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Gallup, New Mexico
City
Motels and businesses in Gallup
Motels and businesses in Gallup
Flag of Gallup, New Mexico
Flag
Nickname(s): 
"Capital of the World"
Location of Gallup in McKinley County and the state of New Mexico
Location of Gallup in McKinley County and the state of New Mexico
Gallup, New Mexico is located in the United States
Gallup, New Mexico
Gallup, New Mexico
Location in the United States
Country United States
State New Mexico
County McKinley
Founded 1881
Area
 • City 20.19 sq mi (52.30 km2)
 • Land 20.19 sq mi (52.29 km2)
 • Water 0.003 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation
6,647 ft (2,026 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • City 21,899
 • Density 1,084.65/sq mi (418.78/km2)
 • Metro
71,492
Time zone UTC−7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
87301, 87302, 87305, 87310, 87317, 87319, 87326, 87375
Area code(s) 505
FIPS code 35-28460
GNIS feature ID 2410562
Website www.gallupnm.gov

Gallup is a city in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States, with a population of 21,899 as of the 2020 census. A substantial percentage of its population is Native American, with residents from the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni tribes. Gallup is the county seat of McKinley County and the most populous city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque, along historic U.S. Route 66.

Gallup is known as the "Heart of Indian Country" because it is on the edge of the Navajo reservation and is home to members of many other tribes, as well.

The city is on the Trails of the Ancients Byway, one of the designated New Mexico Scenic Byways.

Because of the nearby rugged terrain, it was a popular location in the 1940s and 1950s for Hollywood Westerns.

History

Gallup was founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The city was named after David Gallup, a paymaster for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.

There is widespread belief that during World War II, the city fought successfully to prevent 800 Japanese American residents from being placed in wartime internment, the only New Mexico city to do so. But this is not true. Executive Order 9066 was never used to intern people living in Gallup, and the city complied with all federal orders and policies during the war.

Geography

Gallup is located at 35°31′41″N 108°44′33″W / 35.52806°N 108.74250°W / 35.52806; -108.74250 (35.5280783, −108.7425843). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.4 square miles (35 km2), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1900 2,948 —
1910 2,264 −23.2%
1920 3,920 73.1%
1930 5,992 52.9%
1940 7,041 17.5%
1950 9,133 29.7%
1960 14,089 54.3%
1970 14,596 3.6%
1980 18,167 24.5%
1990 19,154 5.4%
2000 20,209 5.5%
2010 21,678 7.3%
2020 21,605 −0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the 2000 census, 20,209 people, 6,810 households, and 4,869 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,513.7 inhabitants per square mile (584.4/km2). There were 7,349 housing units at an average density of 550.5 per square mile (212.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 43.8% Native American, 35.2% White, 2.0% Asian, 1.2% African American, 12.1% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. About 31.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 6,810 households, 41.1% had children under 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were not families. About 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.85, and the average family size was 3.39.

In the city, the age distribution was 32.7% under 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.

It has close proximity to Native American reservations, and historic lack of economic development in addition to many mine closures in the last century. As a result of these closures, a large proportion of Gallup's households is low-income. The median income for a household in the city was $34,868, and the median income for a family was $39,197. Males had a median income of $33,380 versus $24,441 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,789. About 16.6% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.

Gallup has a significant Palestinian-American population, unusual for a city its size.

Arts and culture

Coal mine, Gallup 1920
American Coal Company mine and plant, Gallup, circa 1920: Early coal mining here supplied the railroad's steam locomotives.
Gallup NM south 3rd street
South 3rd Street
Solar farm in Gallup NM
Solar farm in Gallup

U.S. Route 66 passed through Gallup, and the town's name is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" ("You'll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico"). In 2003, the U.S. and New Mexico Departments of Transportation renumbered US Highway 666, the city's other major highway, as Route 491. Former Governor Bill Richardson pushed for (and got) the number changed because "666" is associated with Satan and Devil worship, thus it was considered "cursed" or a "Beast" to some locals. .....

Gallup has a modestly lively nighttime culture downtown, Indian dances during summertime nights, art crawls, and small museums, including a Navajo code talk museum. Gallup commissioned a number of murals highlighting local culture, and contributions dot downtown.

Being the largest city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque, Gallup claims many notable buildings, places, events, and people. The historic El Rancho Hotel & Motel has hosted a numerous array of movie stars, including John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, Gregory Peck, and Burt Lancaster. The rugged terrain surrounding Gallup was popular with Hollywood filmmakers during the 1940s and '50s for the on-location shooting of Westerns. Actors and film crews would stay at that hotel during filming. Films made in Gallup include Billy the Kid (1930), Pursued (1947), The Sea of Grass (1947), Four Faces West (1948), Only the Valiant (1951), Ace in the Hole (1951), Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), A Distant Trumpet (1964), and The Hallelujah Trail (1965). Other movies shot here are Redskin (1928), and Superman (1978).

Gallup is sometimes called the "Indian Capital of the World", for its location in the heart of Native American lands, and the presence of Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, and other tribes. Well over a third of the city's population has Native American roots. Gallup's nickname references the huge impact of the Native American cultures found in and around the city.

Education

Gallup-McKinley County Public Schools is the local school district.

Previously, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) operated Manuelito Hall in Gallup, a dormitory that housed Native American students attending Gallup-McKinley schools. In 1973, it had about 300 students. That year, the BIA closed Manuelito Hall, planning to move students to various boarding schools.

Infrastructure

Transportation

  • Gallup Municipal Airport is a public airport with primarily private and charter flights. The Aviation Identifier for the airport is GUP.

Major highways:

Railroad:

Bus:

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gallup para niños

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