Velarde, New Mexico

Velarde is a census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 502 at the time of the 2010 census. Velarde is located on New Mexico State Road 68, in the Rio Grande Rift, right at the point where the road enters the Rio Grande Gorge.

The name Velarde first appeared when a U.S. post office was opened at the location in 1855. The first postmaster, David Velarde, named the postal location in honor of his Spanish-born ancestor, Juan Antonio Pérez Velarde, who settled near Guadalupe del Paso (present Ciudad Juárez, Mexico) in 1725. His move to this Rio Grande settlement encouraged other members of his family to move north into colonial New Mexico in the mid-18th century.

However, the town was organized only in 1875 by Matias Velarde, who established the town as "La Jolla", the name most likely originating from a 1712 Spanish land grant given to Sebastian Martin in the post-Pueblo Revolt resettlement of the region. This was likely a misspelling of "La Joya," which translates from Spanish as "The Jewel". The Tewa name for the location was Phahu'bu'u, or Tsigubu'u, which meant "basin of the chico bush or rabbit thorn".

The community, located at the mouth of the Rio Grande canyon along the Low Road to Taos (not really part of the Camino Real, despite the ancient pathway over Embudo Pass being designated so by a historical marker ), had through its Spanish-settled history served mostly as a peaceful resting spot for passing travelers, especially for those heading north out of the low river country.

During the Taos Revolt in the latter part of the Mexican-American War, however, it was part of the scene of the Battle of Embudo Pass, which took place on Jan. 29, 1847. Despite the shelter of "dense masses of cedar and large fragments of rock" that were formed into defensive positions, the Tewa warriors and Mexican defenders in the battle were routed by U.S. Col. Sterling Price, military governor, and his Missouri Mounted Volunteers, leading to the U.S. siege of Taos Pueblo less than a week's forced march later. Etches of crosses still mark the rocks near where the 20 local fighters had fallen. A map drawn at that time by the invading Americans referred to the settlement simply as "Joya."

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Wikipedia