Farmington, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Farmington is a city in San Juan County
in the U.S. state
of New Mexico
. As of the 2010 U.S. Census the city had a total population of 45,877 people. Farmington (and surrounding San Juan County) makes up one of the four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's) in New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate in 2006 for Farmington was about 43,573.
Farmington is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River
, and the La Plata River, and is located on the Colorado Plateau
. Farmington is the largest City, and one of only two significant towns, of San Juan County, one of the largest counties in the United States covering 5538 square miles (14,343.4 km²). The county seat
and the other city in San Juan County is Aztec
. Farmington serves as the commercial hub for most of northwestern New Mexico and the Four Corners region of four states. Farmington lies at or near the junction of three important highways U.S. Highway 550, U.S. Highway 64, and New Mexico Highway 371.
The primary industries of San Juan County are in the mining
of petroleum
, natural gas
, and coal
. Major coal mines are the Navajo and San Juan mines, operated by BHP Billiton 15 to 19 mi (24.1 to 30.6 km) southwest of Farmington. The coal mined from the Navajo and San Juan mines is used entirely for fuel for the nearby Four Corners Generating Station
and San Juan Power Plant to produce electric power
.
Farmington is known across New Mexico and throughout the southwest for its baseball tournaments, and the Ricketts Ball Park is the home of the Connie Mack World Series. Farmington High School
claimed the AAAA Baseball State Championship four years in a row from 2005 through 2008.
The site of an underground nuclear detonation in 1967 called Project Gasbuggy
, a part of the defunct Operation Plowshare
, was located in the Carson National Forest
and was about 50 miles (80.5 km) east of Farmington and about 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Dulce, New Mexico
. This pilot project of Operation Plowshare was an attempt to fracture a large volume of underground bedrock in order to make more natural gas available for extraction by gas wells.
The Navajo Indian Reservation is west of Farmington, the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is to the northwest, and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation
is to the northeast of Farmington. Prehistoric Native American
ruins are located nearby. The Aztec Ruins National Monument
and the Salmon Ruins
are ancient dwellings located just to the northeast and the east of Farmington. Mesa Verde National Park
lies about 40 miles (64.4 km) to the northwest, and Chaco Culture National Historical Park
is about 50 miles (80.5 km) to the southeast.
The people of Farmington have been the subject of several civil rights
investigations, including the 2005 report, The Farmington Report: Civil Rights for Native Americans 30 Years Later.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Farmington has a total area of 27 square miles (69.9 km²), of which 26.6 square miles (68.9 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it is water.
of 2010, there were 45,877 people, 17,548 housing units, and 11,500 families residing in Farmington. The racial makeup of the city (non-Hispanic) was 52.4% White, 0.8% African American, 21.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races
, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.4% of the population.
There were 16,466 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49% were married couples
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.19.
, Piedra Vista High School
, and Rocinante High School. There are six private schools.
San Juan College is a public two-year college with average enrollment of about 10,000.
Farmington has the feature of College Boulevard. On this 3 miles (4.8 km) road students can get a complete education all the way from preschool to a Doctor of Philosophy degree. The schools that can be attended here include (in order) Casa Montessori Pre-School, Mesa Verde Elementary School, Heights Middle School, Piedra Vista High School, and San Juan College. All five located on College Boulevard.
Farmington Public Library
moved into a new building in 2003 and holds about 200,000 items in its collection. There is a branch library in Shiprock
.
Highway
Railroad
There is no passenger railroad service anywhere in San Juan County.
Intercity bus
There is intercity bus service in Farmington.
San Juan Plaza in Farmington is also home to an annual strongman
competition which takes place the last Saturday of July.
Farmington holds a riverfest once a year. Area rivers are celebrated with a festival of music, fine arts, food, entertainment, a 10K and 5K run & walk, riverside trail walks and river raft rides.
Farmington, New Mexico is home to one of the United States' Top Municipal Golf Courses, Pinon Hills Golf Course. Owned and operated by the City of Farmington, Pinon Hills has been ranked in the Top Municipal Golf Courses by Golfweek Magazine for several years.
San Juan County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*51.6% White*0.6% Black*36.6% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*7.2% Other races*19.1% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. As of the 2010 U.S. Census the city had a total population of 45,877 people. Farmington (and surrounding San Juan County) makes up one of the four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's) in New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate in 2006 for Farmington was about 43,573.
Farmington is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River
Animas River
Animas River is a river in the western United States, a tributary of the San Juan River, part of the Colorado River System. The Spanish named the river "Rio de las Animas Perdidas", "River of the Lost Souls". It is also the last free-flowing river in Colorado. The river's free-flowing status...
, and the La Plata River, and is located on the Colorado Plateau
Colorado Plateau
The Colorado Plateau, also called the Colorado Plateau Province, is a physiographic region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. The province covers an area of 337,000 km2 within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico,...
. Farmington is the largest City, and one of only two significant towns, of San Juan County, one of the largest counties in the United States covering 5538 square miles (14,343.4 km²). The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
and the other city in San Juan County is Aztec
Aztec, New Mexico
Aztec is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Farmington, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,378 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of San Juan County...
. Farmington serves as the commercial hub for most of northwestern New Mexico and the Four Corners region of four states. Farmington lies at or near the junction of three important highways U.S. Highway 550, U.S. Highway 64, and New Mexico Highway 371.
The primary industries of San Juan County are in the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
of petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, and coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
. Major coal mines are the Navajo and San Juan mines, operated by BHP Billiton 15 to 19 mi (24.1 to 30.6 km) southwest of Farmington. The coal mined from the Navajo and San Juan mines is used entirely for fuel for the nearby Four Corners Generating Station
Four Corners Generating Station
The Four Corners Generating Station is a coal-fired power plant located near Fruitland, New Mexico, United States, on property located within the Navajo Indian Reservation that is leased from the Navajo Nation.-Description:...
and San Juan Power Plant to produce electric power
Electric power
Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations...
.
Farmington is known across New Mexico and throughout the southwest for its baseball tournaments, and the Ricketts Ball Park is the home of the Connie Mack World Series. Farmington High School
Farmington High School (New Mexico)
Farmington High School is a public high school in Farmington, New Mexico . It is part of the Farmington Municipal School District....
claimed the AAAA Baseball State Championship four years in a row from 2005 through 2008.
The site of an underground nuclear detonation in 1967 called Project Gasbuggy
Project Gasbuggy
Project Gasbuggy was an underground nuclear detonation carried out by the United States Atomic Energy Commission on December 10, 1967 in rural northern New Mexico...
, a part of the defunct Operation Plowshare
Operation Plowshare
Project Plowshare was the overall United States term for the development of techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes...
, was located in the Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest
Carson National Forest is a national forest in northern New Mexico, United States. It encompasses 6,070 square kilometers and is administered by the United States Forest Service...
and was about 50 miles (80.5 km) east of Farmington and about 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Dulce, New Mexico
Dulce, New Mexico
Dulce is a census-designated place in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,623 at the 2000 census, almost entirely Native American...
. This pilot project of Operation Plowshare was an attempt to fracture a large volume of underground bedrock in order to make more natural gas available for extraction by gas wells.
The Navajo Indian Reservation is west of Farmington, the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is to the northwest, and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation
Southern Ute Indian Reservation
The Southern Ute Indian Reservation lies in southwestern Colorado, USA, along the northern border of New Mexico. Its territory consists of land from three counties; in descending order of surface area they are La Plata, Archuleta, and Montezuma Counties. The reservation has a land area of 1,058.785...
is to the northeast of Farmington. Prehistoric Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
ruins are located nearby. The Aztec Ruins National Monument
Aztec Ruins National Monument
The Aztec Ruins National Monument preserves ancestral Pueblo structures in north-western New Mexico, United States, located close to the town of Aztec and northeast of Farmington, near the Animas River...
and the Salmon Ruins
Salmon Ruins
Salmon Ruins is a site in the far northwest of the American state of New Mexico hosting a Chacoan Anasazi great house built between approximately 1088 CE and 1100 CE. The complex contained around 150 ground-level rooms arranged into a D-shaped profile; up to 100 second-floor rooms are estimated to...
are ancient dwellings located just to the northeast and the east of Farmington. Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. It was created in 1906 to protect some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the world...
lies about 40 miles (64.4 km) to the northwest, and Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park hosting the densest and most exceptional concentration of pueblos in the American Southwest. The park is located in northwestern New Mexico, between Albuquerque and Farmington, in a remote canyon cut by the Chaco Wash...
is about 50 miles (80.5 km) to the southeast.
The people of Farmington have been the subject of several civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
investigations, including the 2005 report, The Farmington Report: Civil Rights for Native Americans 30 Years Later.
Geography
Farmington is located at 36°45′6"N 108°11′23"W (36.751549, -108.189768).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Farmington has a total area of 27 square miles (69.9 km²), of which 26.6 square miles (68.9 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 45,877 people, 17,548 housing units, and 11,500 families residing in Farmington. The racial makeup of the city (non-Hispanic) was 52.4% White, 0.8% African American, 21.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.4% of the population.
There were 16,466 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.7 and the average family size was 3.19.
Education
The Farmington Municipal School District serves over 10,000 students in grades K-12 in 18 schools. The high schools are Farmington High SchoolFarmington High School (New Mexico)
Farmington High School is a public high school in Farmington, New Mexico . It is part of the Farmington Municipal School District....
, Piedra Vista High School
Piedra Vista High School
Piedra Vista High School is a public high school in Farmington, New Mexico founded in 1998. It is part of the Farmington Municipal School District....
, and Rocinante High School. There are six private schools.
San Juan College is a public two-year college with average enrollment of about 10,000.
Farmington has the feature of College Boulevard. On this 3 miles (4.8 km) road students can get a complete education all the way from preschool to a Doctor of Philosophy degree. The schools that can be attended here include (in order) Casa Montessori Pre-School, Mesa Verde Elementary School, Heights Middle School, Piedra Vista High School, and San Juan College. All five located on College Boulevard.
Farmington Public Library
Farmington Public Library
Farmington Public Library is a public library system in San Juan County, New Mexico. The main library is in Farmington and there is one branch library in Shiprock.- History :The library was founded in 1921 in the living room of Mrs. Lorena Mahany’s home...
moved into a new building in 2003 and holds about 200,000 items in its collection. There is a branch library in Shiprock
Shiprock, New Mexico
Shiprock is a census-designated place in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States, on the Navajo reservation. The population was 8,156 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Farmington Metropolitan Statistical Area....
.
Transportation
Air transportation- Farmington is served by Four Corners Regional AirportFour Corners Regional AirportFour Corners Regional Airport is a public airport located northwest of the central business district of Farmington, a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, United States. Formerly Mesa Airlines provided flights to Albuquerque, however these were discontinued in 2007...
.
Highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
- U.S. Highway 64, the major east-west highway through San Juan County
- U.S. Highway 550, which runs through nearby Bloomfield, NM and Aztec, NM, connects Farmington with central New Mexico, Interstate 25Interstate 25Interstate 25 is an Interstate Highway in the western United States. It is primarily a north–south highway. I-25 stretches from Interstate 10 at Las Cruces, New Mexico, , to Interstate 90 in Buffalo, Wyoming, .Interstate 25 is the main north–south expressway through...
, and the capital cityCapital CityCapital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
of Santa Fe - U.S. Highway 491, formerly U.S. 666, runs north-south though San Jan County well to the west of Farmington.
- New Mexico Highway 371 extends due southward from Farmington all the way to Interstate 40Interstate 40Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
. It travels almost exclusively through the Navajo Indian reservation, and only passes through a few small towns or villiages (such as Crownpoint, NM, Thoreau, NM). It is also the primary means of accessing the Bisti/De-Na-Zin WildernessBisti/De-Na-Zin WildernessThe Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness is a wilderness area located in San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Established in 1984, the Wilderness is a desolate area of steeply eroded badlands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, with the exception of three parcels of private Navajo land...
area.
Railroad
There is no passenger railroad service anywhere in San Juan County.
Intercity bus
Intercity bus
An intercity bus is a bus that carries passengers significant distances between different cities, towns, or other populated areas. Unlike a municipal bus, which has frequent stops throughout a city or town, an intercity bus generally has a single stop at a centralized location within the city, and...
There is intercity bus service in Farmington.
Activities
Farmington has been the home of the Connie Mack World Series of Baseball for 43 years, hosting its first CMWS tournament in 1965. Connie Mack regular season play allows players ages 16 to 18 to participate. The Connie Mack World Series consists of 10 teams from various regions around the United States, including a team from Puerto Rico. The Connie Mack World Series is played in August yearly, at Ricketts Park in the City of Farmington. Operated by the City of Farmington year-round, the seating capacity at Ricketts Park baseball field is 5,072. Dimensions of Ricketts field - RF-330, RCF-342, CF-370, LCF-344, and LF-320.San Juan Plaza in Farmington is also home to an annual strongman
Strongman (strength athlete)
In the 19th century, the term strongman referred to an exhibitor of strength or circus performers of similar ilk who displayed feats of strength such as the bent press , supporting large amounts of...
competition which takes place the last Saturday of July.
Farmington holds a riverfest once a year. Area rivers are celebrated with a festival of music, fine arts, food, entertainment, a 10K and 5K run & walk, riverside trail walks and river raft rides.
Farmington, New Mexico is home to one of the United States' Top Municipal Golf Courses, Pinon Hills Golf Course. Owned and operated by the City of Farmington, Pinon Hills has been ranked in the Top Municipal Golf Courses by Golfweek Magazine for several years.
Notable people
- Larry EchohawkLarry EchoHawkLarry EchoHawk is an attorney and legal scholar. On May 20, 2009, EchoHawk joined the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama as the head of the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. He served as Attorney General of Idaho from 1991 to 1995.-Biography:EchoHawk was raised in Farmington, New...
(1948–present), head of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs - Alana Nichols (1983–present ), paralympic gold medalist in alpine skiingParalympic alpine skiingParalympic alpine skiing is an adaptation of alpine skiing for athletes with a disability. Paralympic alpine skiing is one of the sports in the Paralympic Winter Games...
and wheelchair basketballWheelchair basketballWheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole... - Willard Hughes RollingsWillard Hughes RollingsWillard Hughes Rollings was a scholar of Native American history and of the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand....
(1948–2008), a historianHistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
of Native AmericansNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... - D. R. Underwood (1962–present), artist, author and founder of Tsunami Graphic Arts
External links
- Official Website of the City of Farmington
- Farmington Chamber of Commerce
- Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Farmington Daily Times
- Four Corners Storytelling Festival Annual storytelling festivalStorytelling festivalA storytelling festival is often an annual event that features local, regional and/or nationally known oral storytellers. Each storyteller will have a scheduled amount of time to share a story with an audience...
in October - Gasbuggy Nuclear Test Site