Atrisco Land Grant

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[edit] History

The Atrisco Land Grant is one of the few remaining land grants left in the United States. During the period of Spanish rule over the American Southwest, various monarchs of Spain would create land grants to reward their subjects or for the purpose of creating common land for settlers. In 1692 King Charles II of Spain created the Atrisco Land Grant as a reward to Don Fernando Duran y Chavez. Don Fernando Duran y Chavez was responsible for putting down an uprising of Pueblo Indians. It originally consisted of 41,533 acres, but in 1760, an additional 25,958 acres were granted in an attempt to calm land disputes.

After the Mexican-American War, land grants in the territory ceded to the United States in the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo were to be respected by the United States Government, however because of the language barrier and unscrupulous government officials, many land grants were essentially stolen. However, the Atrisco Land Grant remained intact.

In 1967, the Legislature of New Mexico granted permission to the Atrisco heirs to form a private corporation, the Westland Development Company, which manages the land. Each of the heirs received shares of the company, and today, there are more than seven thousand heirs. These shares can only be transferred among other heirs.

The future of the Atrisco Land Grant is uncertain. At this time, the Westland Development Company is attempting to sell the land. The city of Albuquerque is growing quickly, and the Atrisco Land Grant is the most desirable area for the development of new residential areas. While many of the shareholders are enthusiastic about the sale and the income it would bring to each of the heirs, others are reluctant to part with their 300 year old patrimony.