El Camino Real International Heritage Center
Encyclopedia
The El Camino Real International Heritage Center is a center about the culture and history about the El Camino Real trail and the colonization of New Mexico
. The center is an official New Mexico State Monument, and features exhibit panels and artifacts about the people who traveled along the trail, the desert and life in the 18th century.
with Santa Fe, New Mexico
in the region once known as New Spain
.
The center is jointly operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
and the Bureau of Land Management
, an agency of the Government of the United States
. In addition, both the countries of Spain
and Mexico
contributed to the project, making it a truly international undertaking. The facility was completed in 2005 and was designed by Dekker / Perich / Sabatini Architects and Engineers of Albuquerque, NM.
, New Mexico
and El Paso
, Texas
. It is readily accessible from Interstate 25 at exit 115, approximately 35 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico
.
environment. An outdoor amphitheater features traditional music heard along the journey reflecting the diverse folkways that developed as many cultures met on the legendary trade route
.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The center is an official New Mexico State Monument, and features exhibit panels and artifacts about the people who traveled along the trail, the desert and life in the 18th century.
Mission
The center commemorates the heritage of the antiquated road that connected Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
with Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
in the region once known as New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
.
The center is jointly operated by the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs is an executive branch agency of the New Mexico state government. Created in 1978 by the New Mexico Legislature, the department oversees the state museum, monument, arts, library, heritage preservation, and archaeology programs. Some 550 employees,...
and the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, an agency of the Government of the United States
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. In addition, both the countries of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
contributed to the project, making it a truly international undertaking. The facility was completed in 2005 and was designed by Dekker / Perich / Sabatini Architects and Engineers of Albuquerque, NM.
Location
It is situated approximately halfway between the cities of AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque, New Mexico
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 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It is readily accessible from Interstate 25 at exit 115, approximately 35 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico
Socorro, New Mexico
Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It stands in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of . The population was 9,051 at the 2010 census...
.
Displays
The site features a display of non-motorized travel aimed at providing modern motorists with an appreciation for the difficulty of traversing the desertDesert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
environment. An outdoor amphitheater features traditional music heard along the journey reflecting the diverse folkways that developed as many cultures met on the legendary trade route
Trade route
A trade route is a logistical network identified as a series of pathways and stoppages used for the commercial transport of cargo. Allowing goods to reach distant markets, a single trade route contains long distance arteries which may further be connected to several smaller networks of commercial...
.
- note: When referring to the center, "El" may be dropped in favor of "the" to distinguish from the road, but the two words are never used together. Occasionally the word "International" is omitted.
External links
- El Camino Real International Heritage Center - official site