Raton, New Mexico

Colfax County

35-62060

Raton is a city and the county seat of Colfax County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The name Raton is Spanish and is available there for small rat or mouse.

Geography

The place Raton is located south of Raton Pass, covering an area of ​​19 km ² (7.2 mi ²). There are no bodies of water present.

History

The Raton Pass had been used by Spanish explorers and Indians for centuries to cross the rugged mountains. The pass was too narrow and too narrow for cars. In 1866 saw Uncle Dick Wooton, a mountain guide and Indian scout, the chance to earn some extra. He blasted the passage wider and demanded of anyone who wanted to pass a levy. The were not prepared to pay, had to make a detour of 100 miles. For traveling Indians was no obligation to pay.

1879 bought the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company the royalty- road from Uncle Dick and laid rail tracks.

1880 purchased 320 acres of land Maxwell - Grand. Raton was founded at the side of Willow Springs, a stop on the Santa Fe route.

Raton quickly developed as railways, mining and Ranchingzentrum for the north-east of New Mexico.

Historical buildings

• The Raton Downtown Historic District extends in the village between the Rio Grande, the Clark Street and 1st Street and 3rd Street. It includes 95 buildings and in 1977 received the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district (NRHP ID 77000923 ).

Demography

On 1 July 2006 there were 6781 people in Raton. The average age is 40 years.