Tucumcari, Quay County Seat
"The Gateway to New Mexico"
photo courtesy of
Tucumari Chamber of Commerce
Tucumcari is the Quay County seat and the county's largest community. This tree-lined town is near the base of flat-topped Tucumcari Mountain, with Mesa Redonda rising 11 miles to the south.
Nestled along historic Route 66, amid mesas and plains, Tucumcari is "The Gateway to New Mexico" for the traveler on I-40 crossing into New Mexico or headed for the Texas panhandle. With more than 1,200 motel rooms available, two lakes within a half hour drive, a wildlife area, a golf course and cultural events scheduled throughout the year, Tucumcari is an excellent choice for a traveler's East/West stopover.
A large number of services are available in Tucumcari, more than one would expect in a small, rural town with a population of approximately 6,000 people. The community has a local newspaper, a public library, a radio station, several locally owned full service banking institutions, a hospital and a municipal airport.
With strong health and human services, a mild climate, affordable land, housing, utilities and taxes and an array of recreational activities, Tucumcari is the choice of more and more of the country's retirees.
Tucumcari boasts a strong and diversified economy. Agriculture and livestock, which have always been cash crops for the area, are complemented by a number of smaller industries, including a cheese factory, an ostrich farm, and a community college.
Endless blue skies engulf the region throughout the year, crime is low and the friendly attitudes of Tucumcari's residents encourage the traveler to stay an extra day or two and discover what this peaceful community has to offer.
Nearest Metropolitan Cities
- Albuquerque: 173 miles
- Amarillo: 110 miles
- Santa Fe: 166 miles
Average Elevation
- 4,085 feet
Climate (30 year normals)
- Avg. temperature-annual: 60 degrees
- Avg. temperature-January: 40 degrees
- Avg. temperature-July: 80 degrees
- Annual rainfall: 17.68 inches
- Annual snowfall: 7 inches
- Days Over 90 degrees: 77.57 days
Special Events
Tucumcari opens its doors each year to a number of special events built around themes, holidays and the pioneer spirit of the West. The first part of the year offers an Agriculture Fair and a Chamber Banquet. Summer finds Tucumcari bustling with special occasions such as a large arts and crafts weekend, several rodeo and horse shows, an annual motorcycle rally, and a Route 66 Festival, which includes an outstanding car show and one of the largest and most colorful parades in New Mexico. Each fall is marked by the Rotary Air Show which includes such demonstrations as the Canadian Snowbirds and other world renowned aerial shows.
Legends and Lore
An astounding legend borne from a Native American myth has planted itself deep in the soil of the Tucumcari Mountain. Visitors would be remiss if they explored the region without being privy to the tragic and heartfelt story which gave this mesa its name.
Apache Chief, Wautonomah was nearing the end of his time on earth and was troubled by the question of who would succeed him as ruler of the tribe. In a classic portrait of love and competition, his two finest braves, Tonopah and Tocom, were not only rivals and sworn enemies of one another, but were both vying for the hand of Kari, Chief Wantonomah's daughter. Kari knew her heart belonged to Tocom. Chief Wautonomah beckened Tonopah and Tocom to his side and announced, "Soon I must die and one of you must succeed me as chief. Tonight you must take your long knives and meet in combat to settle the matter between you. He who survives shall be the Chief and have for his squaw, Kari, my daughter."
As ordered, the two braves met, with knives outstretched, in mortal combat. Unknown to either brave was the fact that Kari was hiding nearby. When Tonopah's knife found the heart of Tocom, the young squaw rushed from her hiding place and used a knife to take Tonopah's life, as well as her own.
When Chief Wautonomah was shown this tragic scene, heartbreak enveloped him and he buried his daughter's knife deep into his own heart, crying out in agony, "Tocom-Kari"!
A slight variation of the Chief's dying words live on today as "Tucumcari," and the mountain which bares this name stands as a stark reminder of unfulfilled love.
Some credit this folktake to Geronimo. More sceptical and less romantic historians believe the word "Tucumcari" is a derivation from the Comanche word "tukanukaru," which means to lie in wait for something. There's historical veracity to this explanation, since the mountain was known to be a Comanche lookout many years ago.
For History Buffs
The area in and around Tucumcari was very significant during the Triassic Period, also known as the dawn of the dinosaurs. Fossils found in the area have ended up in museums around the country -- and in the Mesalands College's Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari, of course! Periods represented in the surrounding area of Quay County include all ages of the dinosaurs. Footprints are very common in the area as well.
Go forward in history some 100 million years. Originally called Six Shooter Siding, Tucumcari owes its beginnings to a snowstorm and the railroad. In 1900, two men stayed with A.D. Goldenberg during a bad snowstorm, which lasted three weeks. In return for the hospitality they received, the two men indicated that a railroad would be going through the area soon, and would be establishing a stop four miles from the Goldenberg home. Goldenberg, his brother Max and two other businessmen, J.A. Street and Lee Kewen Smith, purchased property where they felt the railroad would have to lay its tracks. By 1902, four passenger trains, two mail trains and two freight trains made daily stops at the new city. By 1910, 60 businesses were established.
The railroad, once an important element of the Tucumcari economy, has been gradually replaced by highways. First came Route 66, some 70 years ago, when a Chicago to Los Angeles highway was routed through Tucumcari, allowing the community to continue to thrive. Parts of Tucumcari are still situated along Historic Route 66 and have the appearance of a 1950s movie set. The neon lit motel sign of the Blue Swallow, La Cita, and the Odeon Theatre are just a few of the town's landmarks which continue to thrive as living legacies. Although modern-day I-40 circumvents Tucumcari, many travelers exit to continue travel on old Route 66 and photograph the Route 66 monument.
Points of Interest
About All Those Silos
Grain silos on Tucumcari's skyline are a common site that represent the area's strong ties to agriculture. Over the years, the agriculture industry has remained the stabilizing business of the region, with large ranches and farms dotting the landscape in every direction. Agricultural activities, including the Arch Hurley Conservancy District, account for an estimated $42 million in revenue annually. The Sixty-Six Packing Plant has been a community asset since 1947, processing cattle from a four state region and then shipping the product to Arizona and California markets.
Horseshoes, Cheese and Ratites
One doesn't have to look far to find a business which has helped to anchor Tucumcari economically.
Tucumcari Farrier Technologies
Owned and operated by Jim and Carole Keith, this manufacturing plant produces Breckenridge and TFT horseshoes, Jim Keith tongs and assorted farrier's hand tools and ships them nationwide. The business also retails farrier and blacksmith supplies.
Tucumcari Farrier Technologies
905 West Railroad Avenue
Tucumcari, NM 88401
505-461-2942
Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory
Located in the old Coca-Cola bottling plant, the Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory opened its doors in 1995. It produces approximately 10,000 pounds of cheese per week. Varieties of cheese offered by the factory include Jack and Cheddar, a number of Italian and several New Mexico-style Cheddar or Jack cheeses which have locally grown Green Chili added to the product. Specialty cheeses include Red Sandia Jack, Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Jack, Asiago and many more fresh and wholesome cheeses. Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory was started by a fourth generation cheese maker whose family made Kraft Cracker Barrel Cheddar for 50 years. The factory has a retail outlet, and special tours are available.
Tucumcari Mountain Cheese Factory
823 East Main Street
Tucumcari, NM 88401
505-461-4045
Those Unflighty Ratites
Ostrich farming may well be the growth industry to watch during the next few decades, and Tucumcari is positioned to be a leader in this field with several locally owned and operated ranches in the area. The Ostrich is part of the Ratite, or flightless bird, family. Emus and Rheas, both Ratites, are also raised on Tucumcari ostrich ranches. The males of this family are responsible for sitting on the eggs, but commercial farmers raise the eggs in incubators. Reasons for the growth of Ostrich ranches include the fact that the Ostrich produces red meat which is high in protein, yet low in cholesterol and fat. Ostrich leather is top quality and well suited for the garment industry while the feathers are used as dusters and fashion accessories. Floeck's Country Ostrich Ranch promotes itself as the largest and oldest in New Mexico. Begun in 1980, Floeck's has grown into an 80-acre farm with commercial equipment and the capabilities to house hundreds of animals. Special tours of Floeck's facilities are available upon request. Barranca Creek Ostrich Ranch began by boarding birds. In 1993 the ranch began raising their own. The Ostriches are tended on 320 acres, and plans call for a 20-foot-high fiberglass statue of an Ostrich at their retail outlet along I-40.
