History of Socorro County A HISTORY OF SOCORRO COUNTY, NM ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Sam-Quito Padilla September 20, 2001 http://www.rootsweb/ *********************************************************************** Created by the Territorial Legislature in 1852, Socorro County was once the largest in New Mexico, and has clearly had one of the least stable boundaries. Since its establishment under United States control, its area has been changed seventeen times, and its very existence was once threatened by legislative action. In the 1850's, Socorro County ran east-west between the Texas and California lines, taking in almost one quarter of New Mexico and most of southern Arizona. Subsequent subtractions have diminished the county to its present boundaries, while increasing those of seven others. In 1927, the State Legislature attempted to abolish both Socorro and Catron in order to create a new Rio Grande County. A court suit voided this act and the two counties retained their independence. Since it came into existence the Socorro County seat has been at the city of Socorro. Among the county's earliest inhabitants were the Piro Indians, the most southerly of the Puebloans, and probably part of the Tiwa language group. Having come into the region in the 1200's, they lived in more than twenty villages in the Rio Grande Valley between La Joya and San Marcial, as well as in another area east of the river around Las Salinas. Their most prominent settlements were Senecú, Teypana, Alamillo, Sevilleta, Pilabó, and Qualacú. The Piros shared an uneasy occupation of the region with the Apache, who more often than not were hostile. The county area and its Piro residents, located as they were along the Rio Grande route north from México, were visited by nearly all of the early Spanish explorers. In 1541, one of Coronado's officers and his men camped for.a day near Teypana. Later in the sixteenth century the Chamuscado-Rodríguez and Espejo expeditions stopped in the Piro territory on their way north. In 1598, Juan de Oñate was a guest of the Piros, and recorded in his journal, "We halted fbr the night opposite Teypana, the pueblo which we called Socorro, because it furnished us with maize." Early in the 1600's, Spanish missionaries were assigned to the Piro villages, and not only made efforts to spread their faith, but had missions constructed as well. Fray Antonio de Arteaga and Fray García de Zúñiga, who were prominent among these early priests, founded the mission at Senecú in 1629 near the present town of San Antonio. Another mission was opened at about the same time at Pilabó, near modern Socorro. Visitas were later established at Alamillo and Sevilleta. Gradually, a few Spanish settlers located along the river at such places as Fra Cristóbal (which had a military post), Valverde, Luis López, La Joya, and Felipe Romero. These sites amounted to little more than scattered haciendas, but they did serve as stopovers on the Camino Real, the important link between México and its far northern colony. Life in the 17th century Socorro area was by no means peaceful; the Apaches were a continual menace to the Piros as well as to the Spanish, and on occasion the two Indian groups allied against the white settlers. In 1665, the Piros and Apaches raided Socorro, intending to drive out the settlers, but Governor Fernando de Villanueva's forces managed to hold out after being ambushed in the Magdalena Mountains. The Governor ordered six hangings in reprisal. The allied Indians planned another revolt about five years later, but were discovered before they could act. In 1675, the mission at Senecu was abandoned after Apache raids. Despite these Apache Pueblo alliances, the more usual theme was Apaches against all others. Throughout the century, Apache depredations seriously reduced the Piro population and destroyed several of their villages. When the northern pueblos staged their uprising in 1680, the Piros elected to follow the defeated Spaniards south to El Paso, where they established new villages. The Spanish, however, had no intention of giving up their former holdings, and in 1681 Governor Otermín headed back up the Rio Grande to attempt a reconquest. He stopped at Senecú and Socorro, where he burned the remaining structures, and also completed the destruction of Alamillo and Sevilleta, both of which had been partially sacked by Indians. When General de Vargas came north on his successful mission of conquest, he found the walls of the Socorro church still standing, but the area was abandoned. Spanish presence in the county area during the 18th century was limited. Stops on the Camino Real were reestablished, and a few of them apparently developed into sparse settlements, particularly Valverde and La Joya. The Apache had by no means grown benign, and three Spanish expeditions were sent into the area against them. In 1767, troops under Lope de Cuellar fought the Indians on the plains of San Agustín; in 1774-1775, Hugo Oconor and his men battled them again; and in the 1780's Governor de Anza led the third force against them. In 1780, a temporary resettlement of Socdrro was apparently carried out by a small group of families from México, and the old mission of Nuestra Señora del Socorro de Pilabó was rebuilt. The town is said to have been laid out in the shape of ellipse, with gates at the north and south. Two concentric walls were built, with living quarters arranged between them. The settlers' livestock were penned inside the enclosure at night to keep them safe from marauding Apaches. Official resettlement of the site was ordered by Spanish officials in 1800 but the Governor of New Mexico decided to send settlers to Alamillo instead, since it was nearer to the' more populous northern communities, and therefore more defensible. Sixty-two families were located at the site in March of that year, supported at first by a government subsidy, and protected by a detachment of twenty-one soldiers. In spite of these precautions the settlement failed to develop economically. While it was still active, however, Zebulon Pike passed through it on his march south as a captive, and described it as being a neat and attractive place. Socorro finally did receive some regular inhabitants in the years 1815-1817 when Governor Maynez gave grants of land in the vicinity to twenty-one families as an inducement to the achievement of a healthy population level, since he was interested primarily in securing the Camino Real from the threats of Apaches. Grapes from the vineyards planted nearly a century before by Fray Antonio de Arteaga were recultivated and pressed into local wine, which became a valuable source of trade with the northern settlements. Also during these years San Antonio (the former Senecú) was resettled by shepherds and cattlemen, and enjoyed the distinction of being the last village on the Camino north of the Mesilla Valley. During the Mexican period trade on the Camino Real dwindled, but with the development of the Santa Fé Trail there was some new commerce involving shipments of American merchandise down to Chihuahua and México City, which helped to offset the loss of Mexican trade in the Socorro County area. The town of Socorro benefited from this trade, while serving also as the southern trading center for Indians during that period. As usual, the Indians wanted not only to trade but also to raid, and in 1837 the town experienced troubles with the Apache once again. After the war with México, the victorious Americans still faced the Indians, who tended to consider all white men, regardless of their nationality, as fair prey. To counter these threats, the United States Army established a network of frontier forts, including Fort Conrad on the west bank of the Rio Grande just across the river from Valverde. In 1854, Fort Conrad was abandoned and its troops were relocated nine miles south at the better situated Fort Craig. During this same period, a detachment of dragoons was stationed at Socorro, but their presence did not seem to increase the security of local citizens, who complained to the territorial government in 1852 that only well-armed parties could travel between towns, and that on occasion Indians had entered the town in broad daylight. In 1860, a group of Navajos stole a flock of sheep just outside the settlement, and troops from Fort Craig had to be sent out to make a partial recovery. In August 1861, southern New Mexico and southern Arizona were proclaimed as the Territory of Arizona in the Confederate States of America. In January, 1862, Confederate troops under General H. H. Sibley marched in from Texas on a mission to extend their claim to include the northern part of the territory. At Valverde they were met by General Canby and 3,800 troops from Fort Craig, and the two- armies engaged in an all-day battle in which the Confederates triumphed. Union forces withdrew to the fort and Sibley's men continued their march to Santa Fé. This was the first battle of the Civil War fought in New Mexico. As unwelcome as this period was in American history, it did benefit the economy of Socorro, since Union forces bought supplies and equipment in the town in anticipation of the Confederate invasion, and officers were quartered in the Park Hotel. Nearly coinciding with the end of the war were the initial ore strikes in the county, presaging the period of unusual wealth and activity that was to come. In 1866 lead was discovered in the Magdalena district, and in 1867 silver was found in the Socorro Peak district. By the 1880's, the mining boom in Socorro County was in full swing, with crowded camps and tent cities dotting the land. In a six- month period in 1880-81, nearly 3,000 different ore deposits were located. Between 1880 and 1890 the city of Socorro enjoyed the prestige of being the center of an entire mining region, recognition of which came in 1889 when it was chosen as the site of the New Mexico School of Mines. Earlier in the decade, it had acquired its own smelting operation, and in general was the rival of Santa Fé for territorial importance. The city, incorporated in 1884, saw at one time almost 200 wagon trains daily lumbering in with ore from the Socorro Mountain, Magdalena, and Water Canyon districts. This influx of ore meant an influx of miners as well. Indeed, over 3,000 of them were estimated to have used the city as their trading and gambling center, which made the establishment of two banks and thirty saloons understandable. In spite of such progress, however, it must be mentioned that as late as 1881 Socorro experienced an Indian attack in which several residents were killed. At the time Socorro County had the best mining land in the territory, and dozens of new towns developed. Names such as Grafton, Chloride, Fairview, Carbonateville, Clairmont, Alma, Dismuke, Dusty, and Rosedale became significant, but not nearly as important as the names Kelly and Magdalena. These were the two principal boom towns in Socorro County, with the population of Kelly estimated during its peak at 5,000. Magdalena, which had begun as a collection of tents, quickly gained substantiality with the development of a railroad line from Socorro. In a forty-year period, from the 1880's to the 1920's, the Magdalena district production was valued at some $30 million. The railroad once played a different role in Magdalena. Throughout the 1880's, Indian threats remained fair iy constant, and on one occasion a special train was sent out'from Socorro to evacuate the women and children in threatened localities. All this development led to the development of coal mining in the area to supply fuel for locomotives, mills, and smelters. Coal fields were opened near Carthage between 1880 and 1885, adding to the production level of Socorro County's heyday. This vigorous mining activity was only one part of the economic development of the county in the late 19th century. Agriculture and stock raising were nearly equal to it in importance. Indeed, Magdalena's reputation was due in great measure to the fact that it was the largest wool and cattle shipping point in the state, and, in fact, was one of the principal stock centers in the nation. The ranching country to the west produced livestock in abundance, as cattlemen subjected the then fertile grazing land to a sort of gold rush of their own. In the river valley, farms in the vicinity of San Marcial, San Francisco, Lemitar, Polvadera, and La Joya produced fruits and vegetables abundantly. In 1917, a stock driveway leading to the railroad shipping pens at Magdalena was completed. Some eighty miles long and seven miles wide, it was the country's largest. However, just'a' few years later the great cattle boom in Socorro County was to end; the last spectacular cattle shipment from Magdalena occurred in 1915. Also during the 1920's the mining boom played out, leaving the area strangely quiet after its several decades of intense and energetic development. This calm was shattered violently and dramatically near dawn on July 16, 1945, when at a spot named Trinity on the White Sands Missile Range some twenty-six miles south of Carthage, the world's first atomic bomb was detonated. Though the world at large has been forever changed by the consequences of that awful blast of light and heat, Socorro County has returned to a state of relative inactivity and awaits a period of some new local growth to restore it to its past prominence. ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS Socorro County, with 6,626 square miles, ranks third in size among the state's counties. A variety of vegetative types are found in the county, such as ponderosa pine and Douglas fir in the west, piñon-juniper in the northwest and east, and mesquite and creosote bush following the Rio Grande Valley. Irrigated lands are found in the Rio Grande Valley and some grassland appears among the other vegetation.