San Miguel County, New Mexico
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San Miguel County (Template:Langx) is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,201.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Las Vegas.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>
San Miguel County comprises the Las Vegas Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Las Vegas combined statistical area.
Geography
[edit]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.4%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> The country is more than Template:Cvt long from east to west and Template:Cvt wide north to south and reaches from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. The highest elevation in the county is Template:Cvt at Elk Mountain and the lowest elevation is on the Canadian River at about Template:Cvt.<ref name="Britannica">Template:Cite web</ref>
The eastern two thirds of the country is semi-arid steppe grassland. The Bell Ranch receives Template:Cvt of precipitation annually, most in the summer months.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The conifer-clad higher elevations in the northwest corner of the country are cooler and receive more precipitation. Gascon (near Rociada) at an elevation of Template:Cvt receives Template:Cvt of annual precipitation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Google Earth, 35.338N, 103.638W</ref> Wesner Springs at an elevation of Template:Cvt on the slopes of Elk Mountain has a subarctic climate (Dfc), receiving Template:Cvt of precipitation annually.<ref name = XMACIS> Template:Cite web </ref>
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Mora County – north
- Harding County – east
- Quay County – southeast
- Guadalupe County – south
- Torrance County – southwest
- Santa Fe County – west
National protected areas
[edit]- Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
- Pecos National Historical Park (part)
- Pecos Wilderness area (part)
- Santa Fe National Forest (part)
History
[edit]San Miguel County was created in 1846 by the conquering United States' army in the Mexican-American War. New Mexico became part of the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848. The boundaries of the country often changed until 1923 when its current boundaries were established.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1835, prior to the American conquest, the Mexican government granted land to individuals and communities in what became San Miguel County. The largest grant was the Las Vegas Grant of Template:Cvt (674 sqmi).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Most of the grant land was designated as common land to be used by all the grantees and their descendants. The grant lands quickly attracted settlers, mostly Hispanics, to the frontier of New Mexico in a region still menaced by Native American (Indian) raids. The Santa Fe Trail, first travelled in 1821, passed through the county, linking New Mexico to the United States.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Oklahoma">Template:Cite web</ref>
The establishment of Fort Union nearby in 1851 increased the security of the region and provided employment for residents and a market for Las Vegas products.<ref name="Gomez">Template:Cite journal</ref> The coming of the railroad in 1879 expanded a market for ranch land and stimulated the livestock industry, especially of sheep for wool. The railroad company also harvested much of the timber in the country to make railroad ties. Anglo cattle ranchers moved into the area from Texas.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> By 1890, a few, mostly Anglo, ranchers controlled one-half of the grazing lands in San Miguel County.<ref name="Morgan">Template:Cite web Chapter 11: Resistance and Reliance in Territorial New Mexico from The History of New Mexico.</ref> Homesteaders also moved into San Miguel County, claiming Template:Cvt of land as allowed by the 1862 Homestead Act. Both large ranchers and small homesteaders built homes, barns, and fenced grant land with barbed-wire, ignoring the claims by Hispanic residents of their rights to use the common land for crops, grazing, and timber harvest.<ref name="Morgan"/>
With Hispanic residents losing land and access to irrigation water to speculators, ranchers, and homesteaders, the secretive Gorras Blancas, "White Hats," burst on the scene in San Miguel County in 1889. The night riding Gorras Blancas destroyed fences and burned barns and other buildings. The Gorras Blancas were successful in gaining public support, eliminating many fences, and preserving access to common lands, but the movement faded in the early 1890s and the march toward converting common lands into private ownership soon resumed.<ref name="Rosenbaum">Template:Cite book</ref> By 2004, of the original land of the Las Vegas grant, only Template:Cvt remained in common ownership.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 30,126 people, 11,134 households, and 7,537 families living in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 14,254 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 56.22% White, 0.78% Black or African American, 1.82% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 36.21% from other races, and 4.33% from two or more races. 77.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 11,134 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.50% were married couples living together, 16.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.40% under the age of 18, 10.90% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,524, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $27,307 versus $22,588 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,268. About 19.90% of families and 24.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 25.90% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
[edit]As of the 2010 census, there were 29,393 people, 11,978 households, and 7,275 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 15,595 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="census-density">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 66.6% white, 1.7% American Indian, 1.4% black or African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 25.4% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 76.8% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 6.3% were German, 5.3% were English, and 1.6% were American.<ref name="census-dp2">Template:Cite web</ref>
Of the 11,978 households, 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.6% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 39.3% were non-families, and 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 40.7 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>
The median income for a household in the county was $32,213 and the median income for a family was $42,888. Males had a median income of $35,176 versus $28,351 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,508. About 15.7% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.6% of those under age 18 and 22.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">Template:Cite web</ref>
Communities
[edit]City
[edit]- Las Vegas (county seat)
Villages
[edit]Census-designated places
[edit]- Conchas Dam
- East Pecos
- North San Ysidro
- Pueblo
- Ribera
- Rowe
- San Jose
- Sena
- Soham
- Tecolote
- Tecolotito
- Villanueva
Other communities
[edit]- Bernal
- El Cerrito
- El Porvenir
- Garita
- Holy Ghost
- Ilfeld
- Montezuma
- Rociada
- San Miguel del Vado
- Sapello
- Serafina
- South San Ysidro
- Tererro
- Trementina
- Valles de San Geronimo
Ghost town
[edit]Education
[edit]Public school districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web – Text list</ref>
- Las Vegas City Public Schools
- Pecos Independent Schools
- Santa Rosa Consolidated Schools
- West Las Vegas Public Schools
Tertiary education institutions in San Miguel County include:
- Armand Hammer United World College of the American West
- Luna Community College
- New Mexico Highlands University
Native American Preparatory School, a private school, was in operation in the county until 2002.<ref name=Boylegraduates>Template:Cite news – Clipping of first page and of second page at Newspapers.com. Template:Usurped Canku Ota, June 1, 2002.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]- Antonia Apodaca (1923–2020) born in Rociada, folk musician and composer
- Margaret Larkin (1899–1967), born in Las Vegas, writer and musician
- María Dolores Gonzáles (1917–1975), leader in bilingual education in New Mexico
Politics
[edit]San Miguel County has traditionally been heavily Democratic. The last time it voted Republican for president was 1956, and from 1992-2020 no Republican cracked 30% of the vote. Donald Trump broke through this particular record in 2024, when he carried 35% of the vote; his performance in the county was the best by a Republican presidential candidate since Reagan in 1984. Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot
See also
[edit]- Baca land grants
- Las Gorras Blancas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in San Miguel County, New Mexico
- San Miguel del Vado Land Grant
References
[edit]External links
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