San Rafael, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
San Rafael
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 San Rafael, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Cibola |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.75 sq mi (40.79 km2) |
| • Land | 15.75 sq mi (40.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,510 ft (1,980 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,164 |
| • Density | 73.91/sq mi (28.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| FIPS code | 35-69875 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2584213 |
San Rafael is a small community in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it is a special area defined by the government for counting people.
In 2010, about 933 people lived there. By 2020, the population grew to 1,164 people. San Rafael is also called "Bikyaya" or "El Gallo." It sits high up, about 6,470 feet (1,972 meters) above sea level.
You can find San Rafael in the north-central part of Cibola County. New Mexico State Road 53 goes right through the community. This road leads north about 3 miles (5 km) to Interstate 40. It also takes you about 5 miles (8 km) to Grants, which is the main town of the county.
Contents
History of San Rafael
Early Days and Fort Wingate
An old map from the U.S. Army in 1850 showed a "Hay Camp" near where San Rafael is today. This was a place where soldiers could get food for their horses.
Later, in 1862, a military base called Fort Wingate was set up near San Rafael. It was moved from another place called Seboyeta. Lt. Colonel J. Francisco Chavez led the soldiers who built it. General Edward Canby gave the orders for this new fort.
The fort was built near a big spring, which was a good source of water. It was designed to hold four groups of soldiers.
A famous soldier named Colonel Kit Carson used this fort. He was ordered by General Carleton to gather the Mescalero Apache and then the Navajo people. They were sent to a place called Bosque Redondo.
San Rafael became an important stop for the Navajo people. They rested there on their long journey to and from Fort Sumner. This was a very difficult time for them.
In 1868, the soldiers and the name of Fort Wingate were moved. They went to an older fort site near Gallup.
People Living Here
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 1,164 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
San Rafael is a small community. The number of people living there is counted every ten years by the U.S. government. This count is called the United States Census.
In 2010, the census showed that 933 people lived in San Rafael. By the time of the 2020 census, the population had grown to 1,164 people.
