Cuervo, New Mexico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cuervo, New Mexico
Unincorporated community
Church and its deteriorated rectory in Cuervo
Cuervo, New Mexico Location in New Mexico Show map of New Mexico Cuervo, New Mexico Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Guadalupe
Elevation	4,859 ft (1,481 m)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	88417
Area code(s)	575
GNIS feature ID	915818

Cuervo is a small, quiet place in Guadalupe County, New Mexico, USA. It's located right next to Interstate 40, about 16.8 miles (27 km) east of Santa Rosa. Cuervo used to have its own post office until 2011, and it still has its own ZIP code, 88417. Today, Cuervo is almost like a ghost town. The building of I-40 split the community. However, you can still find a small church and a gas station there.

The History of Cuervo

Cuervo was started in 1901. A post office opened there in 1902. But records show that people lived in the area even before 1901.

Early Days as a Supply Center

At first, Cuervo was a place where nearby ranches could get their supplies. By 1926, it became a popular stop for travelers on the famous Route 66.

Population Changes Over Time

In 1940, about 128 people lived in Cuervo. Even then, there were not many places for tourists to stay. The town's population grew to over 300 people in the 1940s. This was when Route 66 was very busy.

Cuervo Today

Today, most buildings in Cuervo are empty and falling apart. The town has four streets south of I-40 and two streets north of it. You can still see the old stone schoolhouse and a stone church. These buildings are being fixed up. There are also a couple of homes that look lived in and one auto repair shop.

Images for kids

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  A crumbling adobe building

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  An old stone schoolhouse with an abandoned vehicle

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  A wood-frame structure

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  Another view of the old stone schoolhouse

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  The town's water tower