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San Antonio, New Mexico facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Owl cafe, San Antonio
The famous Owl Bar & Cafe in San Antonio, New Mexico
San Antonio NM - San Antonio church - 3
A church in San Antonio, New Mexico

San Antonio is a small community in Socorro County, New Mexico, in the United States. It's located right in the middle of the state, next to the Rio Grande river.

What is San Antonio like?

San Antonio is a mix of things! Some people here work in farming, growing crops. Others live here and travel to nearby Socorro for work, making it a "bedroom community."

This town is also known as the main entrance to the amazing Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is a special place where you can see lots of different birds and animals.

Major roads like Interstate 25 run along the west side of San Antonio. Another important road, U.S. Route 380, starts here and goes east. The Rio Grande river flows just east of the town, and the BNSF Railway also passes through, with a small train track area.

Famous People and History

Did you know that Conrad Hilton, the person who started the famous Hilton Hotels Corporation, was born in San Antonio? His father owned a store and a hotel in the town. Young Conrad learned all about running a hotel right here! Later, when New Mexico became a state, Conrad Hilton was one of the first lawmakers.

San Antonio is also close to a very important historical site. It's about 28 miles from the Trinity Site. This is where the world's first nuclear bomb was set off on July 16, 1945. People in San Antonio felt the ground shake, like an earthquake! Some dust from the explosion even reached the town, but any tiny bits of radiation quickly disappeared and are not there today. Scientists who worked on the bomb often met in San Antonio.

Local Businesses and Fun Places

San Antonio has a few cool local spots. One of the most famous is the original Owl Bar and Cafe. It's so well-known that it was even shown on a TV show called Burger Land in 2013! Another popular place is The Buckhorn Tavern, which was featured on the Food Network show Throwdown! with Bobby Flay in 2009. You can also find a restaurant with delicious Mexican food, a market that sells fresh produce when it's in season, and a general store.

Recent Events

On July 15, 2018, San Antonio experienced a big thunderstorm. This storm caused a lot of mud to cover the town, in some places up to two feet deep! The governor of New Mexico even declared it an emergency. The mud made Highway 380 impossible to use, and the strong floodwaters even washed away parts of the train tracks. Because of this event, plans were made to build a special pond to hold water and prevent similar floods in the future.

Education in San Antonio

Students in San Antonio go to schools within the Socorro Consolidated Schools district. The main high school for the area is Socorro High School.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: San Antonio (Nuevo México) para niños

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