Robert J. Torrez - Rio Arriba: A New Mexico County

RIO ARRIBA

A New Mexico County

compiled and edited by

Robert J. Trrez & Robert Trapp

With Contributions By:

David V. Lpez B. Michael Miller

Malcolm EbrightVictor Jaramillo

Robert & Emma EckertJoseph P. Snchez

Roberto H. Valdez y Herrera

Ro Grande Books

Los Ranchos, NM

Copyright 2010, 2014 Robert J. Trrez & Robert Trapp

Published by Ro Grande Books

925 Salamanca NW

Los Ranchos, NM 87107-5647

505-344-9382

www.nmsantos.com

Printed in the United States of America

Book Design: Paul Rhetts

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Rio Arriba : a New Mexico county / compiled and edited by Robert J. Trrez & Robert Trapp ; with contributions by David V. Lpez ... [et al.].

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-890689-65-0 (pbk. : alk. paper)

ISBN 978-1-936744-85-5 (eBook formats)

1. Rio Arriba County (N.M.)--History. 2. Rio Arriba County (N.M.)--History, Local. I. Trrez, Robert J. II. Trapp, Robert, 1926- III. Lpez, David V.

F802.R4.R55 2010

978.952--dc22

2010035314

Cover: The rio arriba , an excerpt of the Bernardo de Miera y Pacheco map of 1778

Dedicated to

The Rio Arriba Pioneers

They Settled, Struggled and Survived

Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, illustration by Guy Rossi.

1864 map of New Mexico and Arizona shows the long, narrow strip that constituted early Rio Arriba County. Johnson and Ward, publishers (1864).

The Old Spanish Trail consisted of several trail routes that connected New Mexico and California. Map of Old Spanish National Historic Trail, courtesy of U. S. Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service, National Trails Intermountain Region.

Contents

Foreword

Every community, or county, has a history, most of them interesting and even unique. But unfortunately many of these stories are untold and untouched in dusty archives or memories of the people who lived them only to be lost forever as the years pass.

When the Rio Grande Sun made plans to observe its 50th anniversary in 2006, among the projects included was an exhibit Fifty Years of Front Pages which enjoyed a brief stop at the Bond House Museum in Espaola. When some of these pages later hung in the lobby of the newspaper offices in Espaola, visitors paused to read them and often commented Boy, theres a lot of history there.

True, we reflected, but just fifty years. There is a lot more to the Rio Arriba story than fifty years. Rio Arriba County was formally established January 9, 1852, one of seven original counties organized when New Mexico became a United States territory. In its 158-year history, borders have shifted and its geography changed, and today it is a vast land mass of 5,861 square miles. Its nearly twice the size of the combined states of Delaware (2,045 square miles) and Rhode Island (1,212).

But its history predates 1852, arguably starting with Villagras written history of the founding of the first colony in New Mexico in 1598 by don Juan de Oate at San Juan Pueblo, today Ohkay Owingeh. It is a story of good times and hard times; of land grants, violence and yes, corruption in a remote area where the family was all-important as was the feeding of that family. There was little knowledge of the outside world or even any interest in it. Rio Arribans accepted their remoteness and farming and ranching fueled the economy.

But World War I, and especially World War II, changed that as young men from remote mountain villages answered the call of their country. The wars, along with the appearance of a new county and city, Los Alamos, which sprung up just miles away, hastened this exposure to outside influences. Paved roads and automobiles caused Rio Arriba to shrink dramatically.

Some look at Rio Arriba today and see two counties. From Martnez Canyon north of Ghost Ranch to the Colorado border, the populace seems more laid back as a visitor once suggested. South from there, life is more regimented. There alarm clocks get you up in the morning, where in the north, the sun gets you up. Even the climate and weather are different, with drastic temperature differences between Chama and Espaola, and when it snows in Chama, it might just get overcast in Espaola.

Progress is not encouraged in the north, and even viewed with suspicion. Housing developments, ski runs and airports are frowned on while in Espaola, the Chamber of Commerce greets with great joy the addition of another fast food restaurant.

Western Rio Arriba, the land of homesteaders where oil and gas account for millions of dollars in county revenue, is almost another world. As oil and gas wells pump away, a few homesteaders still engage in the honorable livelihoods of ranching and farming.

All of this is part of the Rio Arriba story. Each of the scattered, isolated communities that make it the unique area that it is, has a history or story of its own and to put this history into a one-volume package, the Sun is pleased it was able to convince Robert Trrez that he was the individual to do it. He is uniquely qualified as an author of books and articles on New Mxico history. He is retired state historian, past president of the state historical society and most importantly a native of Los Ojos. His enthusiasm for the job and love of his native Rio Arriba are apparent in the finished product you hold in your hands.

We learned in our fifty-plus years in Rio Arriba County, that its citizens are deeply interested in the story of their county, their culture, their ancestors and their people. Our purpose in producing this book is to provide in a single volume a history of this fascinating and beautiful land of forests, deserts, mountains, farmlands, orchards and streams. We hope it kindles in todays generation and future generations, pride in their history and appreciation of what their ancestors experienced in building todays Rio Arriba under extremely difficult and challenging circumstances.

Might future generations read this and exclaim, Wow! That must have been a cool time to hang out.

Robert Trapp, Espaola, New Mexico

Introduction

As one travels through New Mexico, it is hard to believe that millions of years ago, most of the state was covered by a shallow sea. This was pointed out to me years ago on several occasions when I was driving along U.S. 84 between Espaola and Tierra Amarilla with don Jos Snchez, an old and respected anciano (elder) that I had the great honor of knowing when I was a young adult. He used to say that a long time agohe thought maybe during the time of Noahs floodthis entire area had to have been under water. He pointed out the strata, or different colored layers of the cliffs along the road, and suggested they were created by the receding flood, each era of many years leaving behind its own mark. I do not know how don Jos reached his conclusions but he was right, and it is certain that nowhere in New Mexico is this early geologic history of the state better represented than in Rio Arriba County.