Tucumcari Mountain , once referred to as Tucumcari Peak or Mesa Tucumcari , is a mesa situated just outside Tucumcari, New Mexico .
31-564: The Bell Ranch is a historic ranch in Tucumcari, New Mexico , United States of America. Owned by John Malone since 2010, it is one of the largest privately owned ranches in the United States. As of 2021, Malone is the second largest land owner in the country with 2.2 million acres. The ranch became a national landmark in 1974. Lying along La Cinta Creek near the Canadian River , the ranch
62-411: A construction camp in the western portion of modern-day Quay County. Originally called Ragtown, the camp became known as "Six Shooter Siding", due to numerous gunfights. Its first formal name, Douglas, was used only for a short time. After it grew into a permanent settlement, it was renamed Tucumcari in 1908. The name was taken from Tucumcari Mountain , which is situated near the community. The origin of
93-480: A ranching company owned by John Malone . Tucumcari, New Mexico Tucumcari ( / ˈ t uː k ə m ˌ k ær iː / ; TOO -cum-carry ) is a city in and the county seat of Quay County , New Mexico , United States. The population was 5,278 at the 2020 census . Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was established. In 1901, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad built
124-538: Is bordered by Conchas Lake in San Miguel County, New Mexico about 30 miles (97 km) from Tucumcari, New Mexico . The Bell Ranch stands at 290,100 acres (1,174 km), with six cow camps and a private airport known as the Waggoner Airport. Cattle mainly graze the grasslands of the ranch, with some supplemental feed. Its features include Conchas Lake, Mule Canyon, and 13 miles (21 km) of land along
155-544: Is located about five miles (8 km) outside of town) were designed by Trent Thomas, adapted from his design of La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe . The park once featured New Mexico's largest outdoor swimming pool. Owing to deterioration, Metropolitan Park was named to the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance's list of Most Endangered for 2003. In 2010, the park's main building caught fire and burnt to
186-460: Is relatively low except during the summer months, when thunderstorms associated with the North American monsoon can bring locally heavy downpours. Snowfall is generally light, with an average of 14.9 inches (0.38 m). Due to the frequency of low humidity, wide daily temperature variations are normal. The record high temperature at Tucumcari was 111 °F (44 °C) on June 11, 2022, and
217-458: Is uncertain. It may have come from the Comanche word "tukamukaru", which means to lie in wait for someone or something to approach. A 1777 burial record mentions a Comanche woman and her child captured in a battle at Cuchuncari, which is believed to be an early version of the name Tucumcari. The mountain was a key landmark along trails used by prehistoric Puebloans and Plains Indians , as well as
248-532: The Canadian River . With 453 square miles, it is large enough to have its own zip code. Kiowa and Comanche ranged over the grassland that is now Bell Ranch. The ranch originated from a Mexican 655,468-acre land grant held by Pablo Montoya in 1824. At that time, the land was located within Santa Fe de Nuevo México of the First Mexican Republic (1824–1835). Montoya named the land Bell Ranch after Bell Mountain. Montoya did not have full ownership from
279-399: The 16th century, to inspect the range and move cattle, using their roping skills. They trained horses for long-distance riding. Vaqueros created silver spurs, spade bits, and reatas, a type of rope. Vaqueros created center-fire rigged saddles that made it easier to move and maintain their balance while working the cattle. Their lifestyle melded with that of American cowboys. John H. Culley wrote
310-579: The Cretaceous age of the Tucumcari beds. The town of Tucumcari was founded in 1901 and, in 1908, took its name—both in real life and in legend—from the mountain. Residents of the town of Tucumcari have painted a hillside letter T on the mountain. A cartoon version of this mountain appears in Cars with 'RS' (for Radiator Springs ) substituted for Tucumcari's 'T'. This New Mexico state location article
341-587: The Hotel Vorenburg, which was demolished in the 1970s after being damaged by fire. The Federal Building, commonly known as Sands-Dorsey Drug, was damaged by two fires before finally being demolished in 2015. The location is now a park. It is a part of the Tucumcari Public Schools school district. Schools in Tucumcari include: Tertiary schools: Tucumcari Mountain Where the mountain got its name
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#1733085537939372-491: The Tucumcari strata were of Jurassic age. The Texas geologist, Robert T. Hill , visited "Mesa Tucumcari" in 1887 and again in 1891, and eventually concluded that the Tucumcari strata were much younger Cretaceous deposits, not Jurassic as suggested by Marcou. Also in 1891, William F. Cummins of the Geological Survey of Texas studied Tucumcari Mountain and his careful observations of the strata established beyond doubt
403-403: The average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males. The median income for a household in the city
434-454: The book Cattle, Horses and Men about what it was like to work on Bell Ranch. In the 1930s, the ranch was acquired by Guy Waggoner , who built the 10,300-square-foot hacienda on the ranch. In 1947, the ranch was divided into six sections and land was sold. The ranch was acquired in 1970 by William N. Lane II of Chicago, chairman and CEO of publicly traded General Binding Corp. , a maker of office supplies and equipment. Further purchases of
465-427: The city. The population density was 793.8 inhabitants per square mile (306.5/km ). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 406.2 per square mile (156.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 75.87% White , 1.29% African American , 1.39% Native American , 1.20% Asian , 0.22% Pacific Islander , 17.10% from other races , and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.41% of
496-583: The driest, 1934, with 6.13 inches (155.7 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 11.19 inches (284.2 mm) in July 1950. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 4.41 inches (112.0 mm) on June 21, 1971. The most snowfall in one year was 51.2 inches (1.30 m), from July 1911 to June 1912. The most snowfall in one month was 30.0 inches (0.76 m), in February 1912. As of the census of 2000, there were 5,989 people, 2,489 households, and 1,607 families residing in
527-519: The government until 1869. It also included the Baca Float No. 2. Montoya sold the land in 1874, after four vaqueros (cowboys) were killed by several Kiowa. Wilson "Waddy" Waddingham became the largest landowner in northeastern New Mexico when he bought the Bell Ranch land to add to adjoining 754,000 acres he had acquired. A large white-washed adobe ranch house, the "White House", was built in 1876. It
558-403: The ground. The city of Tucumcari razed the site weeks after the fire. For many years, Tucumcari has been a popular stop for cross-country travelers on Interstate 40 (formerly U.S. Route 66 in the area). It is the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas and Albuquerque, New Mexico . Billboards reading "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" placed along I-40 for many miles to the east and west of
589-560: The heart of Tucumcari via Route 66 Boulevard, which was previously known as Tucumcari Boulevard from 1970 to 2003 and as Gaynell Avenue before that time. Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants, and motels, were constructed to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road. A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business despite intense competition from newer chain motels and restaurants in
620-467: The later Comancheros . The Comanche often used the mountain as a lookout, climbing up it to survey the landscape for animals to hunt. Pedro Vial referred to the mountain in 1793, while opening a trail between Santa Fe and St. Louis . Captain Randolph B. Marcy led an expedition past it in 1849. The French-American geologist Jules Marcou studied the geology of Tucumcari Mountain in 1853 and claimed that
651-591: The light!", which the brakeman heard as " tukama carry". In December 1951, a water storage tank collapsed in the city. Four were killed and numerous buildings were destroyed. In 2014, a series of suspicious fires destroyed abandoned buildings, including the Tucumcari Motel, Payless Motel, and a house in the 500 block of North Fourth Street. A former Tucumcari Police Department officer and several others have been charged with arson. The town formerly hosted an air show each year. The show held on October 4, 2006,
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#1733085537939682-469: The mountain's name is uncertain; it may have been derived from the Comanche word tʉkamʉkarʉ , which means 'ambush'. A 1777 burial record mentions a Comanche woman and her child captured in a battle at Cuchuncari, which is believed to be an early version of the name Tucumcari. A folk etymology for the town name claims that a Comanche saw a brakeman carrying a lantern and exclaimed " tukaʔ manoori! , carry
713-409: The original grant land have fleshed out the holding to its present size of 290,100 acres (1,174 km). In 1970, it acquired its own zip code, 88441. After Lane died in a 1978 car accident on the ranch, it was owned by his five children through a trust. His son Jeff died in a plane accident on the ranch in 2007. In 2010, the ranch, which was listed for $ 83 million, was acquired by Silver Spur Ranches ,
744-407: The population. There were 2,489 households, out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and
775-474: The record low temperature −22 °F (−30 °C) on January 13, 1963. The hottest monthly mean maximum has been 100.5 °F (38.1 °C) in July 2011 and the coldest mean minimum 12.4 °F (−10.9 °C) in January 1963, although the coldest month by mean maximum was January 1949, with a mean high of 38.6 °F or 3.7 °C. The wettest calendar year has been 1941, with 34.94 inches (887.5 mm) and
806-529: The switch there (for the coach cars). The Golden State (Chicago-Kansas City-Topeka-Tucumcari-El Paso-Los Angeles) ran continuously through the town. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 7.6 sq mi (19.6 km ), of which 7.5 sq mi (19.5 km ) is land and 0.13% is water. Tucumcari has a cool semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk ), characterized by cool winters and hot summers. Rainfall
837-460: The town invite motorists to stay the night in one of Tucumcari's "2000" (later changed to "1200") motel rooms. The "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" campaign was abandoned in favor of a campaign which declared Tucumcari, "Gateway to the West". However, on June 24, 2008, Tucumcari's Lodgers Tax Advisory Board, the group responsible for the billboards, voted to return to the previous slogan. Old U.S. Route 66 runs through
868-523: The vicinity of Interstate 40, which passes through the city's outskirts on the south. Tucumcari is the home of over 50 murals. Most were painted by artists Doug and Sharon Quarles and serve as a tourist attraction. Most of Tucumcari's oldest buildings lie along or near Main Street in the Historic Downtown area. These include: Also located in the downtown area are the concrete arches that once surrounded
899-423: Was $ 22,560, and the median income for a family was $ 27,468. Males had a median income of $ 25,342 versus $ 18,568 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,786. About 19.1% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over. The buildings formerly at Metropolitan Park (locally known as "Five Mile Park" because it
930-471: Was a residence for his family and the place where he entertained notable government and business men, such as when he hosted a seven-course dinner on January 7, 1883 that was described as the "finest meal served in New Mexico Territory". Waddingham bred his range cows with Shorthorn bulls and branded the cattle on their left hips with a bell-shaped brand. Vaqueros rode horses, acquired from Spain since
961-655: Was canceled after one hour when a single-engine plane crashed, resulting in the pilot's death. Tucumcari until the mid-twentieth century was a junction for transcontinental train service. The Rock Island Railroad ran pool train operations with the Southern Pacific (originally the El Paso and Northeastern Railway ), with transfers at the station (for the Tucumcari-Los Angeles leg of the trip). The Choctaw Rocket (Memphis-Little Rock-Tucumcari-El Paso-Los Angeles) made