexico's state vegetable , the New Mexico chile . Other important crops include pecans , frijoles ( pinto beans ), peanuts , onions , and cotton. It

4794-679: The Sacramento National Forest, established on April 24, 1907, to preserve the heavily forested Sacramento Mountains east of Alamogordo . The new forest encompassed approximately 800,000 acres of public land and was divided into a number of Ranger districts, including the Carson Seep district in the former Guadalupe forest and the Fresnal, La Luz, Mayhill and Weed districts in the former Sacramento forest. The Forest boundaries were enlarged on March 2, 1909, by Presidential Proclamation when Roosevelt removed timber-rich land from

4896-488: The U.S. The state ranked fifth in the nation for military service, enlisting more than 17,000 recruits from all 33 counties; over 500 New Mexicans were killed in the war. Indigenous-Hispanic families had long been established since the Spanish and Mexican era, but most American settlers in the state had an uneasy relationship with the large Native American tribes. Most indigenous New Mexicans lived on reservations and near old placitas and villas . In 1924, Congress passed

4998-702: The U.S. reclassified the land as part of the Missouri Territory . This region of New Mexico (along with territory comprising present-day southeastern Colorado, the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles , and southwestern Kansas ) was ceded to Spain under the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819. When the First Mexican Republic began to transition into the Centralist Republic of Mexico , they began to centralize power ignoring

5100-559: The adjacent Mescalero Apache Reservation and added them to the forest. These lands were returned to the Mescalero Apache three years later on March 1, 1912, by an Executive Order (1481) signed by President William Howard Taft , who noted his desire to "restore the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in all respects to the status existing prior to the said proclamation of March 2, 1909, as though

5202-450: The average high temperature in July ranges from 99 °F (37 °C) at the lower elevations down to 78   °F (26   °C) at the higher elevations. In the colder months of November to March, many cities in New Mexico can have nighttime temperature lows in the teens above zero, or lower. The highest temperature recorded in New Mexico was 122 °F (50 °C) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Loving on June 27, 1994;

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5304-410: The desert between Socorro and Alamogordo , which is today part of the White Sands Missile Range . As a legacy of the Second World War, New Mexico continues to receive large amounts of federal government spending on major military and research institutions. In addition to the White Sands Missile Range, the state hosts three U.S. Air Force bases that were established or expanded during the war. While

5406-403: The early 21st century, substantial progress has been made in dating and distinguishing their dwellings and other forms of material culture. In the autumn of 1540, a military expedition of the Viceroyalty of New Spain led by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado , Governor of Nueva Galicia , reached the Tiwa pueblos in the valley around the future site of the Albuquerque Metro . When they entered

5508-481: The eastern U.S. (which include African Americans and recent European immigrants) reshaped the state's economy, culture, and politics. Into the late 19th century, the majority of New Mexicans remained ethnic mestizos of mixed Spanish and Native American ancestry (primarily Pueblo, Navajo, Apache, Genízaro, and Comanche), many of whom had roots going back to Spanish settlement in the 16th century; this distinctly New Mexican ethnic group became known as Hispanos and developed

5610-471: The economic development and welfare of their peoples. The Albuquerque metropolitan area is home to several casinos as a result. In the 21st century, employment growth areas in New Mexico include electronic circuitry , scientific research , information technology, casinos , art of the American Southwest , food, film , and media, particularly in Albuquerque . The state was the founding location of Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems , which led to

5712-492: The end of June. The force of the freshets depends upon whether the winter snows have been heavy or light, but they never fail, for it always snows more or less. In a very rainy year, the flood sea-son lasts a long time, and the longer it lasts, the greater the damage it does, whether to people or cattle who are drowned, or to farmlands that are swept away, or even to nearby houses that are carried off." The largest flood occurred in 1828 and exceeded 100,000 cfs. Records indicate that

5814-428: The entire valley was flooded from Albuquerque to El Paso, which caused the river to shift to new channels in several locations. Several settlements in the Albuquerque area were moved due to flooding, such as Alameda and "Upper Bernalillo". Near Albuquerque, the river would alternate during floods between a channel near present-day 2nd and 4th Streets NW east of town, and the present-day channel west of town; this ended when

5916-543: The field, powerful indigenous groups such as the Navajo , Mescalero Apache, Kiowa , and Comanche were brutally pacified through a scorched earth policy, and thereafter forced into barren and remote reservations. Sporadic conflicts continued into the late 1880s, most notably the guerilla campaigns led by Apache chiefs Victorio and his son-in-law Nana . The political and cultural clashes between these competing ethnic groups sometimes culminated in mob violence, including lynchings of Native, Hispanic, and Mexican peoples, as

6018-614: The fight for women's suffrage in the United States , New Mexico's Hispano and Mexican women at the forefront included Trinidad Cabeza de Baca, Dolores "Lola" Armijo, Mrs. James Chavez, Aurora Lucero, Anita "Mrs. Secundino" Romero, Arabella "Mrs. Cleofas" Romero and her daughter, Marie. A major oil discovery in 1928 near the town of Hobbs brought greater wealth to the state, especially in surrounding Lea County . The New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources called it "the most important single discovery of oil in New Mexico's history". Nevertheless, agriculture and cattle ranching remained

6120-417: The founding of Microsoft in Albuquerque. Intel maintains their F11X in Rio Rancho , which also hosts an IT center for HP Inc. New Mexico's culinary scene became recognized and is now a source of revenue for the state. Albuquerque Studios has become a filming hub for Netflix , and it was brought international media production companies to the state like NBCUniversal . The COVID-19 pandemic

6222-461: The high military presence brought considerable investment, it has also been the center of controversy; on May 22, 1957, a B-36 accidentally dropped a nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque; only its conventional "trigger" detonated. The Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories , two of the nation's leading federal scientific research facilities , originated from

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6324-423: The inclusion of the lands within the Alamo National Forest had not been ordered." The final change of boundaries came on April 3, 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation both adding to and eliminating lands from the forest area. A little over a year later the Alamo National Forest was disestablished by Executive Order (2633) and the forest's lands transferred to the nearby Lincoln National Forest ,

6426-406: The late 19th century due to the improved governance. To encourage settlement in its vulnerable periphery, Spain awarded land grants to European settlers in Nuevo México; due to the scarcity of water throughout the region, the vast majority of colonists resided in the central valley of the Rio Grande and its tributaries. Most communities were walled enclaves consisting of adobe houses that opened onto

6528-475: The least. Higher altitudes receive around 40 inches (1,000 mm), while the lowest elevations see as little as 8 to 10 inches (200 to 250 millimetres). Annual temperatures can range from 65 °F (18 °C) in the southeast to below 40 °F (4 °C) in the northern mountains, with the average being the mid-50s °F (12 °C). During the summer, daytime temperatures can often exceed 100 °F (38 °C) at elevations below 5,000 feet (1,500 m);

6630-408: The location of Albuquerque , New Mexico's largest city , between the aptly named East and West Mesas . It is also the location of Rio Grande Valley State Park . The valley narrows to the south of this basin before entering the Socorro Basin near Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge . The valley (and river) trend mostly north–south to -southwest, supporting agriculture in a thin green ribbon across

6732-588: The lowest recorded temperature is −57 °F (−49 °C) at Ciniza (near Jamestown ) on January 13, 1963. New Mexico's stable climate and sparse population provides for clearer skies and less light pollution , making it a popular site for several major astronomical observatories , including the Apache Point Observatory , the Very Large Array , and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory , among others. Owing to its varied topography , New Mexico has six distinct vegetation zones that provide diverse sets of habitats for many plants and animals. The Upper Sonoran Zone

6834-401: The most of any U.S. state. New Mexico's economy is highly diversified, including cattle ranching , agriculture, lumber, scientific and technological research, tourism, and the arts; major sectors include mining, oil and gas, aerospace, media , and film. Its total gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 was $ 95.73 billion, with a GDP per capita of roughly $ 46,300. State tax policy

6936-405: The northwest corner of New Mexico is high desert with cold winters, featuring sagebrush , shadescale , greasewood , and other plants adapted to the saline and seleniferous soil. The mountainous north hosts a wide array of vegetation types corresponding to elevation gradients, such as piñon-juniper woodlands near the base, through evergreen conifers , spruce - fir and aspen forests in

7038-423: The northwest, to less than 4,000 feet in the southeast. The highest point is Wheeler Peak at over 13,160 feet (4,010 meters) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, while the lowest is the Red Bluff Reservoir at around 2,840 feet (870 meters), in the southeastern corner of the state. In addition to the Rio Grande, which is tied for the fourth-longest river in the U.S. , New Mexico has four other major river systems:

7140-469: The primary economic activities. New Mexico was greatly transformed by the U.S. entry into the Second World War in December 1941. As in the First World War, patriotism ran high among New Mexicans, including among marginalized Hispanic and indigenous communities; on a per capita basis, New Mexico produced more volunteers, and suffered more casualties, than any other state. The war also spurred economic development, particularly in extractive industries, with

7242-427: The province of New Mexico became part of the First Mexican Empire in 1821 following the Mexican War of Independence . Upon its secession from Mexico in 1836, the Republic of Texas claimed the portion east of the Rio Grande , based on the erroneous assumption that the older Hispanic settlements of the upper Rio Grande were the same as the newly established Mexican settlements of Texas. The Texan Santa Fe Expedition

7344-606: The recognition of Native land rights with the Lincoln Canes, sceptres of office gifted to each of the Pueblos, a tradition dating back to Spanish and Mexican eras. After the Republic of Texas was admitted as a state in 1846, it attempted to claim the eastern portion of New Mexico east of the Rio Grande, while the California Republic and State of Deseret each claimed parts of western New Mexico. Under

7446-594: The river was channelized in the city in the 1950s. The construction of Elephant Butte Dam and Cochiti Dam in the 20th century virtually ended the era of unpredictable and destructive flooding in the middle Rio Grande Valley. This has led to issues in the valley such as falling water tables, decreased fertility due to reduction in silt deposition, decrease in cottonwood saplings due to competitive vegetation surviving flood season, and endangerment of certain aquatic species due to decreased intensity of spring flood pulses, which typically cues spawning in such species. When

7548-502: The road left the valley and traversed the Jornada del Muerto Desert . The road then rejoined the valley at Socorro and followed along the floor of the valley to near Kewa Pueblo , where it again left the valley on the final leg to Santa Fe, New Mexico . La Villa de Alburquerque was founded by Nuevo México governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés in 1706. It was built in the style of a typical Spanish villa , with buildings surrounding

7650-517: The route traverses the Rio Grande Valley, while the central section bypasses the valley and crosses the Jornada del Muerto Desert, very roughly parallel to the Camino Real. The line is still active as of 2021, but is only moderately used. The entire line from Belen to El Paso is unsignalized dark territory . In the 1926, U.S. 66 was constructed through the New Mexico. The highway entered

7752-500: The scale of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings within the area. These cultures form part of the broader Oasisamerica region of pre-Columbian North America. The vast trade networks of the Ancestral Puebloans led to legends throughout Mesoamerica and the Aztec Empire ( Mexico ) of an unseen northern empire that rivaled their own, which they called Yancuic Mexico , literally translated as "a new Mexico". Aztec legends of

7854-813: The southern tract as its own Arizona Territory , and as part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the war, waged the ambitious New Mexico Campaign to control the American Southwest and open up access to Union California. Confederate power in the New Mexico Territory was effectively broken after the Battle of Glorieta Pass in 1862, though the Confederate territorial government continued to operate out of Texas. More than 8,000 soldiers from New Mexico Territory served in

7956-479: The sovereignty of Santa Fe and disregarding Pueblo land rights. This led to the Chimayó Rebellion in 1837, led by genízaro José Gonzales. The death of then governor Albino Pérez during the revolt, was met with further hostility. Though José Gonzales was executed due to his involvement in the governor's death, subsequent governors Manuel Armijo and Juan Bautista Vigil y Alarid agreed with some of

8058-415: The state becoming a leading supplier of several strategic resources. New Mexico's rough terrain and geographic isolation made it an attractive location for several sensitive military and scientific installations; the most famous was Los Alamos , one of the central facilities of the Manhattan Project , where the first atomic bombs were designed and manufactured. The first bomb was tested at Trinity site in

8160-658: The state is known as the Bootheel . The 37°N parallel forms the northern boundary with Colorado. The states of New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah come together at the Four Corners in New Mexico's northwestern corner. Its surface water area is about 292 square miles (760 km ). Despite its popular depiction as mostly arid desert, New Mexico has one of the most diverse landscapes of any U.S. state, ranging from wide, auburn-colored deserts and verdant grasslands , to broken mesas and high, snow-capped peaks. Close to

8262-424: The state is semi-arid to arid, with areas of continental and alpine climates at higher elevations. New Mexico's statewide average precipitation is 13.7 inches (350 mm) a year, with average monthly amounts peaking in the summer, particularly in the more rugged north-central area around Albuquerque and in the south. Generally, the eastern third of the state receives the most rainfall, while the western third receives

8364-420: The state of Oklahoma , and 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometres) west of 103°W longitude with Texas due to a 19th-century surveying error. On the southern border, Texas makes up the eastern two-thirds, while the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora make up the western third, with Chihuahua making up about 90% of that. The western border with Arizona runs along the 109° 03'W longitude. The southwestern corner of

8466-552: The state, and flows mostly southeast between Texas and Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico . The first and largest modification structure in the valley is Cochiti Dam at the river's confluence with the Santa Fe River . Other major dams are Elephant Butte Dam and Caballo Dam . Diversion structures are, north to south, Angostura , Isleta , San Acacia , Percha , Leasburg , Mesilla , and American Diversion Dams . Additionally

8568-467: The state, or 24.7 million of 77.8 million acres, is held by the U.S. government, the tenth-highest percentage in the country. More than half this land is under the Bureau of Land Management as either public domain land or National Conservation Lands , while another third is managed by the U.S. Forest Service as national forests . New Mexico was central to the early–20th century conservation movement , with Gila Wilderness being designated

8670-548: The state, particularly from the northeast, often drawn by its warm climate and low taxes. The pattern continues into the 21st century, with New Mexico adding over 400,000 residents between 2000 and 2020. Native Americans from New Mexico fought for the United States in both world wars. Returning veterans were disappointed to find their civil rights limited by state discrimination. In Arizona and New Mexico, veterans challenged state laws or practices prohibiting them from voting. In 1948, after veteran Miguel Trujillo Sr. of Isleta Pueblo

8772-442: The territorial government, whose officials were appointed by the U.S. federal government; subsequently, newer residents of New Mexico generally favored maintaining territorial status, which they saw as a check on Native and Hispano influence. A consequence of the civil war was intensifying conflict with indigenous peoples, which was part of the broader American Indian Wars along the frontier. The withdrawal of troops and material for

8874-861: The transitionary zone, and Krummholz , and alpine tundra at the very top. The Apachian zone tucked into the southwestern bootheel of the state has high-calcium soil, oak woodlands , Arizona cypress , and other plants that are not found in other parts of the state. The southern sections of the Rio Grande and Pecos valleys have 20,000 square miles (52,000 square kilometres) of New Mexico's best grazing land and irrigated farmland. New Mexico's varied climate and vegetation zones consequently support diverse wildlife. Black bears , bighorn sheep , bobcats , cougars , deer , and elk live in habitats above 7,000 feet, while coyotes , jackrabbits , kangaroo rats , javelina , porcupines , pronghorn antelope , western diamondbacks , and wild turkeys live in less mountainous and elevated regions. The iconic roadrunner , which

8976-562: The underlying sentiment. This led to New Mexico becoming financially and politically tied to the U.S., and preferring trade along the Santa Fe Trail . Following the victory of the United States in the Mexican–American War (1846–48), Mexico ceded its northern territories to the U.S., including California, Texas, and New Mexico. The Americans were initially heavy-handed in their treatment of former Mexican citizens, triggering

9078-575: The valley at Kewa Pueblo . It then continued south through the valley through the Albuquerque area to Los Lunas , where the highway left the valley to continue west to California. U.S. 66 was rerouted on a more east–west path to cross the valley at Albuquerque in 1937. U.S. Route 85 , part of the Pan-American Highway , was constructed along the length of the valley from El Paso, Texas to then-US 66 (now NM 6 ) in Los Lunas. It

9180-519: The valley supports highly fertile lands of the Hatch region where most of the domestically produced chile peppers in the United States are grown. This part of the valley is known as the "Hatch Valley". The valley becomes constrained again before entering the Mesilla Basin where it hosts large tracts of agricultural fields. The river exits the valley south of Las Cruces , the second-largest city in

9282-490: The valley to establish irrigated fields , they encountered fields already in place by the Pueblos, complete with diversions and canals "as if built by Spaniards". El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (English: The Royal Road of Interior Land) was established in 1600 to connect Mexico City with the capital of the kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México . The road first entered the valley at El Paso del Norte (present day Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua). North of Las Cruces, New Mexico ,

9384-649: The various pueblos in the valley that are still inhabited today. The Apache peoples entered the valley sometime between 1200 and 1500 CE; the Apaches' nomadic way of life complicates accurate dating, primarily because they constructed less substantial dwellings than other Southwestern groups. They were a primarily nomadic culture who would hunt and gather wild plants. They traded with the Pueblos their bison meat, hides, and stone tool materials for Puebloan maize and woven cotton goods. They would also raid Pueblo, and later Spanish, Mexican, and American, settlements. Since

9486-710: The war effort had prompted raids by hostile tribes, and the federal government moved to subdue the many native communities that had been effectively autonomous throughout the colonial period. Following the elimination of the Confederate threat, Brigadier General James Carleton , who had assumed command of the Military Department of New Mexico in 1862, led what he described as a "merciless war against all hostile tribes" that aimed to "force them to their knees, and then confine them to reservations where they could be Christianized and instructed in agriculture." With famed frontiersman Kit Carson placed in charge of troops in

9588-646: The world's first wilderness area in 1924. The state also hosts nine of the country's 84 national monuments , the most of any state after Arizona; these include the second oldest monument, El Morro , which was created in 1906, and the Gila Cliff Dwellings , proclaimed in 1907. New Mexico's national parks , together with national monuments and trails managed by the National Park Service , are listed as follows: New Mexico's national monuments, conservation areas, and other units of

9690-438: The world's great art centers. The presence of artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe attracted many others, including those along Canyon Road . In the late 20th century, Native Americans were authorized by federal law to establish gaming casinos on their reservations under certain conditions, in states which had authorized such gaming. Such facilities have helped tribes close to population centers generate revenues for reinvestment in

9792-643: Was a popular route for explorers, as was the Canadian River, which rises in the mountainous north and flows east across the arid plains. The San Juan and Gila lie west of the Continental Divide , in the northwest and southwest, respectively. With the exception of the Gila, all major rivers are dammed in New Mexico and provide a major water source for irrigation and flood control. New Mexico has long been known for its dry, temperate climate. Overall

9894-539: Was attempted at the Frisco shootout in 1884. Nevertheless, prominent figures from across these communities, and from both the Democratic and Republican parties , attempted to fight this prejudice and forge a more cohesive, multiethnic New Mexican identity; they include lawmen Baca and Garrett , and governors Curry , Hagerman , and Otero . Indeed, some territorial governors, like Lew Wallace , had served in both

9996-572: Was confirmed to have reached the U.S. state of New Mexico on March 11, 2020. On December 23, 2020, the New Mexico Department of Health reported 1,174 new COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths, bringing the cumulative statewide totals to 133,242 cases and 2,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic. With a total area of 121,590 square miles (314,900 km ), New Mexico is the fifth-largest state , after Alaska, Texas, California, and Montana. Its eastern border lies along 103°W longitude with

10098-627: Was established by Pedro de Peralta as a more permanent capital at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in 1610. Towards the end of the 17th century, the Pueblo Revolt drove out the Spanish and occupied these early cities for over a decade. After the death of Pueblo leader Popé , Diego de Vargas restored the area to Spanish rule, with Puebloans offered greater cultural and religious liberties. Returning settlers founded La Villa de Alburquerque in 1706 at Old Town Albuquerque as

10200-603: Was launched to seize the contested territory but failed with the capture and imprisonment of the entire army by the Hispanic New Mexico militia. During the turn of the 19th century, the extreme northeastern part of New Mexico, north of the Canadian River and east of the spine of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, was still claimed by France, which sold it in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase . In 1812,

10302-625: Was shown as "U.S. Route 466" in an early 1925 plan for the United States Numbered Highway System . The number "466" was later used along another routing . Repeated floods in the middle Rio Grande Valley have created some of the most fertile agricultural lands in the Southwest . The Puebloans were the first to grow crops in the valley, growing maize, squash , and beans . The Spanish later expanded irrigation to almost every arable acre of floodland along

10404-470: Was told by the county registrar that he could not register to vote, he filed suit against the county in federal district court. A three-judge panel overturned as unconstitutional New Mexico's provisions that Native Americans who did not pay taxes (and could not document if they had paid taxes) could not vote. In the early to mid-20th century, the art presence in Santa Fe grew, and it became known as one of

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