Mora, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mora, New Mexico
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 Mora, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Mora County |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.04 sq mi (20.81 km2) |
| • Land | 8.04 sq mi (20.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 7,172 ft (2,186 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 547 |
| • Density | 68.08/sq mi (26.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
87732
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| Area code | 575 |
| FIPS code | 35-50090 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0915867 |
Mora, also known as Santa Gertrudis de lo de Mora, is a small community in New Mexico. It is the main town and county seat of Mora County. Mora is located between the cities of Las Vegas and Taos on Highway 518. It sits at an elevation of about 7,180 feet (2,188 meters) above sea level.
Mora has a rich history, including battles during the Mexican–American War in 1847. These events led to the town being rebuilt. Today, Mora includes three main areas called plazas and four settlements: Mora itself, Cleveland, Chacon, and Holman.
Contents
Mora's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 547 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the 2020 United States Census, Mora had a population of 547 people.
Mora's History
Early Settlers in the Mora Valley
People from Spain first started living in the Mora Valley in the late 1700s. The earliest records show that in 1818, a group of settlers asked to build a church. They called the area Lo de Mora or Santa Gertrudis de lo de Mora. These settlers came from a place called San Juan de los Caballeros.
Mora was officially started as a farming community for Hispanic families in 1835. This happened after Mexico became independent from Spain. The Mexican Governor of Nuevo Mexico, Albino Pérez, gave land to many families who wanted to live there. The name "Mora" likely comes from the "Mora" family, who were some of the first settlers. While mora means 'mulberry' in Spanish, and mulberry trees grow there, the town was probably not named after the fruit.
In 1836, the Republic of Texas claimed the eastern part of New Mexico, but American troops did not arrive until 1846.
The Town of Mora Through Time
By 1843, Mora was a well-established community of Hispanic people and Pueblo people. In that year, a group from the Republic of Texas attacked the town. They claimed the people of Mora had bought stolen cattle. The Texans killed five men and took eighteen women and children away. They also took 75 horses. The people of Mora formed a group, chased the Texans, and made them walk back to Texas.
During the Mexican–American War, the United States took control of New Mexico in 1846. Mora became the site of two battles in 1847. These battles were part of the Taos Revolt, where local Mexican-nationalists fought against the U.S. Army.
- First Battle of Mora: On January 24, 1847, about 150 New Mexican fighters pushed back 80 U.S. Army troops. They killed the U.S. commander, Captain Israel R. Hendley, and several others.
- Second Battle of Mora: On February 1, Captain Jesse I. Morin and 200 of his men, with cannons, destroyed the village. They also ruined the surrounding farms and crops as a way to get back at the people. Many people from Mora had to leave and find safety in other settlements.
The town was rebuilt later, once crops could be planted again. Because of this destruction, many early records of Mora were lost in the fires. This makes it hard to research the town's history before 1848.
The Mexican-American War ended in 1848. All of New Mexico officially became part of the United States. In 1851, the U.S. Army built Fort Union in the valley. Even though the fort was built on private land, it helped the local economy. Farmers in Mora sold their crops to the fort, which gave them a steady income. This caused Mora's population to grow.
Ceran St. Vrain, a trader who had fought in the Taos Revolt, moved to Mora in 1853. He built a grist mill (a mill for grinding grain) and became a major supplier of flour and grain to Fort Union. The remains of his mill can still be seen near Mora's main street.
Mora County was officially created in 1860. Mora continued to grow as a farming community. By the late 1800s, there were five mills operating in the town. Fort Union closed in 1891. Mora's population was highest around 1920. It then decreased for several decades before becoming stable in the 1970s. Today, about 80% of the people in Mora are Hispanic.
Notable People from Mora
- Floyd Esquibel (born 1938): He was born in Mora. He later became a member of the Wyoming Senate and the Wyoming House of Representatives.
- Ceran St. Vrain (1802 - 1870): He was a trapper and a successful trader. He led a group of volunteers against the Taos Revolt. He moved to Mora in 1855 and opened a grain mill. He also started one of the first English-language newspapers in Northern New Mexico, called the Santa Fe Gazette. He died in Mora in 1870, and over 2,000 people attended his funeral.
- Abraham Ledoux (1784-1842) and Antoine Ledoux (1779 - ?): These two French brothers were born in Québec. They became trappers and settled in Mora and Taos, New Mexico. The village of Ledoux in Mora County and a street in Taos are named after them.
See also
In Spanish: Mora (Nuevo México) para niños
