Grants, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grants, New Mexico
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| Nickname(s):
Uranium Capital of the World
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| Motto(s):
"City of Spirit"
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Location of Grants, New Mexico
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 Grants, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Cibola |
| Founded | 1872 (as Los Alamitos) |
| Founded by | Don Jesus Blea |
| Named for | Canadian brothers Angus, Lewis and John Grant (as Grants) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.91 sq mi (38.62 km2) |
| • Land | 14.91 sq mi (38.62 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,454 ft (1,967 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 9,163 |
| • Density | 614.43/sq mi (237.24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
87020
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| Area code(s) | 505 |
| FIPS code | 35-30490 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410646 |
Grants is a city in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. It is about 78 miles (126 km) west of Albuquerque. In 2020, 9,163 people lived there. Grants is the main city of Cibola County.
The city is located along the Trails of the Ancients Byway. This is one of New Mexico's special scenic roads.
Contents
History of Grants
Grants started as a camp for railroad workers in the 1880s. Three brothers from Canada, Angus, John, and Lewis Grant, were building a part of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. Their camp was first called Grants Camp, then Grants Station, and finally Grants. The new city grew around the railroad tracks. It also included an older settlement called Los Alamitos.
Early Industries
The town first grew because of logging in the nearby Zuni Mountains. Trees were cut down and sent to Albuquerque to be made into wood products. Grants was also an important stop for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. This railroad later became part of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
After logging slowed down in the 1930s, Grants became known for growing carrots. The land was good for farming because of its volcanic soil. A place called Bluewater Reservoir helped with irrigation. Grants was also a stop on U.S. Route 66, a famous road that brought many travelers and tourists.
Uranium Boom
Grants had its biggest growth when Paddy Martinez, a Navajo shepherd, found uranium ore. This discovery happened near Haystack Mesa. It started a big mining boom that lasted until the 1980s. When mining stopped, the town faced tough times.
However, Grants has become popular again because of tourism. People like to visit the beautiful natural areas nearby. There is also new interest in nuclear power, which might bring more uranium mining back to the area.
Geography of Grants
Grants is in the northern part of Cibola County. Santa Fe Avenue, which used to be Route 66, is the main road. Interstate 40 runs through the south side of the city. You can get to Grants from exits 81 and 85 on I-40. This highway goes east to Albuquerque and west to Gallup. The town of Milan is right next to Grants on its northwest side.
Natural Surroundings
Grants covers about 14.9 square miles (38.5 square kilometers) of land. The city is on the northern edge of a large lava field called El Malpais. This name means "the badlands." Part of this area is now El Malpais National Monument.
To the northeast of Grants are the San Mateo Mountains and Mount Taylor. Mount Taylor is the highest peak in the region, standing at 11,301 feet (3,445 meters). West of the city is the Continental Divide and the Zuni Mountains. This area is mostly high desert with lots of sandstone and lava rock.
Climate in Grants
Grants has a cool semi-arid climate. This means it is quite dry. The city gets about 11 inches (279 mm) of rain each year. Most of the rain falls in July, August, and September. This is during the monsoon season.
Temperatures and Seasons
Even during the monsoon season, the temperature changes a lot between day and night. This happens almost all year. In October, the weather starts to cool down. Winters are cool, and mornings often drop below freezing. Snowfall is usually light because the winters are very dry.
In spring, the weather gets warmer. By late April, temperatures can reach 70°F (21°C). Summers are hot and dry before the monsoon season starts. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Grants was 106°F (41°C).
| Climate data for Grants, New Mexico (1971–2000; extremes since 1948) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
75 (24) |
83 (28) |
90 (32) |
99 (37) |
106 (41) |
106 (41) |
102 (39) |
96 (36) |
90 (32) |
80 (27) |
71 (22) |
106 (41) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.1 (8.9) |
53.6 (12.0) |
60.2 (15.7) |
68.2 (20.1) |
77.0 (25.0) |
87.4 (30.8) |
89.2 (31.8) |
86.4 (30.2) |
81.4 (27.4) |
71.4 (21.9) |
58.0 (14.4) |
49.4 (9.7) |
69.2 (20.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 13.6 (−10.2) |
17.8 (−7.9) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
38.7 (3.7) |
46.8 (8.2) |
54.4 (12.4) |
52.7 (11.5) |
44.3 (6.8) |
32.2 (0.1) |
21.1 (−6.1) |
14.0 (−10.0) |
32.4 (0.2) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −31 (−35) |
−18 (−28) |
−3 (−19) |
6 (−14) |
15 (−9) |
28 (−2) |
37 (3) |
34 (1) |
20 (−7) |
10 (−12) |
−22 (−30) |
−33 (−36) |
−33 (−36) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.57 (14) |
0.43 (11) |
0.59 (15) |
0.49 (12) |
0.63 (16) |
0.51 (13) |
1.69 (43) |
2.10 (53) |
1.43 (36) |
1.11 (28) |
0.68 (17) |
0.64 (16) |
10.87 (274) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.7 (6.9) |
1.9 (4.8) |
0.4 (1.0) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.7 (1.8) |
2.9 (7.4) |
9.4 (23.96) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch) | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 7.2 | 9.2 | 5.9 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 58.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 inch) | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 5.1 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People of Grants
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1950 | 2,251 | — | |
| 1960 | 10,274 | 356.4% | |
| 1970 | 8,768 | −14.7% | |
| 1980 | 11,439 | 30.5% | |
| 1990 | 8,626 | −24.6% | |
| 2000 | 8,806 | 2.1% | |
| 2010 | 9,182 | 4.3% | |
| 2020 | 9,163 | −0.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 8,806 people living in Grants. There were 3,202 households and 2,321 families. About 37.5% of households had children under 18. About half of the households (49.5%) were married couples.
The people in Grants come from many backgrounds. About 52.36% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. Other groups included White, Native American, African American, and Asian people.
The average age of people in the city was 34 years old. About 28.8% of the population was under 18. The median income for a household was $30,652. This means half of the households earned more and half earned less. About 21.9% of the population lived below the poverty line.
Education in Grants
All public schools in Cibola County are run by Grants/Cibola County Schools. Grants has seven elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools. Los Alamitos Middle School and Grants High School serve the students in Grants.
St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School is a private school in the city. It teaches students from pre-Kindergarten to eighth grade. The school building opened in 1945.
There is also a branch of New Mexico State University in Grants. It offers two-year college programs. You can also get advanced degrees through online learning.
Culture and Attractions
Grants has several interesting places to visit. The National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management run the El Malpais Visitor Center. It teaches visitors about the many features of El Malpais National Monument.
There is a mining museum in town. You can also visit the Western New Mexico Aviation Heritage Museum at the Grants-Milan Municipal Airport.
On Route 66/Santa Fe Avenue, the Cibola Arts Council has an art gallery and museum. It shows art from local artists. It also has many items from the famous Route 66, including an old Ford Model T car.
West of town, in the Zuni Mountains, there is a Tibetan Buddhist stupa. A stupa is a special kind of Buddhist building.
Communications in Grants
Radio Stations
Television Channels
- KOB-TV (Channel 4) (NBC shows)
- KOAT (Channel 7) (ABC shows)
- 7 Cities (Channel 10)
- KRQE (Channel 13) (CBS shows)
Local News
- Cibola Citizen (a newspaper)
- Gallup Independent (another newspaper)
Notable People from Grants
Many interesting people have come from Grants:
- Greg Baldwin (born 1960), an actor and voice actor.
- Joseph Fidel (1923–2015), who was a member of the New Mexico Senate.
- George Hanosh (1938–2008), who was a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives.
- Al Johnson (1922–2011), an NFL player and coach.
- Walter K. Martinez (1930–1986), a member and speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives.
- W. Ken Martinez (born 1959), also a member and speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives.
- Paddy Martinez (1881–1969), the prospector who found uranium at Haystack Mesa.
- Clemente Sanchez (born 1958), a member of the New Mexico Senate.
- Marvin Stephens (1922–2008), an actor known for the Mickey McGuire and Jones Family film series.
- David Ulibarri, a former member of the New Mexico Senate.
- Jack Wallace (1925–1995), an NFL player and coach.
See also
In Spanish: Grants para niños
