San Miguel County, New Mexico

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4736 sqmi, of which 4716 sqmi is land and 20 sqmi (0.4%) is water. The country is more than 100 mile long from east to west and 40 mile wide north to south and reaches from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains. The highest elevation in the county is 11661 ft at Elk Mountain and the lowest elevation is on the Canadian River at about 3800 ft.

The eastern two thirds of the country is semi-arid steppe grassland. The Bell Ranch receives 15 inch of precipitation annually, most in the summer months. 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 8250 ft receives 25 inch of annual precipitation. Wesner Springs at an elevation of 11120 ft on the slopes of Elk Mountain has a subarctic climate (Dfc), receiving 37 inch of precipitation annually. |access-date = December 30, 2023

Adjacent counties

• Mora County – north
• Harding County – east
• Quay County – southeast
• Guadalupe County – south
• Torrance County – southwest
• Santa Fe County – west

National protected areas

• Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge
• Pecos National Historical Park (part)
• Pecos Wilderness area (part)
• Santa Fe National Forest (part)

History

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.

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 431654 acre (674 sqmi). 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, initially 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.

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. 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. By 1890, a few, mostly Anglo, ranchers controlled one-half of the grazing lands in San Miguel County. Homesteaders also moved into San Miguel County, claiming 160 acre 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.

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. By 2004, of the original land of the Las Vegas grant, only 10340 acre remained in common ownership.

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 27,201. The median age was 44.3 years. 19.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.2 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 45.5% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 2.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 20.9% from some other race, and 29.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 75.3% of the population.

53.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 46.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 11,351 households in the county, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 31.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 14,768 housing units, of which 23.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 70.4% were owner-occupied and 29.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.1%.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 29,393 people, 11,978 households, and 7,275 families living in the county.{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213012125/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US35047 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213235202/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US35047 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024708/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US35047 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

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.

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.{{cite web |access-date=January 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213024116/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US35047 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |url-status=dead

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 30,126 people, 11,134 households, and 7,537 families living in the county. The population density was 6 /mi2. There were 14,254 housing units at an average density of 3 /mi2. 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.

Communities

City

• Las Vegas (county seat)

Villages

• Mosquero (part)
• Pecos

Census-designated places

• Conchas Dam
• East Pecos
• North San Ysidro
• Pueblo
• Ribera
• Rowe
• San Jose
• Sena
• Soham
• Tecolote
• Tecolotito
• Villanueva

Other communities

• Bernal
• Canocito
• 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

• Las Ruedas

Education

Public school districts include:

• 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.

Notable people

• 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

San Miguel County has traditionally been heavily Democratic. The last time it voted Republican for president was 1956, and from 1992 to 2020 no Republican cracked 30% of the vote. Donald Trump broke through this particular record in 2024, when he carried 34.99% of the vote; his performance in the county was the best by a Republican presidential candidate since Reagan in 1984.

References

References

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