Farmington New Mexico History & Facts

Farmington is a city in San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census the city had a total population of 45,877 people. Farmington (and surrounding San Juan County) makes up one of the four Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) in New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate in 2019 for Farmington was 44,372.

Farmington is located at the junction of the San Juan River, the Animas River, and the La Plata River, and is located on the Colorado Plateau. Farmington is the largest city of San Juan County, one of the geographically largest counties in the United States covering 5,538 square miles (14,340 km2). The county seat and the other city in San Juan County is Aztec. Farmington serves as the commercial hub for most of northwestern New Mexico and the Four Corners region of four states. Farmington lies at or near the junction of three important highways: U.S. Highway 550, U.S. Highway 64, and New Mexico Highway 371.

It is on the Trails of the Ancients Byway, one of the designated New Mexico Scenic Byways.

The primary industries of San Juan County are the production of petroleum, natural gas, and coal. Major coal mines are the Navajo and San Juan mines, operated by BHP Billiton 15 to 19 miles (24 to 31 km) southwest of Farmington. The coal mined from the Navajo and San Juan mines is used entirely for fuel for the nearby Four Corners Generating Station and San Juan Generating Station to produce electric power.

The area that is now Farmington was settled by Ancestral Pueblo people in the 7th Century. Ruins can be visited at nearby Salmon Ruins and at Aztec Ruins. When the Ancestral Puebloans left the area, the Navajos, Jicarilla Apaches, and Utes moved into the area. A key part of the region was known in Navajo as Tóta' which means "where three rivers meet".

Although Spanish and American mineral prospecting happened in the area, there were few permanent settlements. In 1868, the Navajo Nation was created, taking up the western half of San Juan County. Six years later, the U.S. government offered territory in the rest of San Juan County to the Jicarilla Apache but they refused. As a result, the area was opened for settlement and a number of settlers moved into the region from Southern Colorado. The area was originally known as "Junction City" because of the access to the three rivers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Farmington has a total area of 32.0 square miles (83 km2), of which 31.5 square miles (82 km2) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km2) is water.

The Navajo Nation is west of Farmington, the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is to the northwest, and the Southern Ute Indian Reservation is northeast of the city. Prehistoric Native American ruins are located nearby. Aztec Ruins National Monument and the Salmon Ruins are ancient dwellings located just to the northeast and the east of Farmington. Mesa Verde National Park lies about 40 miles (64 km) to the northwest, and Chaco Culture National Historical Park is about 50 miles (80 km) to the southeast.

Famous Peoples From Farmington New Mexico

Tom Bolack

Thomas Felix Bolack (May 18, 1918 – May 20, 1998) was an American businessman and politician who served as the 20th governor of New Mexico for 32 days in 1962–63.

On May 18, 1918, Bolack was born in Cowley County, Kansas. Bolack grew up on a farm.

Bolack was a self-educated oilman who learned geology from correspondence courses. He was also a rancher and owner of the Albuquerque Dukes minor-league baseball team from 1956 to 1963.

We also serve South Valley city.

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