Capitan, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Capitan
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Village
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| Capitan, New Mexico | |
The Billy the Kid Trail through Capitan
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Location of Capitan, New Mexico
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 Capitan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Lincoln |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.26 sq mi (8.44 km2) |
| • Land | 3.26 sq mi (8.44 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,350 ft (1,950 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,391 |
| • Density | 426.82/sq mi (164.78/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
88316
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| Area code(s) | 575 |
| FIPS code | 35-11800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0923574 |
Capitan is a small village in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States. It is located north of the Lincoln National Forest. The village sits between the Capitan and Sacramento Mountains. It is about 6,350 feet (1,950 meters) above sea level.
In 2020, about 1,391 people lived in Capitan. The village was started in the 1890s and officially became a village in 1941.
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Contents
Geography and Climate
Capitan covers about 3.2 square miles (8.3 square kilometers) of land. There is no water area in the village. It is surrounded by tall desert mountains and different types of trees like New Mexico cedar, pinon, and juniper.
Weather in Capitan
Capitan has a varied climate throughout the year. Summers are warm, and winters are cold. The village gets some rain, especially in the summer months. It also sees snow in winter.
| Climate data for Capitan, New Mexico | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 73 (23) |
73 (23) |
79 (26) |
85 (29) |
94 (34) |
101 (38) |
98 (37) |
97 (36) |
91 (33) |
85 (29) |
79 (26) |
71 (22) |
101 (38) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 49 (9) |
53 (12) |
59 (15) |
68 (20) |
76 (24) |
84 (29) |
83 (28) |
81 (27) |
76 (24) |
68 (20) |
57 (14) |
49 (9) |
67 (19) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 23 (−5) |
25 (−4) |
29 (−2) |
35 (2) |
43 (6) |
49 (9) |
54 (12) |
53 (12) |
47 (8) |
38 (3) |
29 (−2) |
23 (−5) |
37 (3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −4 (−20) |
−6 (−21) |
−2 (−19) |
8 (−13) |
25 (−4) |
33 (1) |
42 (6) |
41 (5) |
30 (−1) |
8 (−13) |
−11 (−24) |
−15 (−26) |
−15 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.64 (16) |
0.79 (20) |
0.63 (16) |
0.53 (13) |
1.17 (30) |
1.55 (39) |
3.49 (89) |
3.51 (89) |
2.21 (56) |
1.25 (32) |
1.08 (27) |
1.00 (25) |
17.85 (452) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7 (18) |
6.8 (17) |
4.7 (12) |
1.3 (3.3) |
0.2 (0.51) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
1.9 (4.8) |
9.2 (23) |
32 (80.91) |
Population Changes
The number of people living in Capitan has changed over the years.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 932 | — | |
| 1950 | 575 | −38.3% | |
| 1960 | 552 | −4.0% | |
| 1970 | 439 | −20.5% | |
| 1980 | 762 | 73.6% | |
| 1990 | 842 | 10.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,443 | 71.4% | |
| 2010 | 1,489 | 3.2% | |
| 2020 | 1,391 | −6.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 1,443 people living in Capitan. Most people identified as White. About 19% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. The average age of people in the village was 42 years old.
Smokey Bear's Story
Capitan is famous for its connection to Smokey Bear. In the spring of 1950, a big forest fire happened in the Capitan Mountains. Firefighters found a small black bear cub badly burned. They rescued him and named him Hotfoot Teddy. Later, he was renamed Smokey.
This real-life Smokey became the symbol for the United States Forest Service. He taught people about preventing forest fires. Smokey lived at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. for 26 years. When he passed away in 1976, his remains were brought back to Capitan. He was buried at what is now the Smokey Bear Historical Park.
Education
Students in Capitan attend schools that are part of the Capitan Municipal Schools district. The village also has a public library called the Capitan Public Library.
Transportation
Capitan is connected by several important roads:
- U.S. Route 380
- NM 48
- NM 246
See also
In Spanish: Capitán (Nuevo México) para niños
