Misplaced Pages

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81-505: NM 14 begins at the intersection with NM 333 in Tijeras , which is also the center of the Tijeras interchange along Interstate 40 (I-40). NM 14 heads north through Bernalillo County , passing through the community of Cedar Crest , to San Antonito , where it intersects NM 536 . The highway continues northeast and briefly cuts through Sandoval County by entering from

162-524: A partial interchange with Interstate 40 (I-40), the highway enters the Sandia Mountains through Tijeras Canyon , where it crosses to the north side of I-40 in a diamond interchange . After traveling through Carnuel , it crosses back to the south side of I-40, though this crossing has no interchange. Before entering the town of Tijeras , there is a former location of a " musical road " feature where rumble strips were arranged to play America

243-433: A B-36 accidentally dropped a Mark 17 nuclear bomb 4.5 miles from the control tower while landing at Kirtland Air Force Base . Only the conventional trigger detonated, as the bomb was unarmed. These incidents were not reported as they were classified as secret for decades. Following the end of World War II , population shifts as well as suburban development, urban sprawl and gentrification, Albuquerque's downtown entered

324-575: A cultural area and center of commerce. It is referred to as " Old Town Albuquerque " or simply "Old Town". Historically it was sometimes referred to as "La Placita" ( Little Plaza in Spanish). On the north side of Old Town Plaza is San Felipe de Neri Church . Built in 1793, it is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city. After the New Mexico Territory became a part of the United States in

405-501: A famous symbol of the city for decades. Outdated, it was razed in 1970 and the site was converted to a parking lot. In 2002, the Alvarado Transportation Center was built on the site in a style resembling the old landmark. The large metro station functions as the downtown headquarters for the city's transit department. It also serves as an intermodal hub for local buses, Greyhound buses, Amtrak passenger trains, and

486-706: A framework for a more balanced and sustainable approach to urban growth. Urban sprawl is limited on three sides—by the Sandia Pueblo to the north, the Isleta Pueblo and Kirtland Air Force Base to the south, and the Sandia Mountains to the east. Suburban growth continues at a strong pace to the west, beyond the Petroglyph National Monument, once thought to be a natural boundary to sprawl development. Because of less-costly land and lower taxes, much of

567-550: A hotel. Many Anglo merchants, mountain men, and settlers slowly filtered into Albuquerque, creating a major mercantile commercial center in Downtown Albuquerque . From this commercial center on July 4, 1882, Park Van Tassel became the first to fly a balloon in Albuquerque with a landing at Old Town. This was the first balloon flight in the New Mexico Territory. Due to a rising rate of violent crime, gunman Milt Yarberry

648-448: A motorcar dealership, was re-purposed to (formerly) house the local Kelly's Brew Pub, now home to the local Italian restaurant M'Tucci's Bar Roma. Richardson's Store in Montoya , a 1901 railroad town, initially provided provisions for Rock Island Railroad workers and ranchers . When Route 66 came to town, the store carried groceries and auto supplies. It closed after I-40 bypassed

729-625: A new bridge over the Rio Puerco opened. Once paving was completed in 1937, with AASHO approval given on September 26, 1937, Route 66 was moved to this shorter route, known as the Laguna Cut-off west of Albuquerque and the Santa Rosa Cut-off east of Albuquerque. The bypassed roads became NM 6 once again to the west and part of US 84 to the east. From the Arizona state line to

810-479: A period of decline. Many historic buildings were razed in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for new plazas, high-rises, and parking lots as part of the city's urban renewal phase. As of 2010 , only recently has Downtown Albuquerque come to regain much of its urban character, mainly through the construction of many new loft apartment buildings and the renovation of historic structures such as the KiMo Theater . During

891-553: A series of floods in the 1950s, passage of the "Arroyo Flood Control Act of 1963" provided for the construction of a series of concrete diversion channels. The network of channels was built by the Army Corps of Engineers during the 1960s and early 1970s. Iconic urban wildlife includes the roadrunner , Gunnison's prairie dog , coyote , and New Mexico whiptail lizard. The bosque is a popular destination for wildlife viewing, with opportunities to see porcupines and sandhill cranes in

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972-445: A shortcut to US 80 between Benson, Arizona and Road Forks, due to US 80 taking a loop to Douglas, Arizona . The original NM 14 was replaced by Interstate 10 in 1960. In 1970, the NM 14 designation was recycled and used to re-number NM 10, to avoid numbering confusion with I-10. During the 1988 re-numbering, NM 14 was extended along former US 85 through Santa Fe to US 84 and US 285 , while

1053-403: A sixty-nine mile cutoff from Santa Rosa directly to Albuquerque , bypassing Santa Fe entirely. The hastily constructed new road opened January 3, 1927, while incoming governor Richard Dillon was still trying to get construction stopped. Dillon was replaced by Arthur Seligman , a Democrat, in 1931. This new NM 6 was approved as a future realignment of Route 66 by 1932, and in 1933,

1134-715: Is also a Laotian American temple and a sizable community in parts of this area as well as around Uptown. There is also an African American community around Highland. The Four Hills neighborhoods are located in and around the foothills on the outskirts of Southeast Albuquerque. The vast newer subdivision of Volterra lies west of the Four Hills area. Popular urban neighborhoods that can be found in Southeast Albuquerque include Nob Hill , Ridgecrest, Parkland Hills, Hyder Park, and University Heights. Traditionally consisting of agricultural and rural areas and suburban neighborhoods,

1215-497: Is at NM 117 southeast of Grants , and the eastern terminus is at Interstate 40 (I-40) east of Laguna . NM 124 follows the routing of the former Historic U.S. Route 66. The entire route is in Cibola County . NM 333 begins in eastern Albuquerque at an intersection of Tramway Boulevard ( NM 556 ) and Central Avenue , proceeding east on Central, the route of the former U.S. Route 66 (US 66). After

1296-645: Is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km ) , or 0.96%, is water. Albuquerque lies within the fertile Rio Grande Valley with its Bosque forest, in the center of the Albuquerque Basin , flanked on the eastern side by the Sandia Mountains and to the west by the West Mesa . Located in central New Mexico, the city also has noticeable influences from the adjacent Colorado Plateau semi-desert, New Mexico Mountains forested with juniper and pine, and Southwest plateaus and plains steppe ecoregions, depending on where one

1377-551: Is located in north-central New Mexico. To its east are the Sandia–Manzano Mountains . The Rio Grande flows north to south through its center, while the West Mesa and Petroglyph National Monument make up the western part of the city. Albuquerque has one of the highest elevations of any major city in the U.S., ranging from 4,900 feet (1,500 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande to over 6,700 feet (2,000 m) in

1458-528: Is located. Albuquerque has one of the highest and most varied elevations of any major city in the United States, though the effects of this are greatly tempered by its southwesterly continental position. The elevation of the city ranges from 4,949 feet (1,508 m) above sea level near the Rio Grande (in the Valley) to 6,165 feet (1,879 m) in the foothill areas of Sandia Heights . At

1539-464: Is now replaced with I-25 through Santa Fe to, almost, Las Vegas (Historic 66 turns south before reaching Las Vegas), though several old sections exist which are barely (if at all) driveable. From south of Las Vegas back to I-40, the road has been replaced with US 84. When I-40 was established, it bypassed the main parts of towns. The later, and more popular, alignment, continued straight west to Albuquerque, becoming Central Avenue through

1620-514: The Albuquerque Basin , the city is flanked by the Sandia Mountains to the east and the West Mesa to the west, with the Rio Grande and bosque flowing north-to-south through the middle of the city. According to the 2020 census , Albuquerque had 564,559 residents, making it the 32nd-most populous city in the United States and the fourth largest in the Southwest . The Albuquerque metropolitan area had 955,000 residents in 2023, and forms part of

1701-594: The Albuquerque International Sunport , the elevation is 5,355 feet (1,632 m) above sea level. The Rio Grande is classified, like the Nile , as an "exotic" river. The New Mexico portion of the Rio Grande lies within the Rio Grande Rift Valley, bordered by a system of faults , including those that lifted up the adjacent Sandia and Manzano Mountains , while lowering the area where

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1782-810: The Albuquerque–Santa Fe–Los Alamos combined statistical area , which had a population of 1,162,523. Albuquerque is a hub for technology, fine arts, and media companies . It is home to several historic landmarks , the University of New Mexico , the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , the Gathering of Nations , the New Mexico State Fair , and a diverse restaurant scene , which features both New Mexican and global cuisine . Petroglyphs carved into basalt in

1863-659: The Civil War , Albuquerque was occupied for a month in February 1862 by Confederate troops under General Henry Hopkins Sibley . He soon afterward advanced with his main body into northern New Mexico. During his retreat from Union troops into Texas , he made a stand on April 8, 1862, and fought the Battle of Albuquerque against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel Edward R. S. Canby . This daylong engagement at long range led to few casualties. The residents of Albuquerque aided

1944-490: The Duke City , is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico . Founded in 1706 as La Villa de Alburquerque by Santa Fe de Nuevo México governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdés , and named in honor of Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque and Viceroy of New Spain , it served as an outpost on El Camino Real linking Mexico City to the northernmost territories of New Spain . Located in

2025-558: The Grants area the landscape is mountainous, and US 66 meanders around I-40. It also passes through some Indian reservations . At Laguna, New Mexico is the Laguna Indian Pueblo. At Mesita, the highway originally followed what is now NM 6 to east of I-25 at Los Lunas . It passed through Albuquerque from south to north along Fourth Street, part of the historic El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (El Camino Real). The highway

2106-511: The Luna Lodge , Tewa Motor Lodge , De Anza Motor Lodge and El Vado Auto Court . Some of these motels are currently closed but are the target of local efforts to ensure their historic preservation. In hopes to keep this era alive, some hotels including De Anza Motor Lodge and El Vado Motel have been rejuvenated along the historic route 66 in Albuquerque. The El Rancho Hotel in Gallup has been

2187-574: The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology , University of New Mexico , the Uptown area, which includes three shopping malls ( Coronado Center , ABQ Uptown, and Winrock Town Center ), Hoffmantown, Journal Center, and Cliff's Amusement Park are all in this quadrant. Some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city are here, including: High Desert , Tanoan, Sandia Heights, and North Albuquerque Acres. Parts of Sandia Heights and North Albuquerque Acres are outside

2268-532: The National Old Trails Road from Arizona via Albuquerque and Santa Fe to just shy of Las Vegas , and one of the main routes of the Ozark Trails network from that point into Texas. The state had taken over maintenance of these roads under several numbers: NM 6 from Arizona to Los Lunas , part of NM 1 through Albuquerque and Santa Fe to near Las Vegas, NM 56 to Santa Rosa ,

2349-544: The Rail Runner commuter rail line. In the early days of transcontinental air service, Albuquerque was an important stop on many transcontinental air routes, earning it the nickname "Crossroads of the Southwest". During the early 20th century, New Mexico's dry climate attracted many tuberculosis patients to the city in search of a cure; this was before penicillin was found to be effective. Several sanitaria were developed on

2430-407: The Rio Puerco confluence south of Belen . Of these, 12 or 13 were densely clustered near present-day Bernalillo , and the remainder were spread out to the south. Two Tiwa pueblos lie on the outskirts of present-day Albuquerque. Both have been continuously inhabited for many centuries: Sandia Pueblo was founded in the 14th century, and Pueblo of Isleta is documented in written records since

2511-475: The West Mesa to serve TB patients. Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, two of the largest hospitals in the Southwest, had their beginnings during this period. Influential New Deal –era governor Clyde Tingley and famed Southwestern architect John Gaw Meem were among those who came to New Mexico seeking recovery from TB. The first travelers on Route 66 appeared in Albuquerque in 1926. Soon dozens of motels, restaurants, and gift shops sprouted along

New Mexico State Road 14 - Misplaced Pages Continue

2592-513: The 19th century to forcibly displace Navajo to native reservations. It later served as a line of defense against the Apache . Closed in 1912, it reopened briefly to house prisoners during both world wars. The Barelas-South Fourth Street Historic District is a collection of commercial buildings from various eras in a formerly Hispanic residential neighborhood in Albuquerque . Eras represented include

2673-466: The 21st century, Albuquerque's population has continued to grow rapidly. The population of the city proper was estimated at 564,559 in 2020, 528,497 in 2009, and 448,607 in the 2000 census. During 2005 and 2006, the city celebrated its tricentennial with a diverse program of cultural events. The passage of the Planned Growth Strategy in 2002–2004 was the community's strongest effort to create

2754-545: The Arizona border. These routes were designated along former alignments of US 66 throughout the state. State Road 118 ( NM 118 ) is a 36.852-mile-long (59.308 km) state highway in the US state of New Mexico . NM 118's western terminus is at the Arizona –New Mexico border where it continues westward as Grant Road, and the eastern terminus is at Interstate 40 (I-40) northeast of Fort Wingate . NM 118 follows

2835-519: The Beautiful for eastbound travelers. Once in Tijeras itself, the highway intersects NM 337 , which travels to the southeast, and NM 14 , which heads northeast to Santa Fe . Continuing east, NM 333 travels through Sedillo , where it intersects the former NM 306 and NM 217 . The highway then leaves Bernalillo County , and enters Santa Fe County and the town of Edgewood , where it intersects NM 344 . Shortly thereafter,

2916-655: The Max Q commercial district, Albuquerque International Sunport , American Society of Radiologic Technologists , Central New Mexico Community College , UNM South Campus , Presbyterian Hospital Duke City BMX, University Stadium , Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park , The Pit , Mesa del Sol , Isleta Amphitheater , Netflix Studios , Isleta Resort & Casino, the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History , New Mexico Veterans Memorial, and Talin Market are all located in

2997-610: The Republican Union to rid the city of the occupying Confederate troops. When the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about 2 miles (3 km) east in what quickly became known as New Albuquerque or New Town. The railway company built a hospital for its workers that was later used as a juvenile psychiatric facility. It has since been converted to

3078-507: The Sandia foothills in the east. The Rio Grande's bosque has been significantly reduced and its natural flood cycle disrupted by dams built further upstream. A corridor of bosque surrounding the river within the city has been preserved as Rio Grande Valley State Park . A few remaining natural arroyos provide riparian habitat within the city, though natural arroyos draining into the Rio Grande have largely been replaced with concrete channels. After

3159-475: The September 20, 2018 Transportation Commission meeting the bridge carrying NM 122 over I-40 was dedicated as "Sgt. Jackson Gibson Memorial Bridge" to honor Jackson Gibson for his service as a veteran, community leader and state transportation commissioner. State Road 124 ( NM 124 ) is a 25.523-mile-long (41.075 km) state highway in the US state of New Mexico . NM 124's western terminus

3240-575: The Southeast quadrant of Albuquerque. The southern half of the International District lies along Central Ave and Louisiana Blvd. Here, many immigrant communities have settled and thrive, having established numerous businesses. Albuquerque's Vietnamese American community is partly business-centered in this area, as well as the Eubank, Juan Tabo, and Central areas, and other parts of Albuquerque. There

3321-538: The Southwest quadrant comprises the south-end of Downtown Albuquerque, the Barelas neighborhood, the rapidly growing west side, and the community of South Valley, New Mexico , often called "The South Valley". The quadrant extends all the way to the Isleta Indian Reservation. Newer suburban subdivisions on the West Mesa near the southwestern city limits join homes of older construction, some dating as far back as

New Mexico State Road 14 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-544: The Trail is one of a dozen monuments (one in each state on the National Old Trails Road ) commemorating the hardships of early pioneer travellers. She stands on US 66 in Albuquerque. Albuquerque is also home to the 1927 Art Deco themed KiMo Theater and the first modern suburban shopping mall in New Mexico, Nob Hill . Fort Wingate , an abandoned military installation east of Gallup , traces its history to attempts in

3483-415: The U.S. Census. By 1990, it was 384,736 and in 2007 it was 518,271. In June 2007, Albuquerque was listed as the sixth fastest-growing city in the United States. In 1990, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Albuquerque's population as 34.5% Hispanic and 58.3% non-Hispanic white. On April 11, 1950, a USAF B-29 bomber carrying a nuclear weapon crashed into a mountain near Manzano Base . On May 22, 1957,

3564-401: The area, such as Barelas , Corrales , Isleta Pueblo , Los Ranchos , and Sandia Pueblo . After gaining independence in 1821, Mexico established a military presence here. The town of Alburquerque was built in the traditional Spanish villa pattern: a central plaza surrounded by government buildings, homes, and a church. This central plaza area has been preserved and is open to the public as

3645-676: The arrival of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the later construction of US 66. The Park Lake Historic District is a 25-acre municipal park on a lake in Santa Rosa in addition to the natural Blue hole lake coming from the vast underground water system. Constructed under the Works Progress Administration between 1934 and 1940, the park was a make-work project during the Great Depression . The historic Jones Motor Company building in Albuquerque, originally

3726-557: The city into quadrants. This quadrant has been experiencing a housing expansion since the late 1950s. It abuts the base of the Sandia Mountains and contains portions of the foothills neighborhoods, which are significantly higher in elevation than the rest of the city. Running from Central Ave and the Railrunner tracks to the Sandia Peak Aerial Tram , this is the largest quadrant both geographically and by population. Martineztown,

3807-545: The city limits proper. A few houses in the farthest reach of this quadrant lie in the Cibola National Forest , just over the line into Sandoval County . This quadrant contains historic Old Town Albuquerque , which dates to the 18th century, as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center . The area has a mixture of commercial districts and low to high-income neighborhoods. Northwest Albuquerque includes

3888-476: The city to make an annual holiday snowman. Albuquerque is geographically divided into four unequal quadrants that are officially part of mailing addresses, placed immediately after the street name. They are Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW). Albuquerque's official quadrant system uses Central Ave for the north–south division and the railroad tracks for the east–west division. I-25 and I-40 are also sometimes used informally to divide

3969-429: The city. While the former US 66 through Albuquerque is now owned and maintained by the city of Albuquerque, a few US-66/BUSINESS I-40 signs remain along Central Avenue in the downtown area. East of Albuquerque, US 66 is now NM 333 all the way to Moriarty . A stretch of NM 333 in Tijeras is a musical road , with rumble strips that play " America the Beautiful ". I-40 east of Moriarty to Santa Rosa

4050-738: The community. Roy T. Herman's Garage and Service Station in Thoreau was moved in 1937 from Grants , where it had originally been established in 1935. The routing of Route 66 had moved, so the station moved with it to keep its Route 66 clientele. New Mexico is home to the Native American Pueblo of Santo Domingo (Kewa Pueblo) in Santo Domingo and the Pueblo of Laguna in Laguna . Roadside merchants on Route 66 often based their stores on

4131-526: The concurrency with NM 333 was eliminated. The sections of NM 14 south of NM 333 were renumbered NM 337 and NM 55 respectively. New Mexico State Road 333 The historic U.S. Route 66 ( US 66 ) ran east–west across the central part of the state of New Mexico , along the path now taken by Interstate 40 (I-40). However, until 1937, it took a longer route via Los Lunas , Albuquerque , and Santa Fe , now roughly New Mexico State Road 6 (NM 6), I-25 , and US 84 . Large portions of

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4212-556: The design of the early trading posts which originally served the native community. The De Anza Motor Lodge and the surrounding Nob Hill neighborhood served as a trading post for the Zuni Pueblo in Albuquerque. Bowlin's Old Crater Trading Post , Bluewater has long been closed and vacant. Originally a native trading post, its proprietors established a modern chain of highway service centers. Albuquerque's 1939 Maisel's Indian Trading Post , which once employed hundreds of native craftspeople,

4293-539: The early 17th century. It was then chosen as the site of the San Agustín de la Isleta Mission , a Catholic mission . The historic Navajo , Apache , and Comanche peoples were likely to have set camps in the Albuquerque area, as there is evidence of trade and cultural exchange among the different Native American groups going back centuries before European arrival. Albuquerque was founded in 1706 as an outpost as La Villa de Alburquerque by Francisco Cuervo y Valdés in

4374-614: The end of NM 10 was at US 66 . In 1935, NM 10 was extended south to NM 15 near Tajique . NM 15 was later absorbed into a further southern extension of NM 10 to US 54 in Carrizozo . By 1949, this highway was mostly paved. Originally, the NM 14 designation was serviced by a road between the Arizona–;New Mexico state line and US 80 in Road Forks . NM 14 along with SR 86 in Arizona provided

4455-562: The façade and whimsical metal cylinders that light up at night, along with its famous camel atop the neon sign, paying tribute to the U.S. Camel Corps that once came through the area in the 1800s on a surveying expedition for a future national road system. Central Avenue in Albuquerque has many motels from this era, although some (such as the Aztec Motel ) have been demolished along with other building to accommodate for modern needs. Historic Albuquerque lodgings from Route 66's heyday include

4536-632: The foothill areas of Sandia Heights and Glenwood Hills. The civic apex is found in an undeveloped area within the Albuquerque Open Space; there, the terrain rises to an elevation of approximately 6,880 feet (2,100 m), and the metropolitan area's highest point is Sandia Crest at an altitude of 10,678 feet (3,255 m). According to the United States Census Bureau , Albuquerque has a total area of 189.5 square miles (490.9 km ) , of which 187.7 square miles (486.2 km )

4617-626: The green is due to large swaths of conifer forests. However, Robert Julyan notes in The Place Names of New Mexico , "the most likely explanation is the one believed by the Sandia Pueblo Indians: the Spaniards, when they encountered the Pueblo in 1540, called it Sandia, because they thought the squash growing there were watermelons, and the name Sandia soon was transferred to the mountains east of

4698-745: The growth in the metropolitan area is taking place outside of the city of Albuquerque itself. In Rio Rancho to the northwest, the communities east of the mountains, and the incorporated parts of Valencia County , population growth rates approach twice that of Albuquerque. The primary cities in Valencia County are Los Lunas and Belen , both of which are home to growing industrial complexes and new residential subdivisions. The mountain towns of Tijeras , Edgewood , and Moriarty , while close enough to Albuquerque to be considered suburbs, have experienced much less growth compared to Rio Rancho, Bernalillo, Los Lunas, and Belen. Limited water supply and rugged terrain are

4779-424: The highway enters Torrance County and the city of Moriarty , where it ends at an intersection with I-40 Business (I-40 Bus.). NM 333 follows the routing of the former Historic U.S. Route 66. Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( / ˈ æ l b ə k ɜːr k i / AL -bə-kur-kee ; Spanish: [alβuˈkeɾke] ), also known as ABQ , Burque , and

4860-422: The largest section of Downtown , Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and the Bosque ("woodlands"), Petroglyph National Monument, Double Eagle II Airport , the Paradise Hills neighborhood, Taylor Ranch, and Cottonwood Mall . This quadrant also contains the North Valley settlement, outside the city limits, which has some expensive homes and small ranches along the Rio Grande . The city of Albuquerque engulfs

4941-432: The life-sustaining Rio Grande now flows. Albuquerque lies in the Albuquerque Basin , a portion of the Rio Grande rift . The Sandia Mountains are the predominant geographic feature visible in Albuquerque. Sandía is Spanish for " watermelon ", and is popularly believed to be a reference to the brilliant pink and green coloration of the mountains at sunset. The pink is due to large exposures of granodiorite cliffs, and

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5022-407: The main limiting factors for development in these towns. The Mid Region Council of Governments (MRCOG), which includes constituents from throughout the Albuquerque area, was formed to ensure that these governments along the middle Rio Grande would be able to meet the needs of their rapidly rising populations. MRCOG's cornerstone project is currently the New Mexico Rail Runner Express . Albuquerque

5103-474: The mid-19th century, a federal garrison and quartermaster depot, the Post of Albuquerque, were established here, operating from 1846 to 1867. In Beyond the Mississippi (1867), Albert D. Richardson , traveling to California via coach, passed through Albuquerque in late October 1859—its population was 3,000 at the time—and described it as "one of the richest and pleasantest towns, with a Spanish cathedral and other buildings more than two hundred years old." During

5184-403: The old road parallel to I-40 have been designated NM 117 , NM 118 , NM 122 , NM 124 , NM 333 , three separate loops of I-40 Business , and state-maintained frontage roads . It is one of the roads on the Trails of the Ancients Byway , one of the designated New Mexico Scenic Byways . Route 66 in New Mexico was marked over portions of two auto trails  —

5265-405: The old route now have brown, historical highway markers denoting it as Pre-1937 Route 66. The establishment of Kirtland Air Force Base in 1939, Sandia Base in the early 1940s, and Sandia National Laboratories in 1949, would make Albuquerque a key player of the Atomic Age. Meanwhile, the city continued to expand outward into the Northeast Heights, reaching a population of 201,189 by 1960 per

5346-439: The provincial kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México . The settlement was named after the original town of Viceroy Francisco Fernández de la Cueva , 10th duke of Alburquerque , who was from Alburquerque, Badajoz in southwest Spain. Albuquerque developed primarily for farming and sheep herds. It was a strategically located trading and military outpost along the Camino Real . It served other Tiquex and Hispano towns settled in

5427-449: The pueblo." He also notes that the Sandia Pueblo Indians call the mountain Bien Mur , "Big Mountain." Albuquerque lies at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert transitioning into the Colorado Plateau . The Sandia Mountains represent the northern edge of the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains ecoregion . The environments of Albuquerque include the Rio Grande bosque , (floodplain cottonwood forest), arid scrub, and mesas that turn into

5508-462: The roadside to serve them. Route 66 originally ran through the city on a north–south alignment along Fourth Street. In 1937 it was realigned along Central Avenue , a more direct east–west route. The intersection of Fourth and Central downtown was the principal crossroads of the city for decades. The majority of the surviving structures from the Route 66 era are on Central, though there are also some on Fourth. Signs between Bernalillo and Los Lunas along

5589-421: The routing of the former Historic U.S. Route 66. The entire route is in McKinley County . State Road 122 ( NM 122 ) is a 38.740-mile-long (62.346 km) state highway in the US state of New Mexico . NM 122's western terminus is at Interstate 40 (I-40) west of Thoreau , and the eastern terminus is at I-40 in Grants . NM 122 follows the routing of the former Historic U.S. Route 66. At

5670-416: The short NM 104 to Cuervo , and part of NM 3 to Texas. While NM 56 and NM 104 were completely absorbed by US 66, NM 6 was reassigned to a route splitting from US 66 (old NM 6) at Laguna and heading straight east through Albuquerque, Moriarty , and Palma to US 66 at Santa Rosa. Except between Albuquerque and Moriarty, where it formed part of US 470 , this

5751-483: The slogan "Tucumcari tonite!" At least one historically restored Tucumcari Boulevard motel, the 12-room, neon-lit, 1939 Blue Swallow Motel , is listed on the National Register of Historic Places . Another motel recently restored nearby is the Motel Safari. The Motel Safari was built in 1959 by Chester Dohrer and features a mid-century modern retro design with "Doo Wop" or "Googie" styled architecture. Boomerangs, holes in cinder blocks, counter stacked bricks protruding from

5832-558: The south and leaving from the east. Now in Santa Fe County , NM 14 turns to the north. It intersects NM 344 west of Oro Quay Peak, both of which are located south of the ghost town of Golden . State Road 10 (NM 10) had been established before 1927 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe . By 1927, part of NM 10 was replaced by US 470 from Tijeras to Albuquerque, but the northern terminus remained at US 85 in Santa Fe. By 1930,

5913-713: The temporary home of many movie stars. The Rio Puerco Bridge , a Parker Through truss bridge crossing the Rio Puerco, was built in 1933. Eleven New Mexico road segments on US 66 are listed on the National Register of Historic Places ; some originally incorporated wooden bridges to carry the road through flood plains. Listed road segments include: Glenrio to San Jon; San Jon to Tucumcari; Palomas to Montoya; Montoya to Cuervo; Cuervo to NM 156; Albuquerque to Rio Puerco; Laguna to McCartys; McCartys to Grants; Milan to Continental Divide; Iyanbito to Rehobeth; and Manuelito to

5994-611: The village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque . A small portion of the rapidly developing area on the west side of the river south of the Petroglyphs, known as the " West Mesa " or "Westside", consisting primarily of traditional residential subdivisions, also extends into this quadrant. The city proper is bordered on the north by the North Valley, the village of Corrales , and the city of Rio Rancho . Kirtland Air Force Base , Sandia National Laboratories , Sandia Science & Technology Park,

6075-530: The western part of the city bear testimony to a Native American presence in the area dating back many centuries. These are preserved in the Petroglyph National Monument . The Tanoan and Keresan peoples had lived along the Rio Grande for centuries before European colonists arrived in the area that developed as Albuquerque. By the 1500s, there were around 20 Tiwa pueblos along a 60-mile (97 km) stretch of river from present-day Algodones to

6156-447: The winter. Cooper's hawks are common in city parks. Iconic vegetation includes the Rio Grande cottonwood in the bosque, and tree cholla , prickly pear , yucca , chamisa , and oneseed juniper in upland areas. The foothill open space at the eastern border also features Sonoran scrub oak and piñon pine . Desert willows are commonly planted throughout the city. Tumbleweeds are a common weed in disturbed areas, and are used by

6237-524: Was also the city's first mayor, is the oldest continuing Jewish organization in the city. By 1900, Albuquerque boasted a population of 8,000 and all the modern amenities, including an electric street railway connecting Old Town, New Town, and the recently established University of New Mexico campus on the East Mesa. In 1902, the Alvarado Hotel was built adjacent to the new passenger depot, and it remained

6318-591: Was an unimproved road. New Mexico had long been controlled politically by the Santa Fe Ring , a group of businesspeople and officials with close ties to the Republican Party. In 1924, Democrat Arthur Thomas Hannett was unexpectedly elected for a single term (1925–1927) as governor. Blaming the Republican establishment in Santa Fe for his defeat, Hannett used the lame duck remainder of his term to force through

6399-455: Was appointed the town's first marshal that year. New Albuquerque was incorporated as a town in 1885, with Henry N. Jaffa its first mayor. It was incorporated as a city in 1891. Old Town remained a separate community until the 1920s, when it was absorbed by Albuquerque. Old Albuquerque High School , the city's first public high school, was established in 1879. Congregation Albert , a Reform synagogue established in 1897, by Henry N. Jaffa, who

6480-502: Was built by adding a second set of lanes to US 66. East of Santa Rosa, US 66 is now largely frontage roads for I-40 or business loops for Santa Rosa and Tucumcari . At San Jon , the original alignment (now gravel) continues to the Texas state line at the historic ghost town of Glenrio . A later alignment is the north frontage road for I-40. This table represents US 66's junctions in 1950.  The New Mexico Madonna of

6561-404: Was reopened in the 1980s and remains in operation today. Various towns and cities quickly established roadside motel strips to accommodate a burgeoning traffic from Route 66 travelers. Tucumcari had long advertised "2000 motel rooms" (later "1200 motel rooms" due to the construction of I-40, diminishing visitor population) on roadside signage for hundreds of miles along US 66 using

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