City of Mora, Mora County Seat
from Mora Country brochure
The only unincorporated county seat in New Mexico, the tiny Hispanic village of Mora is a place where time stands still, where tall cottonwoods line the Mora River and surrounding ditches. The village stands at the northern entrance to the beautiful 15-mile-long Mora valley.
Earliest documents refer to "Demora," meaning a camp or a stopover, from the Spanish noun "demora," or delay. The Mora Valley long served as a gateway from the northern Rio Grande pueblos and Spanish villages to the bison plains and Indian lands east of the Rocky Mountains. Governor Don Diego de Vargas passed this way in 1696, and Juan Paez Hurtado pursued a band of Faraon Apaches through here in 1715. Hurtado wrote: "I went down with the camp to the valley which is called Mora." Both he and de Vargas noted an old house with adobe walls standing at the entrance to the valley.
In the 1860s Mora's Church of Santa Gertrudis was the primary parish for a huge area of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. The blessing of San Isidro, patron saint of farmers, is still invoked each Spring for the people who live in Mora, whose strength comes from their close family ties and their attachment to the land.
In 1900 Mora County had the third largest number of homesteads registered in the New Mexico territory, 15,652. But now the small village is a peaceful place in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos, a place to start a quiet journey through the county. Travelers will find long distances between amenities, but will discover all sorts of surprises rich in history, culture and natural beauty.
For History Buffs
Although the first inhabitants were Jicarilla Apaches, the first recorded date for Hispanic inhabitants in Mora is 1816, and in 1835 Mexican Governor Albino Perez gave an official grant of land to the settlers. Given little or no support by the new and unstable Mexican government, Morenos were left to their own devices in protecting themselves from attacks by Ute and Comanche raiders. Their government levied prohibitory duties on imported goods from the United States in an attempt to maintain monopolies established in Mexico. As a result, Morenos welcomed the traders who settled in the area and became citizens. Many of these newcomers were merchants who traded in relative rarities like firearms and such refinements as delicate woven goods. Morenos also acquired needed items by becoming Comancheros, trading with their former enemies.
When Texas attempted to annex all lands east of the Rio Grande, events led to a raid by Texans on the town of Mora. Three years later, in 1847, General Stephen Kearney invaded New Mexico claiming the territory for the U.S. Within a few months, Mora joined the people of Taos in a loyalist revolt resulting in the destruction of their entire community by U.S. military forces.
In the 1870s, members of the Santa Fe Ring cast their eyes on the 800,000 Mora Land Grant. Ocate was a stronghold for the Gorras Blancas (White Hats), a secret society of landowners who tried to defend their land by raiding and fence cutting. The land sharks were also resisted in court well into the 20th century, to no avail. Most of the common grazing and forested lands of the grant were lost with a pen, as were many grant lands throughout the Territory.
Victory Ranch
Hug an Alpaca
Travel one mile north of Mora on Hwy 434 to the Victory Ranch Alpacas. Children of all ages will enjoy hugging and feeding Alpacas who thrive on 1,100 acres of spectacular mountain scenery. Alpacas, small gentle cousins to llamas, are native to the South American Andes and are very much at home in the Mora Valley. Victory Ranch Alpacas has the largest herd of Alpacas in the American Southwest. They pride themselves on the blood lines of their excellent breeding stock, while raising them in a natural environment. Alpacas come in 22 varied colors. Garments made from their rare, luxurious wool are treasures which often become family heirlooms. Visit this working ranch for a hands-on experience with some of the most magnificent animals in the world.
While at Victory Ranch, don't miss a stop at the Visitor Center, to meet alpaca experts and purchase fine alpaca products including wool and yarn, ski and golf sweaters, baby clothes and artwork created by local Mora Valley artisans.
Victory Ranch
P.O. Box 680
Mora, NM 87732
Open Daily, 10am to 4pm
505-387-2254
505-387-9005 fax
www.victoryranch.com
The Tree Farm
The Mora Research Center ("The Tree Farm"), located between Mora and Cleveland, is part of New Mexico State University's Agricultural Experiment Station Network. Its program has evolved around the nursery, Christmas tree and commercial timber industries. Significant research contributions have been made to the survival rate of tree seedlings, successful techniques for production of native juniper seedlings and revegetation of land disturbed by surface mining and deforestation.
The Fish Hatchery
The Mora National Fish Hatchery Technology Center demonstrates the reuse of water in the production of game fish. Built with state and federal funds in 1993, it was the first of its kind in the nation and an important demonstration project for the whole country.
Small Villages And Ancient Communities
South on Hwy 518 toward Las Vegas, winding through small valleys in the Sangre de Cristos, are the small Hispanic villages of Ledoux, Canoncito, Manuelitas and Las Tusas. To the left, onto the plains, lie the old communities of Buena Vista and Golondrinas.
Morphy Lake State Park
Yes, it really is "Morphy" not "Murphey"! This mountain jewel above Ledoux provides fishing and camping. The state park is isolated and primitive, offering all the quiet and solitude a camper might desire. It sits on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness in a pristine pine forest, and the pretty lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout.
Morphy Lake State Park
P.O. Box 477
Guadalupita, NM 87722
505-387-2328
Grist For The Mills
In the second half of the 1800s, Mora was the breadbasket of the north, its long valleys filled with fields of waving wheat. Most communities had at least one mill which ground the flour that fed Fort Union as well as other outposts and surrounding communities. Several of these mills have been granted the status of National Historic Sites.
courtesy of the Las Vegas/San Miguel
Chamber of Commerce.
St. Vrain's Mill
On the Mora River near the village of Mora are the ruins of St. Vrain's Mill, arguably the first mill in New Mexico to receive a contract with the Army of the Southwest. This mill was also the largest supplier to the Army at one time, producing 4,500,000 pounds of flour between 1849 and 1861 under contract to the Army. The local flour was generally considered inferior to that milled in the States. When St. Vrain made his first deliveries in 1850 a board of survey assembled in Santa Fe to report on the quality of his product, compared to imported flour. The conclusion was that the bread contained grit "perceptible to the touch and taste."
La Cueva Mill and the Salman Raspberry Farm
Also on Hwy 518 is La Cueva Mill, another restored mill and home to a burgeoning raspberry industry. Vicente Romero, founder of La Cueva Ranch, built the beautiful La Cueva Mill in the 1870s to supply flour to nearby Fort Union. "La Cueva" is Spanish for "The Cave", and sure enough, there's a cave near the mill that Romero used prior to building his homestead. Now on the National Historic Register, La Cueva is owned by the Salman family, who run a raspberry farm on the property. Between August and October, visitors may buy fresh berries at the farm store or cool off with araspberry sundae.
see also Cleveland Roller Mill →
For more information about the City of Mora
For more information about the City of Mora, please contact:
