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Las Vegas, New Mexico

Las Vegas, often known simply as Vegas, is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States.[5] Once two separate municipalities (one a city and the other a town), both were named Las Vegas—West Las Vegas ("Old Town") and East Las Vegas ("New Town"); they are separated by the Gallinas River and retain distinct characters and separate, rival school districts.

Las Vegas, New Mexico
Old Town Las Vegas, New Mexico
Location of Las Vegas, New Mexico
Coordinates: 35°35′49″N 105°13′21″W / 35.59694°N 105.22250°W / 35.59694; -105.22250
CountryUnited States
StateNew Mexico
CountySan Miguel
Government
 • TypeMayor-council government
 • MayorDavid Romero [1]
 • City ManagerWilliam Taylor [2]
Area
 • Total8.62 sq mi (22.34 km2)
 • Land8.62 sq mi (22.33 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
6,424 ft (1,958 m)
Population
 • Total13,166
 • Density1,527.02/sq mi (589.59/km2)
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP Codes
87701, 87745
Area code505
FIPS code35-39940
GNIS feature ID0915788
Websitelasvegasnm.gov

The population was 13,166 at the 2020 census.[6] Las Vegas is located 110 miles (180 km) south of Raton, 65 miles (105 km) east of Santa Fe, 122 miles (196 km) northeast of Albuquerque, 257 miles (414 km) south of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and 326 miles (525 km) south of Denver.

History edit

 
The Plaza Hotel, built in 1881, on the Plaza of West Las Vegas
 
New Mexico Insane Asylum in Las Vegas, 1904

Las Vegas was established in 1835 after a group of settlers received a land grant from the Mexican government. (The land had previously been granted to Luis Mara Cabeza de Baca, whose family later received a settlement.) The town was laid out in the traditional Spanish Colonial style, with a central plaza surrounded by buildings which could serve as fortifications in case of attack. Las Vegas soon prospered as a stop on the Santa Fe Trail. During the Mexican–American War in 1846, Stephen W. Kearny delivered an address at the Plaza of Las Vegas claiming New Mexico for the United States. In 1847, the town was the site of the Battle of Las Vegas, which was a part of the broader Taos Revolt by local Hispanos and Pueblo peoples against United States forces. In 1860, the United States Congress passed a law allowing the Cabeza de Baca heirs to choose other grants in lieu of their Las Vegas grant.[7]

In 1877 Las Vegas College, the precursor to Regis University, was founded in Las Vegas by a group of exiled Italian Jesuits. In 1887, Las Vegas College moved to Denver whereupon the name was changed.[8]

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived at Las Vegas from the north on July 4, 1879.[9] To maintain control of development rights, it established a station and related development one mile (1.6 km) east of the Plaza, creating a separate, rival New Town, as occurred elsewhere in the Old West. The same competing development occurred in Albuquerque, for instance. During the railroad era Las Vegas boomed, quickly becoming one of the largest cities in the American Southwest. Turn-of-the-century Las Vegas featured all the modern amenities, including an electric street railway, the "Duncan Opera House" at the northeast corner of 6th Street and Douglas Avenue, a Carnegie library, the Castañeda Hotel (a major Harvey House), and the New Mexico Normal School (now New Mexico Highlands University). Since the decline and restructuring of the railroad industry began in the 1950s, the city's population has remained relatively constant. Although the two towns have been combined, separate school districts have been maintained (Las Vegas City Schools and West Las Vegas School District).

The anti-colonist organization Las Gorras Blancas was active in the area in the 1890s.

Cowboy Reunions edit

Beginning in 1915, the Las Vegas Cowboys' Reunions were held annually until 1931; then in 1939, the Cowboys' Reunions were re-established. Their slogan was, "Git Fer Vegas, Cowboy!" These reunions were organized by a group of ranching families and cowboys which soon became the Las Vegas Cowboys' Reunion Association. The Reunions celebrated ranching life, which began in northern New Mexico in the early 1800s and continues into the 21st century. The annual affair included pie eating contests, barbecues, parades, banquets, balls, and "ranch rodeos." In the early years, celebrities—cowhands as well as big-name bands, movie stars like Tom Mix, and artists such as Randall Davey—came to Las Vegas for this event. In later years, famous cowhands participated in the Cowboys' Reunion Rodeos. The Cowboys' Reunions reflected the occupations of the area and attracted huge crowds for their four days of events. In 1952, the Cowboys' Reunion Association invited the Rough Riders Association to join them at the annual rodeo.[10]

Outlaws edit

The arrival of the railroad in 1879 brought with it businesses, development and new residents, both respectable and dubious. Murderers, robbers, thieves, gamblers, gunmen, swindlers, vagrants, and tramps poured in, transforming the eastern side of the settlement into a virtually lawless brawl. Among the notorious characters were such legends of the Old West as: dentist Doc Holliday and his girlfriend Big Nose Kate, Dave Rudabaugh, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Mysterious Dave Mather, Hoodoo Brown, and Handsome Harry the Dancehall Rustler.[11]

Historian Ralph Emerson Twitchell once claimed regarding the Old West, "Without exception there was no town which harbored a more disreputable gang of desperadoes and outlaws than did Las Vegas."[12]

 
Circa 1910-1920

Geography edit

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19 km2), all land.

Climate edit

Las Vegas has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk).

Climate data for Las Vegas, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1983–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 72
(22)
74
(23)
80
(27)
85
(29)
92
(33)
98
(37)
99
(37)
95
(35)
94
(34)
88
(31)
81
(27)
74
(23)
99
(37)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 64.0
(17.8)
65.7
(18.7)
72.8
(22.7)
77.2
(25.1)
86.2
(30.1)
92.4
(33.6)
93.0
(33.9)
91.0
(32.8)
86.7
(30.4)
81.4
(27.4)
71.8
(22.1)
66.3
(19.1)
94.5
(34.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 50.1
(10.1)
52.8
(11.6)
60.4
(15.8)
67.2
(19.6)
75.0
(23.9)
84.7
(29.3)
85.2
(29.6)
84.2
(29.0)
78.6
(25.9)
69.2
(20.7)
58.7
(14.8)
50.2
(10.1)
68.0
(20.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 30.7
(−0.7)
33.6
(0.9)
40.4
(4.7)
47.7
(8.7)
55.3
(12.9)
64.9
(18.3)
68.2
(20.1)
67.2
(19.6)
60.3
(15.7)
49.3
(9.6)
38.9
(3.8)
30.8
(−0.7)
48.9
(9.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 11.3
(−11.5)
14.4
(−9.8)
20.3
(−6.5)
28.2
(−2.1)
35.7
(2.1)
45.2
(7.3)
51.2
(10.7)
50.2
(10.1)
42.1
(5.6)
29.4
(−1.4)
19.0
(−7.2)
11.5
(−11.4)
29.9
(−1.2)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −3.2
(−19.6)
−0.6
(−18.1)
6.7
(−14.1)
17.1
(−8.3)
24.2
(−4.3)
34.9
(1.6)
43.2
(6.2)
41.9
(5.5)
30.0
(−1.1)
15.0
(−9.4)
3.0
(−16.1)
−5.1
(−20.6)
−11.3
(−24.1)
Record low °F (°C) −22
(−30)
−32
(−36)
−9
(−23)
10
(−12)
11
(−12)
28
(−2)
33
(1)
30
(−1)
20
(−7)
−3
(−19)
−16
(−27)
−32
(−36)
−32
(−36)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.42
(11)
0.45
(11)
0.56
(14)
0.70
(18)
1.49
(38)
1.36
(35)
3.19
(81)
3.12
(79)
2.43
(62)
1.69
(43)
0.57
(14)
0.74
(19)
16.72
(425)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.0
(7.6)
3.8
(9.7)
2.8
(7.1)
1.3
(3.3)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
1.4
(3.6)
4.0
(10)
5.7
(14)
22.0
(56)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 2.0 2.3 2.2 2.8 4.3 4.9 9.1 9.5 5.6 3.4 2.8 2.1 51.0
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 1.7 1.5 1.1 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.3 1.6 7.9
Source 1: NOAA[13]
Source 2: National Weather Service[14]

Natural disasters edit

In late winter and spring of 2022, Las Vegas and surrounding areas of San Miguel and Mora counties experienced the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire. The fire burned 341,471 acres, making it the largest blaze in New Mexico's recorded history.[15]

Demographics edit

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18902,312
19003,55253.6%
19103,7555.7%
19204,30414.6%
19304,7199.6%
19405,94125.9%
19507,49426.1%
19607,7903.9%
19707,528−3.4%
198014,32290.2%
199014,7533.0%
200014,565−1.3%
201013,753−5.6%
202013,166−4.3%
2021 (est.)13,157[16]−0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[17][4]

As of the census[18] of 2000, there were 14,565 people, 5,588 households, and 3,559 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,938.2 inhabitants per square mile (748.3/km2). There were 6,366 housing units at an average density of 847.1 per square mile (327.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 54.21% White, 0.99% African American, 1.96% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 37.19% from other races, and 4.95% from two or more races. Hispanic people of any race were 82.94% of the population.

As noted in the chart to the right, the population of Las Vegas peaked at 14,753 in 1990. By 2019, the estimated population had decreased 12.43% to 12,919.

There were 5,588 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

The median income in 2019 for a household in the city was $26,561 as compared to the New Mexico median income of $49,754 and the national median of $62,843. The median income for a family in Las Vegas was $29,797. Males had a median income of $26,319 versus $21,731 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20.080 as compared to $34,103 nationally as noted in the 2019 Census estimate. In the past, 24.3% of families and 27.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.7% of those under age 18 and 20.1% of those age 65 or over. The most recent figures (2019) as provided by the U. S. Census Bureau estimate the total number of persons (all ages) at or below the poverty line has increased to 35.6%.[19] This is significantly higher than the national average of 10.5% and the State average of 18.2%.

Libraries and museums edit

 
AT&SF engine #1129 on the corner of Grand & Mills

New Mexico Highlands University, founded 1893, is home to the Thomas C. Donnelly Library. It supports the teaching, research and community activities of New Mexico Highlands University. It acquires, organizes, preserves and provides access to pertinent information and scholarly materials for curricular needs, intellectual pursuits and personal enrichment of its clientele. It promotes programs and services that emphasize the diversity of the university's multicultural community and heritage. An addition increased the square footage from 23,700 to 53,500 and now holds a book collection of almost 200,000 volumes.[20]

Las Vegas' Carnegie Library, established in 1904, is the only surviving Carnegie Library in New Mexico. Built from a $10,000 donation from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, its Neo-Classical Revival architecture resembles Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The library sits in the middle of a park that occupies an entire city block, bordered by Victorian-style homes and buildings.

The City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial on Grand Avenue, dedicated in 1940, was first established by the decision of Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Riders regiment (the first Volunteer Cavalry Regiment of the Spanish–American War), who named Las Vegas its official reunion home. Their first reunion was held in Las Vegas, June 1899.

The museum, free and open to the public, houses a memorial collection of artifacts, archives and photographs from the Rough Riders and mementos in relation to the 1898 Cuban Campaign of the Spanish–American War, with information on over 200 members of the original regiment, RRR Association documents, etc. The museum illuminates the history of Las Vegas, its connection to the Rough Riders, the Santa Fe Trail and the development of New Mexico. It features collections of local Native American pottery, household items, costumes, ranching and farming equipment, agricultural and mercantile operations, and home life.

Housed in a 1940 Works Progress Administration-funded building, the museum is built of stone, with Pueblo Revival nuances.[21]

Architecture edit

 
Historic Castañeda railway hotel

Las Vegas has numerous historic structures (mostly railroad-era houses and commercial buildings), with over 900 listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Although many buildings are in varying states of deterioration, others have been restored or are awaiting restoration. Some of the city's notable buildings include:

  • Dr. H.J. Mueller House, now a Bed and Breakfast called Crow's Nest Bed and Breakfast. An 1881 example of Victorian eclecticism with unusual octagonal tower
  • Plaza Hotel, 1881, site of the first reunion of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders in 1899
  • Old City Hall, New Mexico's first municipal building, completed in 1892
  • Louis Fort House, Queen Anne house on Carnegie Park, built in 1895
  • Masonic Temple, Richardsonian Romanesque building erected in 1895
  • Castañeda Hotel, mission-style Harvey House built in 1898
  • Carnegie Library, built in 1903 at the center of Carnegie Park and modeled after Monticello

Education edit

Public schools edit

The City of Las Vegas is served by two public school districts.[22]

The City of Las Vegas has two major high schools:

Colleges edit

Las Vegas is the home of New Mexico Highlands University, an important university in New Mexico especially for teacher training. Highlands has long had an excellent science, drama, art, and foreign language faculty. The art department was nationally renowned in the 1950s to 1970s and beyond. The university sponsors intercollegiate athletics and is a member of NCAA II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

Also nearby, north of Las Vegas, is Luna Community College. The United World College in nearby Montezuma, New Mexico is a two-year international high school and one of the venues used by the International Baccalaureate Program for teacher training in the United States.

Transportation edit

 
Las Vegas Intermodal Facility

Railway

Airport

Major highways

Bus service

Films and television edit

Movies and television shows filmed in and around Las Vegas include:

Media edit

Las Vegas has a bi-weekly newspaper, the Las Vegas Optic. It is published on Wednesday and Friday.[citation needed]

The Fort Union Drive-in theater is located on 7th Street in Las Vegas.[29]

The Indigo Theater is located at 146 Bridge Street in Las Vegas.[citation needed]

Mayors of Las Vegas edit

Mayor Term start Term end
1 Eugenio Romero 1881 1883
2 John G. Wylie 1888
3 Edward Henry 1890
4 James S. Duncan 1892 1892
5 Andrieus A. Jones 1893 1884
6 Major Adin H. Whitmore 1895
7 Dr. Frederick Olney 1897
8 George P. Money 1902
9 Karl D. Goodall 1903
6 Dr. Frederick Olney 1905 1907
10 Karl D. Goodall 1911
11 R. J. Taupert 1912 1913
12 Dr. H. M. Smith 1915
13 F. O. Blood 1918 1920
14 Thomas V. Truder 1921 1934
15 Frank W. Condon 1935 1939
16 Ivan J. Hilton 1940 1946
17 Ivan J. Hilton 1950 1954
18 LeRoy S. Wicks 1956 1960
19 Frank Olmsted 1962 1966
20 Ben Lingnau 1967
21 Alfred Nelson 1968
22 Fidel "Chief" Gonzales 1970 1975
23 Harold K. Brandt 1977
24 Max Madrid 1978
25 Steve Franken 1980 1985
26 Leroy "Huero" Sanchez 1986 1987
27 Tony Martinez Jr. 1988 1997
28 Matt Martinez 1998 2001
29 Henry O. Sanchez 2002 2008
30 Tony Marquez 2009
31 Alfonso E. Ortiz Jr. 2010 2015
32 Tonita Gurule-Giron 2016 2020
33 Louie Trujillo 2020 2023
34 David Romero 2023 present

Notable people edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Breaking: Mayor Louie Trujillo resigns". Las Vegas Optic. November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  2. ^ . Las Vegas Optic. April 9, 2020. Archived from the original on April 10, 2020. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  5. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  6. ^ "QuickFacts Las Vegas city, New Mexico". Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  7. ^ "The Baca Floats". April 11, 2009.
  8. ^ "Regis University". College Profiles. July 1, 1991. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  9. ^ Myrick, David, ‘’New Mexico’s Railroads, A Historic Survey’’, University of New Mexico Press 1990. ISBN 0-8263-1185-7
  10. ^ Romero Pat,"Cowboy Reunions of Las Vegas New Mexico," (The history press 2012)
  11. ^ "New Mexico Legends - Las Vegas - As Wicked as Dodge City". Legends of America. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  12. ^ . Edge.net. August 22, 1974. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  13. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Las Vegas WWTP, NM". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  14. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Albuquerque". National Weather Service. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  15. ^ "The Government Set a Colossal Wildfire. What Are Victims Owed?". New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  16. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  17. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  18. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  19. ^ "Las Vegas city, New Mexico - Poverty Status 2019". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on April 1, 2008.
  21. ^ "City of Las Vegas Museum & Rough Rider Memorial Collection". Lasvegasmuseum.org. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  22. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: San Miguel County, NM" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  23. ^ "Meadow City Express".
  24. ^ https://api.realfile.rtsclients.com/PublicFiles/f260a66b364d453e91ff9b3fedd494dc/f9a5835a-495a-4d61-9fd5-0c25367b4b4a/Orange%20Route%20-%20Las%20Vegas%20-%20Santa%20Fe [bare URL]
  25. ^ Santa Fe New Mexican, May 28, 2006, Page 33
  26. ^ . movie-locations.com. Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
  27. ^ Christine (January 16, 2012). . Onlocationvacations.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
  28. ^ Gomez, Adrian (December 7, 2014). "'House of Cards' films season-three finale in NM". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved June 29, 2017.
  29. ^ "Original Las Vegas". City of Las Vegas. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  30. ^ "Antonia Apodaca Obituary (2020) Albuquerque Journal". Legacy.com.
  31. ^ Jules Heller; Nancy G. Heller (December 19, 2013). North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century: A Biographical Dictionary. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-63882-5.
  32. ^ Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press. pp. 144–145, 148. ISBN 978-1-57197-088-6.
  33. ^ "How a Young Jewish Immigrant Widow Launched a Ranching Dynasty in New Mexico Territory". HistoryNet. March 10, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.

External links edit

  • City website

vegas, mexico, other, uses, vegas, disambiguation, vegas, often, known, simply, vegas, city, county, seat, miguel, county, mexico, united, states, once, separate, municipalities, city, other, town, both, were, named, vegas, west, vegas, town, east, vegas, town. For other uses see Las Vegas disambiguation Las Vegas often known simply as Vegas is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County New Mexico United States 5 Once two separate municipalities one a city and the other a town both were named Las Vegas West Las Vegas Old Town and East Las Vegas New Town they are separated by the Gallinas River and retain distinct characters and separate rival school districts Las Vegas New MexicoCityOld Town Las Vegas New MexicoLocation of Las Vegas New MexicoCoordinates 35 35 49 N 105 13 21 W 35 59694 N 105 22250 W 35 59694 105 22250CountryUnited StatesStateNew MexicoCountySan MiguelGovernment TypeMayor council government MayorDavid Romero 1 City ManagerWilliam Taylor 2 Area 3 Total8 62 sq mi 22 34 km2 Land8 62 sq mi 22 33 km2 Water0 00 sq mi 0 01 km2 Elevation6 424 ft 1 958 m Population 2020 4 Total13 166 Density1 527 02 sq mi 589 59 km2 Time zoneUTC 07 00 Mountain MST Summer DST UTC 06 00 MDT ZIP Codes87701 87745Area code505FIPS code35 39940GNIS feature ID0915788Websitelasvegasnm gov The population was 13 166 at the 2020 census 6 Las Vegas is located 110 miles 180 km south of Raton 65 miles 105 km east of Santa Fe 122 miles 196 km northeast of Albuquerque 257 miles 414 km south of Colorado Springs Colorado and 326 miles 525 km south of Denver Contents 1 History 1 1 Cowboy Reunions 1 2 Outlaws 2 Geography 3 Climate 4 Natural disasters 5 Demographics 6 Libraries and museums 6 1 Architecture 7 Education 7 1 Public schools 7 2 Colleges 8 Transportation 9 Films and television 10 Media 11 Mayors of Las Vegas 12 Notable people 13 References 14 External linksHistory edit nbsp The Plaza Hotel built in 1881 on the Plaza of West Las Vegas nbsp New Mexico Insane Asylum in Las Vegas 1904 Las Vegas was established in 1835 after a group of settlers received a land grant from the Mexican government The land had previously been granted to Luis Mara Cabeza de Baca whose family later received a settlement The town was laid out in the traditional Spanish Colonial style with a central plaza surrounded by buildings which could serve as fortifications in case of attack Las Vegas soon prospered as a stop on the Santa Fe Trail During the Mexican American War in 1846 Stephen W Kearny delivered an address at the Plaza of Las Vegas claiming New Mexico for the United States In 1847 the town was the site of the Battle of Las Vegas which was a part of the broader Taos Revolt by local Hispanos and Pueblo peoples against United States forces In 1860 the United States Congress passed a law allowing the Cabeza de Baca heirs to choose other grants in lieu of their Las Vegas grant 7 In 1877 Las Vegas College the precursor to Regis University was founded in Las Vegas by a group of exiled Italian Jesuits In 1887 Las Vegas College moved to Denver whereupon the name was changed 8 The Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived at Las Vegas from the north on July 4 1879 9 To maintain control of development rights it established a station and related development one mile 1 6 km east of the Plaza creating a separate rival New Town as occurred elsewhere in the Old West The same competing development occurred in Albuquerque for instance During the railroad era Las Vegas boomed quickly becoming one of the largest cities in the American Southwest Turn of the century Las Vegas featured all the modern amenities including an electric street railway the Duncan Opera House at the northeast corner of 6th Street and Douglas Avenue a Carnegie library the Castaneda Hotel a major Harvey House and the New Mexico Normal School now New Mexico Highlands University Since the decline and restructuring of the railroad industry began in the 1950s the city s population has remained relatively constant Although the two towns have been combined separate school districts have been maintained Las Vegas City Schools and West Las Vegas School District The anti colonist organization Las Gorras Blancas was active in the area in the 1890s Cowboy Reunions edit Beginning in 1915 the Las Vegas Cowboys Reunions were held annually until 1931 then in 1939 the Cowboys Reunions were re established Their slogan was Git Fer Vegas Cowboy These reunions were organized by a group of ranching families and cowboys which soon became the Las Vegas Cowboys Reunion Association The Reunions celebrated ranching life which began in northern New Mexico in the early 1800s and continues into the 21st century The annual affair included pie eating contests barbecues parades banquets balls and ranch rodeos In the early years celebrities cowhands as well as big name bands movie stars like Tom Mix and artists such as Randall Davey came to Las Vegas for this event In later years famous cowhands participated in the Cowboys Reunion Rodeos The Cowboys Reunions reflected the occupations of the area and attracted huge crowds for their four days of events In 1952 the Cowboys Reunion Association invited the Rough Riders Association to join them at the annual rodeo 10 Outlaws edit The arrival of the railroad in 1879 brought with it businesses development and new residents both respectable and dubious Murderers robbers thieves gamblers gunmen swindlers vagrants and tramps poured in transforming the eastern side of the settlement into a virtually lawless brawl Among the notorious characters were such legends of the Old West as dentist Doc Holliday and his girlfriend Big Nose Kate Dave Rudabaugh Jesse James Billy the Kid Wyatt Earp Mysterious Dave Mather Hoodoo Brown and Handsome Harry the Dancehall Rustler 11 Historian Ralph Emerson Twitchell once claimed regarding the Old West Without exception there was no town which harbored a more disreputable gang of desperadoes and outlaws than did Las Vegas 12 nbsp Circa 1910 1920Geography editAccording to the United States Census Bureau the city has a total area of 7 5 square miles 19 km2 all land Climate editLas Vegas has a cold semi arid climate Koppen climate classification BSk Climate data for Las Vegas New Mexico 1991 2020 normals extremes 1983 present Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high F C 72 22 74 23 80 27 85 29 92 33 98 37 99 37 95 35 94 34 88 31 81 27 74 23 99 37 Mean maximum F C 64 0 17 8 65 7 18 7 72 8 22 7 77 2 25 1 86 2 30 1 92 4 33 6 93 0 33 9 91 0 32 8 86 7 30 4 81 4 27 4 71 8 22 1 66 3 19 1 94 5 34 7 Mean daily maximum F C 50 1 10 1 52 8 11 6 60 4 15 8 67 2 19 6 75 0 23 9 84 7 29 3 85 2 29 6 84 2 29 0 78 6 25 9 69 2 20 7 58 7 14 8 50 2 10 1 68 0 20 0 Daily mean F C 30 7 0 7 33 6 0 9 40 4 4 7 47 7 8 7 55 3 12 9 64 9 18 3 68 2 20 1 67 2 19 6 60 3 15 7 49 3 9 6 38 9 3 8 30 8 0 7 48 9 9 4 Mean daily minimum F C 11 3 11 5 14 4 9 8 20 3 6 5 28 2 2 1 35 7 2 1 45 2 7 3 51 2 10 7 50 2 10 1 42 1 5 6 29 4 1 4 19 0 7 2 11 5 11 4 29 9 1 2 Mean minimum F C 3 2 19 6 0 6 18 1 6 7 14 1 17 1 8 3 24 2 4 3 34 9 1 6 43 2 6 2 41 9 5 5 30 0 1 1 15 0 9 4 3 0 16 1 5 1 20 6 11 3 24 1 Record low F C 22 30 32 36 9 23 10 12 11 12 28 2 33 1 30 1 20 7 3 19 16 27 32 36 32 36 Average precipitation inches mm 0 42 11 0 45 11 0 56 14 0 70 18 1 49 38 1 36 35 3 19 81 3 12 79 2 43 62 1 69 43 0 57 14 0 74 19 16 72 425 Average snowfall inches cm 3 0 7 6 3 8 9 7 2 8 7 1 1 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 3 6 4 0 10 5 7 14 22 0 56 Average precipitation days 0 01 in 2 0 2 3 2 2 2 8 4 3 4 9 9 1 9 5 5 6 3 4 2 8 2 1 51 0 Average snowy days 0 1 in 1 7 1 5 1 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 3 1 6 7 9 Source 1 NOAA 13 Source 2 National Weather Service 14 Natural disasters editIn late winter and spring of 2022 Las Vegas and surrounding areas of San Miguel and Mora counties experienced the Calf Canyon Hermits Peak Fire The fire burned 341 471 acres making it the largest blaze in New Mexico s recorded history 15 Demographics editHistorical population CensusPop Note 18902 312 19003 55253 6 19103 7555 7 19204 30414 6 19304 7199 6 19405 94125 9 19507 49426 1 19607 7903 9 19707 528 3 4 198014 32290 2 199014 7533 0 200014 565 1 3 201013 753 5 6 202013 166 4 3 2021 est 13 157 16 0 1 U S Decennial Census 17 4 As of the census 18 of 2000 there were 14 565 people 5 588 households and 3 559 families residing in the city The population density was 1 938 2 inhabitants per square mile 748 3 km2 There were 6 366 housing units at an average density of 847 1 per square mile 327 1 km2 The racial makeup of the city was 54 21 White 0 99 African American 1 96 Native American 0 61 Asian 0 10 Pacific Islander 37 19 from other races and 4 95 from two or more races Hispanic people of any race were 82 94 of the population As noted in the chart to the right the population of Las Vegas peaked at 14 753 in 1990 By 2019 the estimated population had decreased 12 43 to 12 919 There were 5 588 households out of which 33 0 had children under the age of 18 living with them 36 0 were married couples living together 21 2 had a female householder with no husband present and 36 3 were non families 30 4 of all households were made up of individuals and 9 7 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older The average household size was 2 48 and the average family size was 3 08 In the city the population was spread out with 26 4 under the age of 18 13 3 from 18 to 24 26 2 from 25 to 44 21 2 from 45 to 64 and 12 8 who were 65 years of age or older The median age was 34 years For every 100 females there were 90 4 males For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86 2 males The median income in 2019 for a household in the city was 26 561 as compared to the New Mexico median income of 49 754 and the national median of 62 843 The median income for a family in Las Vegas was 29 797 Males had a median income of 26 319 versus 21 731 for females The per capita income for the city was 20 080 as compared to 34 103 nationally as noted in the 2019 Census estimate In the past 24 3 of families and 27 8 of the population were below the poverty line including 35 7 of those under age 18 and 20 1 of those age 65 or over The most recent figures 2019 as provided by the U S Census Bureau estimate the total number of persons all ages at or below the poverty line has increased to 35 6 19 This is significantly higher than the national average of 10 5 and the State average of 18 2 Libraries and museums edit nbsp AT amp SF engine 1129 on the corner of Grand amp Mills New Mexico Highlands University founded 1893 is home to the Thomas C Donnelly Library It supports the teaching research and community activities of New Mexico Highlands University It acquires organizes preserves and provides access to pertinent information and scholarly materials for curricular needs intellectual pursuits and personal enrichment of its clientele It promotes programs and services that emphasize the diversity of the university s multicultural community and heritage An addition increased the square footage from 23 700 to 53 500 and now holds a book collection of almost 200 000 volumes 20 Las Vegas Carnegie Library established in 1904 is the only surviving Carnegie Library in New Mexico Built from a 10 000 donation from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie its Neo Classical Revival architecture resembles Thomas Jefferson s Monticello The library sits in the middle of a park that occupies an entire city block bordered by Victorian style homes and buildings The City of Las Vegas Museum amp Rough Rider Memorial on Grand Avenue dedicated in 1940 was first established by the decision of Theodore Roosevelt s Rough Riders regiment the first Volunteer Cavalry Regiment of the Spanish American War who named Las Vegas its official reunion home Their first reunion was held in Las Vegas June 1899 The museum free and open to the public houses a memorial collection of artifacts archives and photographs from the Rough Riders and mementos in relation to the 1898 Cuban Campaign of the Spanish American War with information on over 200 members of the original regiment RRR Association documents etc The museum illuminates the history of Las Vegas its connection to the Rough Riders the Santa Fe Trail and the development of New Mexico It features collections of local Native American pottery household items costumes ranching and farming equipment agricultural and mercantile operations and home life Housed in a 1940 Works Progress Administration funded building the museum is built of stone with Pueblo Revival nuances 21 Architecture edit nbsp Historic Castaneda railway hotel Las Vegas has numerous historic structures mostly railroad era houses and commercial buildings with over 900 listed on the National Register of Historic Places Although many buildings are in varying states of deterioration others have been restored or are awaiting restoration Some of the city s notable buildings include Dr H J Mueller House now a Bed and Breakfast called Crow s Nest Bed and Breakfast An 1881 example of Victorian eclecticism with unusual octagonal tower Plaza Hotel 1881 site of the first reunion of Teddy Roosevelt s Rough Riders in 1899 Old City Hall New Mexico s first municipal building completed in 1892 Louis Fort House Queen Anne house on Carnegie Park built in 1895 Masonic Temple Richardsonian Romanesque building erected in 1895 Castaneda Hotel mission style Harvey House built in 1898 Carnegie Library built in 1903 at the center of Carnegie Park and modeled after MonticelloEducation editPublic schools edit The City of Las Vegas is served by two public school districts 22 Las Vegas City Schools serves the east side of Las Vegas West Las Vegas School District serves the west side of Las Vegas The City of Las Vegas has two major high schools Robertson High School West Las Vegas High School Colleges edit Las Vegas is the home of New Mexico Highlands University an important university in New Mexico especially for teacher training Highlands has long had an excellent science drama art and foreign language faculty The art department was nationally renowned in the 1950s to 1970s and beyond The university sponsors intercollegiate athletics and is a member of NCAA II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Also nearby north of Las Vegas is Luna Community College The United World College in nearby Montezuma New Mexico is a two year international high school and one of the venues used by the International Baccalaureate Program for teacher training in the United States Transportation edit nbsp Las Vegas Intermodal Facility Railway Las Vegas Amtrak Station is a stop on the Southwest Chief route Airport Las Vegas Municipal Airport serves single engine planes small commercial jets and helicopters Major highways Interstate 25 Interstate 40 55 miles to the south via U S Route 84 Bus service The city of Las Vegas operates Meadow City Express a demand responsive transport system 23 NMDOT Park and Ride operates intercity bus service from Las Vegas to Santa Fe 24 Films and television editMovies and television shows filmed in and around Las Vegas include Many silent Western films were made in and around Las Vegas especially in the years 1913 1915 including several that starred Tom Mix The 1962 1963 NBC television western series Empire and its second season version entitled Redigo were filmed in Santa Fe and near Storrie Lake in Las Vegas In the 1969 movie Easy Rider Las Vegas New Mexico is the town where the two bikers ride behind a parade are arrested for parading without a permit and meet Jack Nicholson s character in jail The name of the town can be viewed in the background in one scene during this part of the movie The town was the filming location for parts of the 1978 movie Convoy a film about truck drivers inspired by the 1975 song of the same name Las Vegas stood in for the fictional Calumet Colorado in John Milius 1984 film Red Dawn As of 2022 many of the buildings and structures seen in the film remained Parts of the 1994 film Speechless with Geena Davis and Michael Keaton about a fictional New Mexico senatorial campaign were filmed in Las Vegas Most of the 1994 film Wyatt Earp with Kevin Costner was filmed in Las Vegas though it was set in Kansas Several scenes in the 1998 film John Carpenter s Vampires were filmed on the plaza The Hi Lo Country and All the Pretty Horses released in 1998 and 2000 respectively were almost entirely shot here In the 2001 documentary Freedom Downtime a cross country road trip to Las Vegas Nevada ends up in Las Vegas New Mexico by mistake The 2003 film Blind Horizon 25 In 2006 the film Fanboys used Las Vegas as one of its film locations The film is about a dying Star Wars fan and was released in 2009 Portions of the 2006 movie The Astronaut Farmer were filmed here The 2007 film Wild Hogs starring John Travolta included scenes filmed around Las Vegas Most of the 2007 Coen brothers No Country for Old Men was filmed here 26 The 2008 music video Beer for My Horses starring Toby Keith and Rodney Carrington was filmed in and around Las Vegas The 2009 thriller Not Forgotten was shot in Las Vegas for incentive reasons The 2010 film Due Date starring Robert Downey Jr and Zach Galifianakis was partly filmed in Las Vegas and was used as a fake border crossing into Mexico Scenes for the 2011 film Paul starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with Kristen Wiig Jason Bateman Bill Hader Seth Rogen Joe Lo Truglio and Sigourney Weaver were filmed in and around Las Vegas The 2012 A amp E TV series Longmire starring Robert Taylor and Katee Sackhoff and set in Wyoming was filmed in Las Vegas 27 The TV series House of Cards filmed in Las Vegas in November 2014 for two weeks The footage was used in the third season finale 28 The TV series Good Luck Charlie aired episode Weekend in Vegas in which one of the main characters travels to Las Vegas with her best friend and her family thinking they were going to the city of the same name in Nevada The Criminal Minds season 11 episode Outlaw takes place in Las Vegas New Mexico Media editLas Vegas has a bi weekly newspaper the Las Vegas Optic It is published on Wednesday and Friday citation needed The Fort Union Drive in theater is located on 7th Street in Las Vegas 29 The Indigo Theater is located at 146 Bridge Street in Las Vegas citation needed Mayors of Las Vegas editMayor Term start Term end 1 Eugenio Romero 1881 1883 2 John G Wylie 1888 3 Edward Henry 1890 4 James S Duncan 1892 1892 5 Andrieus A Jones 1893 1884 6 Major Adin H Whitmore 1895 7 Dr Frederick Olney 1897 8 George P Money 1902 9 Karl D Goodall 1903 6 Dr Frederick Olney 1905 1907 10 Karl D Goodall 1911 11 R J Taupert 1912 1913 12 Dr H M Smith 1915 13 F O Blood 1918 1920 14 Thomas V Truder 1921 1934 15 Frank W Condon 1935 1939 16 Ivan J Hilton 1940 1946 17 Ivan J Hilton 1950 1954 18 LeRoy S Wicks 1956 1960 19 Frank Olmsted 1962 1966 20 Ben Lingnau 1967 21 Alfred Nelson 1968 22 Fidel Chief Gonzales 1970 1975 23 Harold K Brandt 1977 24 Max Madrid 1978 25 Steve Franken 1980 1985 26 Leroy Huero Sanchez 1986 1987 27 Tony Martinez Jr 1988 1997 28 Matt Martinez 1998 2001 29 Henry O Sanchez 2002 2008 30 Tony Marquez 2009 31 Alfonso E Ortiz Jr 2010 2015 32 Tonita Gurule Giron 2016 2020 33 Louie Trujillo 2020 2023 34 David Romero 2023 presentNotable people editAntonia Apodaca 1923 2020 musician 30 Paula Angel 1842 1861 murderer only woman to be executed in post colonial New Mexico Jesusita Aragon 1908 2005 midwife S Omar Barker 1894 1985 oft recited cowboy poet born in a log cabin in New Mexico where he lived his entire life as a rancher legislator WW1 veteran teacher and writer Margaret Herrera Chavez 1912 1992 painter 31 Ann Nolan Clark 1896 1995 teacher in public schools and reservations writer of children s multicultural books Teresa Leger Fernandez born 1959 attorney member of the U S House of Representatives current Wally Funk born 1939 aviator astronaut and Goodwill Ambassador Fabiola Cabeza de Baca Gilbert 1894 1991 educator nutritionist activist writer inventor of the u shaped fried taco shell Pelham D Glassford 1883 1959 U S Army brigadier general 32 Eddie Guerrero 1967 2005 professional wrestler for WWE wrestled for New Mexico Highlands University Edgar Lee Hewett 1865 1946 archaeologist and anthropologist founder of the Museum of New Mexico and first president of the New Mexico Normal School now New Mexico Highlands University Mari Luci Jaramillo 1928 2019 educator and U S Ambassador to Honduras under Jimmy Carter Andrieus A Jones 1862 1927 school principal and attorney mayor of Las Vegas 1893 1894 United States Senator 1917 1927 Yetta Kohn 1843 1917 an early settler and businesswoman of Las Vegas who became a successful New Mexican cattle rancher 33 Margaret Larkin 1899 1967 writer and musician born in Las Vegas Ray Leger 1925 2009 educator and member of the New Mexico Senate Pola Lopez born 1954 artist George J Maloof Sr 1923 1980 heir and businessman born in Las Vegas Frank Olmstead 1923 2004 mayor of Las Vegas and 18th Auditor of New Mexico Patrick Swayze 1952 2009 actor dancer and singer songwriter owned a ranch on the Gallinas River near Las VegasReferences edit Breaking Mayor Louie Trujillo resigns Las Vegas Optic November 14 2023 Retrieved November 18 2023 City council approves two new officials Las Vegas Optic April 9 2020 Archived from the original on April 10 2020 Retrieved April 9 2020 ArcGIS REST Services Directory United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 12 2022 a b Census Population API United States Census Bureau Retrieved October 12 2022 Find a County National Association of Counties Retrieved June 7 2011 QuickFacts Las Vegas city New Mexico Retrieved May 29 2022 The Baca Floats April 11 2009 Regis University College Profiles July 1 1991 Retrieved July 28 2010 Myrick David New Mexico s Railroads A Historic Survey University of New Mexico Press 1990 ISBN 0 8263 1185 7 Romero Pat Cowboy Reunions of Las Vegas New Mexico The history press 2012 New Mexico Legends Las Vegas As Wicked as Dodge City Legends of America Retrieved July 13 2012 LAS VEGAS NEW MEXICO The Outlaw and a Politician Edge net August 22 1974 Archived from the original on October 10 2016 Retrieved July 28 2010 U S Climate Normals Quick Access Station Las Vegas WWTP NM National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved June 15 2023 NOAA Online Weather Data NWS Albuquerque National Weather Service Retrieved June 15 2023 The Government Set a Colossal Wildfire What Are Victims Owed New York Times Retrieved August 24 2023 Population and Housing Unit Estimates United States Census Bureau May 28 2022 Retrieved May 29 2022 Census of Population and Housing Census gov Retrieved May 29 2022 U S Census website United States Census Bureau Retrieved January 31 2008 Las Vegas city New Mexico Poverty Status 2019 US Census Bureau Archived from the original on February 13 2020 Retrieved December 31 2017 Libraries amp Museums Archived from the original on April 1 2008 City of Las Vegas Museum amp Rough Rider Memorial Collection Lasvegasmuseum org Retrieved July 28 2010 2020 CENSUS SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP San Miguel County NM PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved July 12 2022 Meadow City Express https api realfile rtsclients com PublicFiles f260a66b364d453e91ff9b3fedd494dc f9a5835a 495a 4d61 9fd5 0c25367b4b4a Orange 20Route 20 20Las 20Vegas 20 20Santa 20Fe bare URL Santa Fe New Mexican May 28 2006 Page 33 No Country for Old Men filming locations movie locations com Archived from the original on December 21 2014 Retrieved December 6 2014 Christine January 16 2012 A amp E will film the new series Longmire starring Katee Sackhoff amp Lou Diamond Phillips in New Mexico this spring Onlocationvacations com Archived from the original on May 11 2012 Retrieved May 25 2013 Gomez Adrian December 7 2014 House of Cards films season three finale in NM Albuquerque Journal Retrieved June 29 2017 Original Las Vegas City of Las Vegas Retrieved April 25 2021 Antonia Apodaca Obituary 2020 Albuquerque Journal Legacy com Jules Heller Nancy G Heller December 19 2013 North American Women Artists of the Twentieth Century A Biographical Dictionary Routledge ISBN 978 1 135 63882 5 Davis Henry Blaine Jr 1998 Generals in Khaki Raleigh NC Pentland Press pp 144 145 148 ISBN 978 1 57197 088 6 How a Young Jewish Immigrant Widow Launched a Ranching Dynasty in New Mexico Territory HistoryNet March 10 2023 Retrieved May 14 2023 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Las Vegas New Mexico nbsp Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article Las Vegas nbsp Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Las Vegas New Mexico City website Chamber of Commerce Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Las Vegas New Mexico amp oldid 1221517905, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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