Magdalena, New Mexico
| Magdalena, New Mexico | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 34°6′45″N 107°14′16″W / 34.11250°N 107.23778°WCoordinates: 34°6′45″N 107°14′16″W / 34.11250°N 107.23778°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Socorro |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.2 sq mi (16.1 km2) |
| • Land | 6.2 sq mi (16.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,572 ft (2,003 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 938 |
| • Density | 150/sq mi (58/km2) |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP code | 87825 |
| Area code(s) | 575 |
| FIPS code | 35-46310 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0908353 |
Magdalena is a village in Socorro County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 926 in 2012.
"The Lady on the Mountain" is a rock formation on Magdalena Peak overlooking Magdalena. Spanish soldiers saw the face of a woman on the west face of the peak. A priest with them was reminded of a similar peak in Spain called "La Sierra de Maria Magdalena", so he called the New Mexico one "La Sierra de Magdalena". The pass to the south of the peak became known as Magdalena Gap, and when a town grew up it received the same name.[1][2]
Magdalena has recently been trying to transform itself into an art center and cultural destination. The opening of several art galleries and the Magdalena Hall Hotel and the renovation of the Bank West building have made their mark on this high-desert village. Several rock and mineral shops have been around since the mining boom days. The ghost town of Kelly and two festivals, the Lady Magdalen Art Walk and the Old Timers Reunion and Rodeo, bring tourists to the area.
Newly paved roads, additions to the middle/high school, a public water system, trash disposal service, and the opening of a new mini-mart and gas station have improved the quality of life for its citizens. In late 2010, a discount variety store named "Family Dollar" opened next to the locally owned Trails End Market, in which the Trails End Market store then closed in 2012 due to competing with Family Dollar. In 2011 a tire shop and a blacksmith shop also opened. In June 2013 the main village well stopped yielding water, leading to a period of conservation during which other New Mexico communities and organizations donated drinking and stock water for distribution to residents until local wells were brought back into operation later in the year.
The Very Large Array lies 20 miles west of the community. Magdalena is located 26 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico.
Geography
Magdalena is located at 34°6′45″N 107°14′16″W / 34.11250°N 107.23778°W (34.112596, -107.237904)[3].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16 km2), all of it land.
History
In 1883, about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Magdalena, the Kelly Mine opened in Kelly, New Mexico. In 1884, the village of Magdalena was named after Magdalena Peak when its post office opened. The next year the railroad completed a spur from Socorro, originally intended to ship cattle from the Plains of San Agustin, but which also proceeded to ship out ore from the Kelly Mine and others. The Kelly Mine produced silver and zinc until the silver market collapsed. Magdalena was incorporated in 1913.
Media
Magdalena has a local newspaper, the Mountain Mail—currently (2013) not being published—which was the only locally owned newspaper in Socorro County.
Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 913 people, 372 households, and 244 families residing in the village. The population density was 146.8 people per square mile (56.7/km²). There were 470 housing units at an average density of 75.6 per square mile (29.2/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 62.65% White, 0.55% African American, 9.97% Native American, 21.80% from other races, and 5.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.30% of the population.
There were 372 households, of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the village the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $22,917, and the median income for a family was $30,625. Males had a median income of $26,000 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,064. About 20.8% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.0% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
| Climate data for Magdalena, New Mexico (Elevation 6,572ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) |
75 (24) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
94 (34) |
102 (39) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
97 (36) |
89 (32) |
78 (26) |
75 (24) |
102 (39) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 47.8 (8.8) |
52.3 (11.3) |
58.3 (14.6) |
66.9 (19.4) |
76.3 (24.6) |
85.9 (29.9) |
86.3 (30.2) |
83.8 (28.8) |
78.4 (25.8) |
69.4 (20.8) |
58.2 (14.6) |
49.4 (9.7) |
67.7 (19.8) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 19.8 (−6.8) |
23.0 (−5) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
35.0 (1.7) |
43.4 (6.3) |
52.3 (11.3) |
56.7 (13.7) |
54.8 (12.7) |
48.7 (9.3) |
37.7 (3.2) |
27.0 (−2.8) |
20.7 (−6.3) |
37.3 (2.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −24 (−31) |
−6 (−21) |
0 (−18) |
10 (−12) |
20 (−7) |
34 (1) |
35 (2) |
36 (2) |
20 (−7) |
10 (−12) |
−12 (−24) |
−21 (−29) |
−24 (−31) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 0.47 (11.9) |
0.45 (11.4) |
0.49 (12.4) |
0.60 (15.2) |
0.60 (15.2) |
0.70 (17.8) |
2.47 (62.7) |
2.75 (69.9) |
1.63 (41.4) |
0.89 (22.6) |
0.40 (10.2) |
0.60 (15.2) |
12.04 (305.8) |
| Snowfall inches (cm) | 2.0 (5.1) |
2.7 (6.9) |
0.8 (2) |
0.4 (1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.3 (0.8) |
0.6 (1.5) |
1.7 (4.3) |
8.4 (21.3) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center[5] | |||||||||||||
See also
- Magdalena Mountains, the namesake of the town.
References
- ↑ "Historic Markers on the Information Superhighway: Magdalena" New Mexico Department of Tourism, from Internet Archive of 27 September 2007
- ↑ Everleth, Robert W. (2006) "Our Lady on the Mountain—history, folklore, and geology of Magdalena Peak" New Mexico Geology 28(2): pp. 43-51,53
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ "Seasonal Temperature and Precipitation Information". Western Regional Climate Center. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- McKenna, James A.; Leslie, Shane; and Simon, Howard (1936) "Story of the Lost Canyon Diggings", in Black Range Tales: chronicling sixty years of life and adventure in the Southwest Wilson-Erickson, Inc., New York;
- Barrington, Jacky (ed.) (1984) Magdalena: celebrating one hundred years of frontier living Magdalena Old Timers' Association, Magdalena, NM, ISBN 0-9617036-2-8 ;
External links
- Magdalena Chamber of Commerce
- "Historic Markers: Magdalena" New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
- Photos of Magdalena
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Magdalena, New Mexico. |
| ||||||||||||||||||||
