Picacho, Dona Ana County, New Mexico facts for kids
Picacho is a small community in Doña Ana County, New Mexico. It's a place where people live, officially called a Census-designated place. This area is quite high up, sitting about 3,947 feet (which is 1,203 meters) above sea level.
A Look Back: Picacho's History
How Picacho Got Its Name
The village of Picacho was first settled in 1855. A group of people from Socorro, New Mexico, started the community. Their leader was Candelaro Chavez. The original name for the village was Picacho de los Nevarez. This name came from a nearby mountain, Picacho Mountain. The mountain itself was named after the Nevarez family.
Picacho: A Stagecoach Stop
From 1858 to 1861, Picacho village was an important stop. It was called Picacho Station. This station was part of the Butterfield Overland Mail route. This was a famous stagecoach service. Stagecoaches were like big horse-drawn buses. They carried mail and passengers across the country.
Picacho Station was about 6 miles west of Mesilla, New Mexico. It was also 15 miles east of another station, Rough and Ready. The road to Picacho Station went through a place called Picacho Pass.
This station was very important because it had natural water. It was the last place with water for 52 miles when heading west. The next water stop was Cooke's Spring. Even though other stations like Goodsight and Rough and Ready tried to collect rainwater, Picacho had a natural source. The exact spot of the station was at 32°16′23″N 106°47′40″W / 32.27306°N 106.79444°W.
