Turquoise Trail
Albuquerque, NM

In 1706, Albuquerque was founded by a group of colonists who had been granted permission by King Philip of Spain to establish a new villa (city) on the banks of the Rio Grande (which means big or great river). The colonists chose a place along the river where it makes a wide curve providing good irrigation for crops and a source of wood from the bosque and nearby mountains.

The growth of Albuquerque can be traced to two changes during the early development to the area. First, the Rio Grande moved further west causing a slight shift in the population. Second, the railroad came to Albuquerque in 1880, and a "New Town" grew up along the tracks two miles east of Old Town. Population increases can also be attributed to Albuquerque becoming an important stop on the Santa Fe Trail and the Camino Real.

Albuquerque never went through the lawless days of the frontier as did other western towns. When those times came (during the last quarter of the 19th century), Albuquerque already had an established culture a century-and-a-half old. Much of Albuquerque's appeal today can be attributed to the subtle blending of the many cultures that comprise its fabric: American Indian, Spanish, Anglo, African, and Asian. Each left its mark in food, music, religion, art, customs, architecture, and traditions.