Playas, New Mexico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Playas, New Mexico
Census-designated place
Playas town center, February 24, 2005
Playas, New Mexico Location in New Mexico Show map of New Mexico Playas, New Mexico Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Hidalgo
Area
• Total	1.86 sq mi (4.83 km2)
• Land	1.86 sq mi (4.83 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,482 ft (1,366 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	25
• Density	13.41/sq mi (5.18/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP Code	88009
Area code(s)	575
FIPS code	35-58210
GNIS feature ID	2584181

Playas is a small community in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a special area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for collecting population data. In 2010, about 74 people lived there. By 2020, the population was 25.

History of Playas

Playas used to be a special kind of town called a company town. This means a company built and owned most of the town. The Phelps Dodge Corporation created Playas in the 1970s. They built it for their workers who worked at a new copper smelter nearby. A smelter is a factory that melts metal to separate it from other materials.

Life in the Company Town

Phelps Dodge built many things for the people living in Playas. There were over 270 homes for rent and six apartment buildings. The town had its own post office and a store for groceries and other goods. There was also a medical clinic with a place for helicopters to land.

For fun, residents could enjoy a bowling alley called "Copper Pins" and a grill. There was also a rodeo arena, horse stables, and a fitness center. The town even had a shooting range, an airstrip, and a swimming pool. At its busiest, about 1,100 people lived in Playas. They even had their own ZIP Code, 88009. Two churches were also built on land leased from the mining company.

Changes and New Purpose

The copper smelter was very modern for its time. It had special systems to control pollution and also included a power plant. However, Phelps Dodge decided to use new ways to process copper. Also, copper prices went down. Because of this, the smelter closed in 1999.

When the smelter closed, all the residents had to move out within a year. Only a small group of about a dozen workers stayed behind. Before the plant was taken down, people sometimes called the smelter La Estrella del Norte. This was because its lights helped people crossing the border from Mexico find their way.

Four years later, New Mexico Tech bought the town. They paid $5 million for Playas and the land around it. This money came from the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Today, Playas is a special training and research center. It's called the Playas Training and Research Center. New Mexico Tech uses it to train first responders, like firefighters and paramedics. It's also used for counter-terrorism training and programs for the Air Force. The center gets a lot of money from the government to support its work.

Geography of Playas

Playas is located in the eastern part of Hidalgo County, New Mexico. It is next to Grant County on its east side. The town is at the end of New Mexico State Road 113. It's about 5 miles (8 km) south of New Mexico State Road 9.

Playas is about 15 miles (24 km) east-southeast of Animas. It's also about 15 miles (24 km) west of Hachita. The county seat, Lordsburg, is about 32 miles (51 km) north of Playas. The town sits at the bottom of the Little Hatchet Mountains, on the east side of the Playas Valley.

The U.S. Census Bureau says that Playas covers an area of about 1.86 square miles (4.8 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Population Data

The population of Playas has changed over the years. In 2010, the community had 74 residents. By 2020, the population was 25 people. This information comes from the U.S. Decennial Census, which counts the population every ten years.

Images for kids

• 

  A training exercise at the Playas Training and Research Center in April 2010

See also

In Spanish: Playas (Nuevo México) para niños