Polvadera, New Mexico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Polvadera, New Mexico
Unincorporated community & census-designated place
Polvadera, New Mexico Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Socorro
Area
• Total	0.97 sq mi (2.51 km2)
• Land	0.97 sq mi (2.51 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	4,649 ft (1,417 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	178
• Density	183.69/sq mi (70.90/km2)
Time zone	UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code	87828
Area code(s)	575
FIPS code	35-58910
GNIS feature ID	2584183

Polvadera (also known as La Polvadera de San Lorenzo) is a small community in central New Mexico, United States. It is an unincorporated community, meaning it doesn't have its own local government. It is also a census-designated place, which is an area identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes.

Polvadera is located in Socorro County. It sits on the west side of the Rio Grande river, near where the Rio Salado river flows into it. The community is also on the western part of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, an old historic road.

What's in a Name?

The name "Polvadera" might come from an old Piro Native American name for the area. However, the Spanish word polvareda means dusty. This fits the area, as a U.S. Army lieutenant noted in 1846 that it was indeed very dusty.

Other ways the name has been spelled include Pulvidera and Pulvedera. The church in Polvadera is named after San Lorenzo. His special day, August 10, is celebrated as a local festival.

A Look Back: Polvadera's History

Early Days and Challenges

Polvadera was first settled as a farming community in the 1620s. This was after Juan de Oñate had set up the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México. Spanish settlers moved north and lived among the Piro Pueblo Native Americans. We don't know the original name of the Piro pueblo here. Its ruins might have been washed away by the Rio Grande.

In 1629, Apache people attacked and destroyed the pueblo of Polvareda. It was rebuilt, but later abandoned during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. After the Spanish returned to the area, Apache raids continued. Because of these attacks, Polvadera was not settled again until the early 1800s. Governor Fernando Chacón then allowed people to settle in the area once more.

Raids and Military Presence

Apache and Navajo raids continued for many years. They finally stopped after the American Civil War. At that time, the U.S. Army started a strong policy to stop the raids. As late as 1846, over a hundred Navajo people attacked the town. They took away many farm animals.

During the Civil War, a military camp called Camp Connelly was set up next to Polvadera in 1862. Colonel Canby established it on land rented from the governor, Henry Connelly. Lt. William Brady worked there to sign up volunteers for the army. Camp Connelly was only used until the end of the Civil War in 1865.

Growth and Floods

The Santa Fe Railroad came through Polvadera in 1882. A post office was opened in Polvadera in 1895. The current church of San Lorenzo was built in 1898.

Polvadera has often faced flooding from the Rio Grande river. Big floods happened in 1898, which destroyed the church, and again in 1929 and 1937. In the past, most of the Rio Grande's water for irrigation in Socorro County was taken out at Polvadera. However, after the 1929 floods, a new water diversion system was built further upstream at San Acacia.

In 1958, when Interstate 25 was built along the Rio Grande valley, Polvadera did not get an exit. The closest exit was a few miles south in Lemitar.

Polvadera's Economy

Polvadera is mainly a farming community. Before Prohibition (when alcohol was illegal), large areas were used to grow grapes for making wine. More recently, chile peppers have become the main crop grown here.

Population Information

As of 2020, Polvadera had a total population of 178 people.

Education

Students in Polvadera attend schools within the Socorro Consolidated Schools district. The main high school for the district is Socorro High School.

Local Attractions

To the west of Polvadera is San Lorenzo Canyon. This canyon is a popular place for hiking and picnics.

See also

In Spanish: Polvadera (Nuevo México) para niños