Brilliant, New Mexico facts for kids

Brilliant is a small, quiet place in Colfax County, New Mexico, in the United States. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it's a settlement that isn't officially a city or town with its own local government. Think of it like a neighborhood that's part of a larger county area.

The Story Behind the Name

Brilliant wasn't always called Brilliant. Its original name was Swastika. This name was changed because the swastika symbol became strongly linked to the Nazis. The Nazis were a political group in Germany that caused a lot of harm and were known for very bad actions. Because of this, the community decided to change its name to Brilliant to avoid any connection with that symbol.

A Look at Its Past

Like many small communities, Brilliant once had its own post office. This post office was an important place for people to send and receive mail. However, it closed its doors in 1954. This often happens when a community's population changes or when mail services become more centralized.