Tohatchi, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tohatchi, New Mexico
Tó Haachʼiʼ (Navajo)
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Location in McKinley County and the state of New Mexico
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 Tohatchi, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
Tohatchi, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Mexico |
| County | McKinley |
| Government | |
| • Type | Chapter (Navajo Nation) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.60 sq mi (17.09 km2) |
| • Land | 6.47 sq mi (16.75 km2) |
| • Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,319 ft (1,926 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 785 |
| • Density | 121.37/sq mi (46.86/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
87325
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| Area code(s) | 505 |
| FIPS code | 35-78440 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2409328 |
Tohatchi (which is called Tó Haachʼiʼ in the Navajo language) is a small community in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. It's a place where people can find health services and schools, located right along Highway 491. In 2020, about 785 people lived there. Tohatchi is special because it's part of the Navajo Nation, which means it's on land managed by the U.S. government for the Navajo people.
Contents
Where is Tohatchi Located?
Tohatchi is in the northwestern part of McKinley County. It sits along U.S. Route 491. This highway goes south about 24 miles (39 km) to Gallup, which is the main town of the county. If you go north on the highway, it's about 69 miles (111 km) to Shiprock.
The community covers about 6.6 square miles (17.1 km2) of land. A small part of this area, about 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2), is covered by water. This includes Chuska Lake, which is on the eastern side of Tohatchi. Red Willow Wash, a small stream, flows through the middle of the community. Another stream, Muddy Wash, runs along the southern edge. These streams eventually flow into the San Juan River.
Who Lives in Tohatchi?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2000 | 1,037 | — | |
| 2010 | 808 | −22.1% | |
| 2020 | 785 | −2.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2020, there were 785 people living in Tohatchi. Most of the people living here are Native Americans, making up about 89% of the population. Other groups include White people (4.7%), Asian people (3.3%), and African American people (0.5%). About 3.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 244 households in Tohatchi. About 33.6% of these households had children under 18 living with them. The average age of people in Tohatchi was about 37.6 years old.
Learning and Schools in Tohatchi
Tohatchi has several schools that help young people learn and grow.
Public Schools in Tohatchi
The public schools in Tohatchi are run by the Gallup McKinley County Schools district. These schools are located west of Highway 491. They include:
- Tohatchi Elementary School
- Tohatchi Middle School
- Tohatchi High School
The mascot for these schools is a cougar, and the school colors are maroon and gold. The Tohatchi High School girls' basketball team, known as the Lady Cougars, famously won the 2017 New Mexico high school 3-A basketball championship. Before the high school was built in the 1980s, the mascot used to be a bobcat.
Schools for Native American Students
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Ch'ooshgai Community School, which used to be called Chuska Boarding School, is a special school for Native American students. It's a boarding school that teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade. It is supported by the Bureau of Indian Education.
There was also a school called Tohatchi Boarding School, run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. However, it closed down after the public schools were built. It was one of the first schools of its kind on the Navajo Indian Reservation.
Special Education School
In 1976, a private school called "A School for Me, Inc." started at Chuska Boarding School. This program was created to help students with special needs. It focused on teaching them life skills, school subjects, and job training. This helped make sure that special education services were available for the local Native American community.
Famous People from Tohatchi
Some notable people have connections to Tohatchi:
- Jennifer Nez Denetdale – An educator.
- Juanita – A famous Navajo weaver and the wife of Chief Manuelito.
- Chief Manuelito – An important Navajo tribal leader.
- Cassandra Manuelito-Kerkvliet – A Navajo academic leader.
- Shannon Pinto – A politician.
Tohatchi in Movies
The 1965 movie The Hallelujah Trail was filmed in areas near Tohatchi. The beautiful Chuska Mountains in the background were featured in some of the movie's most memorable scenes.
Images for kids
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Tohatchi Indian School, 1932
See also
In Spanish: Tohatchi (Nuevo México) para niños
