La Cueva, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
La Cueva is an unincorporated community
on the Mora River in Mora County
, New Mexico
, United States
, situated at the intersection of New Mexico Routes 442 and 518
. It was established in 1851 by Vicente Romero who found the nearby location of Fort Union
provided both protection from the Apache
and a market for his crops. Legend has it that he named the village La Cueva because he lived in a nearby cave (Sp.
: la cueva) while he was building his ranch house. He and his neighbors prospered and he built a grist mill in the early 1860s.
La Cueva had a post office from 1868 until 1961. The La Cueva Historic District became a United States registered
historical district
in 1973 and preserves 470 acres (1.9 km²). It includes the mill, the original San Rafael Church, a mercantile (store), the 1851 Romero ranch house, as well as other parts of the Romero ranch and village center.
La Cueva Lake is one mile (1.6 km) east of the village.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
on the Mora River in Mora County
Mora County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*70.9% White*0.7% Black*1.3% Native American*0.3% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.3% Two or more races*23.5% Other races*81.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, situated at the intersection of New Mexico Routes 442 and 518
New Mexico State Road 518
State Road 518 is a long state highway in northern New Mexico. NM 518 begins in the south near Interstate 25 in Las Vegas and proceeds north to La Cueva where the road turns northwest at its junction with New Mexico State Road 442. The road continues northwest through Mora and eventually ends at...
. It was established in 1851 by Vicente Romero who found the nearby location of Fort Union
Fort Union National Monument
Fort Union National Monument is a unit of the National Park Service located north of Watrous, Mora County, New Mexico, USA. The national monument was founded on June 28, 1954....
provided both protection from the Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
and a market for his crops. Legend has it that he named the village La Cueva because he lived in a nearby cave (Sp.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: la cueva) while he was building his ranch house. He and his neighbors prospered and he built a grist mill in the early 1860s.
La Cueva had a post office from 1868 until 1961. The La Cueva Historic District became a United States registered
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
historical district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
in 1973 and preserves 470 acres (1.9 km²). It includes the mill, the original San Rafael Church, a mercantile (store), the 1851 Romero ranch house, as well as other parts of the Romero ranch and village center.
La Cueva Lake is one mile (1.6 km) east of the village.
Further reading
- Julyan, Robert Hixson (1998) "La Cueva" The place names of New Mexico (2nd ed.) University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM, p. 189, ISBN 0-8263-1688-3
- New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs (1995) Enchanted Lifeways: The history, museums, arts & festivals of New Mexico New Mexico Magazine, Santa Fe, N.M., p. 87, ISBN 0-937206-39-3