Sofia, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Sofia is a small unincorporated community in Union County
, northeast New Mexico
, United States
. It lies at 36.452°N 103.829°W, at an elevation of 6220 feet (1,895.9 m).
Sofia, named after the Bulgaria
n capital Sofia
, was established in 1911 as the oldest Bulgarian
agricultural colony in the United States. The community's founders were brothers Dimitar and Ivan Kostadinov who leased 320 acre (1.3 km²; 0.500000442086972 sq mi) of land. In 1912, the name of the colony was chosen on a meeting; other alternatives that were considered were Georgetown and Tarnovo (after the medieval Bulgarian capital
).
The Kostadinov brothers invited fellow Bulgarians Gancho Belchev, Ivan Stoyanov, Hristo Naumov, Kosta Dimitrov, Risto Pochev and Kolyu Iliev, who arrived in the spring of 1914. The agricultural colony slowly grew as the colonists got married and leased additional land. By the end of World War I
, each of the eight Bulgarian families owned and cultivated 120 acre (0.4856232 km²; 0.187500165782614 sq mi). The most widely grown crops were bean
s, though wheat
, maize
, millet
and potato
es were also popular.
By 1916, the colonists had begun building their family houses. A post office
was soon established by the New Mexico state authorities and a few shops were opened. Until 1920, Sofia was a farming cooperative
; in that year, the farmers became owners of the land they had been leasing. Several of the farmers chose to sell the land they had acquired and returned to Bulgaria in the 1920s. The colony declined after World War II
.
Union County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.7% White*1.8% Black*2.0% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.3% Two or more races*11.7% Other races*39.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, northeast 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...
. It lies at 36.452°N 103.829°W, at an elevation of 6220 feet (1,895.9 m).
Sofia, named after the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n capital Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, was established in 1911 as the oldest Bulgarian
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
agricultural colony in the United States. The community's founders were brothers Dimitar and Ivan Kostadinov who leased 320 acre (1.3 km²; 0.500000442086972 sq mi) of land. In 1912, the name of the colony was chosen on a meeting; other alternatives that were considered were Georgetown and Tarnovo (after the medieval Bulgarian capital
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
).
The Kostadinov brothers invited fellow Bulgarians Gancho Belchev, Ivan Stoyanov, Hristo Naumov, Kosta Dimitrov, Risto Pochev and Kolyu Iliev, who arrived in the spring of 1914. The agricultural colony slowly grew as the colonists got married and leased additional land. By the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, each of the eight Bulgarian families owned and cultivated 120 acre (0.4856232 km²; 0.187500165782614 sq mi). The most widely grown crops were bean
Bean
Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....
s, though wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
and potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es were also popular.
By 1916, the colonists had begun building their family houses. A post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
was soon established by the New Mexico state authorities and a few shops were opened. Until 1920, Sofia was a farming cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
; in that year, the farmers became owners of the land they had been leasing. Several of the farmers chose to sell the land they had acquired and returned to Bulgaria in the 1920s. The colony declined after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.