Encyclopedia
Albuquerque is the largest city in the
state of
New Mexico,
United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County, and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the
Rio Grande. The city population was 448,607 as of the 2000
U.S. census. As of the 2005 census estimate, the city's population was 494,236, with a metropolitan population of 797,940. In 2005 Albuquerque ranked as the
33rd-largest city and 62nd-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The metropolitan population includes the
city of
Rio Rancho, one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
ABQ is located where the
Interstate highways
I-40 and
I-25 meet in an interchange which locals refer to as the
"Big I."
Albuquerque is home to the
University of New Mexico and Kirtland Air Force Base as well as
Sandia National Laboratories and
Petroglyph National Monument. The
Sandia Mountains run along the eastern side of Albuquerque and the
Rio Grande flows through the city north to south. Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry, averaging around 8-9 inches of precipitation per year. With more than 300 days of sunshine annually, Albuquerque is considered as having one of the best climates in North America.
The city has hosted the
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta every year since 1972. Since 1975 the event has been held each October.
History
The city was founded in 1706 as the
Spanish colonial outpost of
Alburquerque; present-day Albuquerque retains much Spanish cultural and historical heritage.
Alburquerque was a farming community and strategically located military outpost along the Camino Real. The town of Alburquerque was built in the traditional Spanish village pattern: a central plaza surrounded by government buildings, homes, and a church. This central plaza area has been preserved and is open to the public as a museum, cultural area, and center of commerce. It is referred to as "Old Town Albuquerque" or simply "Old Town."
The village was named by the provincial governor Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdes in honour of Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque, viceroy of
New Spain from 1653 to 1660. The first "r" in "Alburquerque" was dropped at some point in the
19th century, supposedly by an Anglo-American railroad station-master unable to correctly pronounce the city's name. In the 1990's, the Central Avenue Trolley Buses were emblazoned with the name
Alburquerque in honor of the city's historic name. Throughout 2005 and 2006, the tricentennial celebration is taking place throughout the city.
During the
Civil War Albuquerque was occupied in February 1862 by
Confederate troops under General
Henry Hopkins Sibley, who soon afterwards advanced with his main body into northern New Mexico. During his retreat from Union troops into
Texas he made a stand on April 8, 1862 at Albuquerque. A day-long engagement at long range led to few casualties against a detachment of Union soldiers commanded by Colonel
Edward R. S. Canby.
When the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad arrived in 1880, it bypassed the Plaza, locating the passenger depot and railyards about two miles east in what quickly became known as New Albuquerque or New Town. Old Town remained a separate community until the 1940s when it was absorbed by the City of Albuquerque, which had been incorporated in 1891. Albuquerque High School, the city's first high school, was established in 1879.
New Albuquerque quickly became a tidy southwestern town which by 1900 boasted a population of 8,000 inhabitants and all the modern amenities including an electric street railway connecting Old Town, New Town, and the recently established
UNM campus on the East Mesa. In 1902 the famous Alvarado Hotel was built adjacent to the new passenger depot and remained a symbol of the city until it was torn down in 1970 to make room for a parking lot. In 2002, the
Alvarado Transportation Center was built on the site in a manner resembling the old landmark. The large metro station functions as the downtown headquarters for the city's transit department, and serves as an intermodal hub for local buses,
Greyhound buses, and the
Rail Runner commuter rail line.
New Mexico's dry climate brought many
tuberculosis patients to the city in search of a cure during the early
1900s, and several sanitaria sprang up on the East Mesa to serve them. Presbyterian Hospital and St. Joseph Hospital, two of the largest hospitals in the Southwest, had their beginnings during this period. Influential
New Deal-era governor Clyde Tingley and famed southwestern architect John Gaw Meem were among those brought to New Mexico by tuberculosis.
The first travelers on
Route 66 appeared in Albuquerque in 1926, and before long dozens of motels, restaurants, and gift shops had sprung up along the roadside to serve them. Route 66 originally ran through the city on a north-south alignment along Fourth Street, but in 1937 it was realigned along Central Avenue, a more direct east-west route. The intersection of Fourth and Central downtown was the principal crossroads of the city for decades. The majority of the surviving structures from the Route 66 era are on Central, though there are also some on Fourth.
The establishment of Kirtland Air Force Base in 1939, Sandia Base in the early 1940's, and
Sandia National Laboratories in1949, would make Albuquerque a key player of the Atomic Age. Meanwhile, the city continued to expand outward onto the East Mesa, reaching a population of 200,000 by 1960.
As Albuquerque spread outward, the downtown area fell into a decline. Many historic buildings were razed in the
1960s and
1970s to make way for new plazas, highrises, and parking lots as part of the city's urban renewal project. Only recently has downtown come to regain much of its urban character, mainly through the construction of many new loft apartment buildings and the renovation of historic structures like the
KiMo Theater.
Now in the 21st century, Albuquerque continues to grow quite fast. The population of the city proper is estimated at 494,236 in 2005, up from 448,607 in the 2000 census, and is projected to reach 540,279 in 2010. Also, the metropolitan area population is estimated at 780,439 in 2005, up from 712,738 in the 2000 census, and is projected to reach 855,285 in 2010, and surpass 1 million by 2020.
Urban trends and issues
Recently, government leaders and many citizens in the city have actively pursued urban projects taken on by cities many times larger. A huge push has resulted in the somewhat successful revitalization of downtown, creating restaurants, offices, and residential lofts. The strip of Central Avenue between First and Eighth streets has become a hub of urban life, with a big-city feel. Alvarado provides convenient access to other parts of the city. Now, the mayor wants to tackle a rapid transit project to ease some of the city's traffic woes.
Light rail is being considered and would initially extend up the Central Avenue corridor from the westside, through downtown, past UNM and the Nob Hill district, and into the Uptown Area . The system would later be expanded to cover Rio Rancho and the Northeast. Construction is expected to start by September 2007.
A few citizens and city councilors fear Albuquerque may be "growing too quickly." They want to avoid increasing crime and traffic, worsening air quality, stressing water supplies, and encroaching on the natural environment. For instance, 1995's controversial construction of the Montaño Bridge crossing at the Rio Grande resulted in the bridge only being striped for two lanes. After a grace period, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce passed a board position in 2003 supporting the opening of two additional lanes; these lanes were eventually opened in March 2006, despite the outcry of local residents. However, a significant majority of Albuquerque residents supported the opening of the four lanes, as well as the initial construction of the bridge in 1995..
The passage of the West Side Strategic Plan provides rules concerning building permits for the extreme western fringes of the city. . This act encourages in-filling developments and discourages the movement of wealthy residents to outlying suburban areas. Urban sprawl is limited by the
Pueblo of Sandia to the north, the Pueblo of Isleta and Kirtland Air Force Base to the south, the
Sandia Mountains to the east and Petroglyph National Monument to the west. These limitations facilitate reuse of land within the existing city limits and have forced more efficient use of available land around the edges as well.
Because of cheaper land and lower taxes, much of the growth in the metropolitan area is taking place outside of the City of Albuquerque itself. In Rio Rancho to the northwest, the communities east of the mountains, and the incorporated parts of Valencia County population growth rates approach twice that of the city. The primary cities in Valencia County are
Los Lunas and
Belen, both of which are home to growing industrial complexes and new residential subdivisions. The Mid Region Council of Governments , which includes constituents from throughout the Albuquerque area, was formed to insure that these governments along the middle Rio Grande would be able to meet the needs of their rapidly rising populations. MRCOG's cornerstone project is the
New Mexico Rail Runner Express, a
commuter rail line that serves the region . Phase I, which runs on existing
BNSF Railway tracks between Belen and
Bernalillo, began operation in July, 2006, with stops in downtown Albuquerque, Los Ranchos/Journal Center and Sandoval county. Stops will be added in September and October of 2006 to serve Bernalillo, Sandia Pueblo, Albuquerque's airport and the South Valley, Isleta Pueblo, Los Lunas, and Belen. An extension to Santa Fe is planned to start operation in 2008.
In the summer of 2005,
ACORN community groups placed a
minimum wage initiative on the October 4th ballot. The initiative would have created a city wide minimum wage of $7.50. The measure was defeated by less than one percent. In April of 2006, the Albuquerque City Council and Mayor Martin Chavez worked together to enact a minimum wage ordinance. Under this ordinance, the minimum wage will increase to $6.75 on January 1, 2007 and will eventually be raised to $7.50 by 2009.
Climate and geography
Albuquerque's climate is usually sunny and dry with low amounts of humidity. The sun shines more than 300 days a year. Average winter daytime highs are in the upper 40s to low 50s Fahrenheit while dropping into the mid 20s F overnight. The occasional snowfall often melts by the mid-afternoon. Summer daytime highs are normally in the low to mid 90s F while dropping into the 60s F overnight, and the heat is quite tolerable because of low humidity. The Sandia Mountains - named for the watermelon red the mountains turn at dusk - are the predominant geographical feature visible in Albuquerque. The mountains create a rain shadow, and the city receives very little rain: only averaging 8-9 inches of precipitation a year, most of which occurs during the summer monsoonal season that typically starts in July and usually ends in mid-September. During this period, winds originate more from the south to southeast direction and carry moisture from the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico into the region. As this moisture moves into the Albuquerque area , a combination of orographic uplift from the mountains, and daytime heating from the sun, causes thunderstorms to develop across the region. This is what causes most of the rain in the Albuquerque area. The clouds as well as the mountains often turn spectacular colors in the evening.
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 469.5 km² . 467.9 km² of it is land and 1.7 km² of it is water. The metro area has over 1,000 square miles developed, and is expanding at a serious pace.
Albuquerque is located at .
Distances
...
,
Utah: 620 mi northwest.
Interesting Facts
The
Sandia Mountains which include Sandia Peak are situated to the East of the city. The
Sandia Peak Tramway runs from the base of the mountain to the peak, and is the longest single span
aerial tramway in the world.
"Sandia" comes from the
Spanish for "watermelon". The name is a reference to the the brilliant coloration that appears at sunset: bright pink and green . The pink is due to large exposures of granidiorite cliffs, and the green is due to large swaths of conifer forests.
The
Rio Grande flows North to South through the city and supports a
riparian forest habitat called a "
bosque."
Albuquerque has one of the highest altitudes of any major city in the United States. The elevation of the city ranges from 4900 feet above sea level near the Rio Grande to 6500 feet in the Northeast Heights. At the airport, the elevation is 5352 feet above sea level. The Rio Grande is classified, like the Nile, as an 'exotic' river because it flows through a desert.
Quadrants
Starting in the 1940's, Albuquerque has expanded greatly in area. During those years of expansion, the planning of the newer areas has considered that people don't walk, they drive. The pre-1940's parts of Albuquerque are quite different in style and scale from the post 1940's areas. These older areas include the North Valley, the South Valley, various neighborhoods near downtown, and Corrales. The newer areas generally feature 4- to 6-lane roads in a one-mile grid. Each one square mile section is divided into four 160-acre neighborhoods by smaller roads set one-half mile between major roads. When driving along major roads in the newer sections of Albuquerque, one sees strip malls, signs, and cinderblock walls. The upside of this planning style is that neighborhoods are shielded from the worst of the noise and lights on the major roads. The downside is that it is virtually impossible to go anywhere from home without driving.
Albuquerque is geographically divided into four quadrants which are officially part of the mailing address. They are
NE ,
NW ,
SE , and
SW . The north-south dividing line is Central Avenue and the east-west dividing line is the
BNSF Railway tracks. Although this is technically the division of the city, in casual conversation Albuquerqueans sometimes use the perpendicular interstates I-25 and I-40 to divide the city into quadrants.
Northeast quadrant
This quadrant has been experiencing a housing expansion since the late 1950s. It abuts the base of the Sandia Mountains and contains portions of the Sandia Heights neighborhoods, which are situated in or near the foothills and are significantly higher, in elevation and price range, than the rest of the city. Running from Central Ave. and the railroad tracks to the
Sandia Peak Aerial Tram, this is the largest quadrant both geographically and by population. The
University of New Mexico, the Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, the Uptown area which includes both Coronado and Winrock malls, and many skyscrapers, Journal Center , Balloon Fiesta Park, and
Albuquerque Academy are all located in this quadrant. Some of the most affluent regions of the city are located here, including Las Lomas-Roma, Netherwood Park, Academy Hills, Tanoan West & East, High Desert, Glenwood Hills, Sandia Heights, North Albuquerque Acres and many residences in the far northeast corner stretching beyond the actual city limits into Bernalillo County; there are even a few mansions on National Forest land that are just over the line into Sandoval County.
Northwest quadrant
This quadrant contains historic
Old Town Albuquerque, which dates back to the 1700s, as well as the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. The area has a mixture of commercial, low-income, middle-income, and some of the most expensive homes in the city. Northwest Albuquerque includes the largest section of
downtown, the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park and the
Bosque , the
Petroglyph National Monument, Double Eagle II Airport, the historic Martineztown neighborhood, and Cottonwood Mall. Additionally, the "North Valley" area, which includes some small ranches and expensive residential homes along the
Rio Grande, is located in this quadrant. The City of Albuquerque engulfs the village of
Los Ranchos de Albuquerque and borders
Corrales in the northwest valley. The rapidly-developing area on the west side of the river is known as the "West Side" or "West Mesa" and consists primarily of traditional residential subdivisions. Here the city proper is bordered on the north by the
City of Rio Rancho. This is one of the fastest growing areas in America; most of the suburban communities in the extreme northwest are characterized by endless sprawl and terrible traffic. Average one-way commutes for Westsiders are nearly 67 minutes . With two brand new high schools , the area is experiencing massive growth.
Southeast quadrant
Eclipse Aviation, Kirtland Air Force Base,
Sandia National Laboratories, the
Central New Mexico Community College main campus, the Albuquerque International Sunport, University Stadium,
Isotopes Park, and
University Arena are located in the Southeast quadrant.
The Nob Hill and East Downtown neighborhoods lie along Central Avenue, the border between the Southeast and Northeast quadrants. The expensive residential developments of Four Hills, Willow Wood, and Ridgecrest are also located in this quadrant. In sharp contrast to these upscale developments, however, some of the most poverty-stricken neighborhoods in the city are also located in Southeast Albuquerque. During the past twenty years, the SE area, mainly around Gibson Blvd. and Central Ave., has become the highest crime area in the city. These neighborhoods where so bad in the past that they been referred to as the "war zone", and have been the subject of heavy police attention in an attempt to reduce crime.
Southwest quadrant
Traditionally consisting of agricultural and rural areas, the Southwest quadrant is often referred to as the "South Valley". Although the city limits of Albuquerque do not include all of the area, the South Valley is considered to extend all the way to the Isleta Indian Reservation. This includes the old communities of Kinney, Los Padillas, Mountainview, and Pajarito. The south end of downtown Albuquerque and the
Bosque , the historic Barelas neighborhood, the National Hispanic Cultural Center, the Rio Grande Zoo, and Tingley Beach are also located here.
The southwest area is currently undergoing rapid and controversial development, including large retail stores and quickly-built subdivisions.
Points of interest
Historic landmarks
10 Tallest Buildings in AlbuquerqueCulture, technology, and popular culture
- A distinctive architecture that celebrates the Pueblo tradition characterizes many buildings in the city as well as the entire campus of the University of New Mexico. However, this style is far more prevalent in Santa Fe than Albuquerque.
- In Looney Tunes is a Warner Brothers [i] animated cartoon [i] series which ran in many movie theatres f ...
cartoons, Bugs Bunny often remarks upon arriving at the wrong place that he must have taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque . This gag first appeared in Herr Meets Hare is a 1945 Merrie Melodies [i] cartoon directed by Friz Freleng [i]. ...
, a cartoon which was notable for featuring caricatures of Hermann Göring and Hitler.
- In an episode of The Simpsons, Homer discovers that the local minor-league baseball team, the Springfield Isotopes, is threatening to relocate to Albuquerque.
- is Albuquerque's only international touring theatre company. Every January, Tricklock hosts the Revolutions International Theatre Festival, which brings in performers from around the world.
- is a non-profit organization, national in scope, with headquarters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The organization's mission is to explore the mind and brain in order to enhance the lives of men, women and children with mental illness. To that end, The MIND Institute scientists advance and apply neuroimaging technologies to bridge emerging frontiers of basic neurosciences and their clinical applications. The Institute draws on national expertise to define and validate its scientific direction by partnering with The University of New Mexico, Harvard University, University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- is a local Shakespearean community theater company which is devoted to staging productions of Shakespeare's plays with heavy emphasis on the textual authority of the First Folio.
- The performs and rehearses here at Popejoy Hall on the UNM campus.
- Albuquerque lies at the center of the New Mexico Technology Corridor, a band of high-tech private companies and government institutions along the Rio Grande. Larger institutions whose employees contribute to the population are numerous and include Sandia National Laboratories, Kirtland Air Force Base, and the attendant contracting companies which bring highly educated workers to a somewhat isolated region. Intel operates a large semiconductor factory or "fab" just outside the city boundaries of neighboring Rio Rancho, New Mexico, in Sandoval County, New Mexico, with its attendant large-capital investment.
- The solar energy and architectural-design innovator Steve Baer located his company, Zomeworks, here in the late 1960s.
- A soap-opera in Brazil, "Bang Bang", had the main story located in the Albuquerque of the 1880's.
- Although not a real school in the Albuquerque area, Disney Channel's Original Movie, or DCOM, as it's popularly known, High School Musical's East High School, currently in Salt Lake City, Utah, was set here. After the success of the movie, tweens ages 9-14 and teens upward from there, wanted to see the school, but sadly learned that the school's location was not in Albuquerque, as seen in Chapter 2 of the movie.
Demographics
As of the
census of 2000, there were 448,607 people, 183,236 households, and 112,690 families residing in the city. The
population density was 958.9/km² . There were 198,465 housing units at an average density of 424.2/km² . The racial makeup of the city was 71.59%
White, 3.09%
Black or
African American, 3.89% Native American, 2.24% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 14.78% from
