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Cow Springs Ranch facts for kids

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Cow Springs Ranch is a place found in Luna County, New Mexico. The main part of the ranch is located at Cow Springs, which was originally called Ojo de Vaca. This name means "Cow Spring" in Spanish.

History of Cow Springs

Cow Springs, or Ojo de Vaca, was a very important watering spot. It was on an old trail that connected Janos, Chihuahua, Mexico to the Santa Rita copper mines. Travelers and miners used this spring to get fresh water.

Early Explorers and Wagon Roads

In 1846, a group called Cooke's Mormon Battalion was looking for a new wagon route. They wanted to find a way for wagons to travel between the Rio Grande river and California. They found this spring and followed an old Mexican road from there.

This group helped create a new path for wagons. It became known as Cooke's Wagon Road. This road was very important for people traveling west.

The Gold Rush and Mail Routes

By 1849, Cooke's road became a major path for people heading to California. Many "forty-niners" used it during the California Gold Rush. These were people who rushed to California hoping to find gold. Ojo de Vaca spring was one of the most reliable places to get water on this long journey. This path was also called the Southern Emigrant Trail.

Later, Ojo de Vaca was also a stop on the San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line. This was a service that carried mail and passengers across the country.

Stagecoach Station

The Butterfield Overland Mail company later built a stagecoach station at Ojo de Vaca. This station was a place where stagecoaches could stop. Passengers could rest, and horses could be changed. It was located in what was then New Mexico Territory.

The station was about 14 miles northeast of Soldiers Farewell Station. It was also 16 miles southwest of Miembre's River Station. This Miembre's River Station later became Mowry City, New Mexico. Cow Springs remained an important stop on these routes. It was used until long-distance stagecoach travel ended in the late 1800s.

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