Tucumcari, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Tucumcari is a city in and the county seat
of Quay County
, New Mexico
, United States
. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was founded.
built a construction camp in the western portion of modern-day Quay County. Owing to numerous gunfights, the camp became known as Six Shooter Siding. After it grew into a permanent settlement, it was renamed Tucumcari in 1908. The name was taken from Tucumcari Mountain
, which is situated near the community.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.6 km²), of which, 7.5 square miles (19.5 km²) of it is land and 0.13% is water.
can bring locally heavy downpours. Snowfall is generally very light. Due to the frequency of low humidity, wide daily temperature ranges are common.
The record high temperature at Tucumcari was 109 °F (42.8 °C) on August 23, 1926, and June 28, 1968. The record low temperature was -19 F on January 13, 1963. (The cooperative National Weather Service
station 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Tucumcari reported a low temperature of -22 F on the same date.) The wettest year was 1941 with 35.46 inches (900.7 mm) and the driest year was 1951 with 7.34 inches (186.4 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 8.86 inches (225 mm) in July 1950. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 4.4 inches (111.8 mm) on August 12, 1917. The most snowfall in one year was 40.7 inches (1,033.8 mm) in 1931. The most snowfall in one month was 26 inches (660.4 mm) in December 1923.
of 2000, there were 5,989 people, 2,489 households, and 1,607 families residing in the city. The population density
was 793.8 people per square mile (306.7/km²). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 406.2 per square mile (156.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.87% White, 1.29% African American, 1.39% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 17.10% from other races
, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.41% of the population.
There were 2,489 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,560, and the median income for a family was $27,468. Males had a median income of $25,342 versus $18,568 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,786. About 19.1% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
Legend has it that Apache
Chief Wautonomah was nearing the end of his time on earth and was troubled by the question of who would succeed him as ruler of the tribe. In a classic portrait of love and competition, his two finest braves, Tonopah and Tocom, were not only rivals and sworn enemies of one another, but were both vying for the hand of Kari, Chief Wantonomah's daughter. Kari knew her heart belonged to Tocom. Chief Wautonomah beckened Tonopah and Tocom to his side and announced, "Soon I must die and one of you must succeed me as chief. Tonight you must take your long knives and meet in combat to settle the matter between you. He who survives shall be the Chief and have for his wife, Kari, my daughter."
As ordered, the two braves met, with knives outstretched, in mortal combat. Unknown to either brave was the fact that Kari was hiding nearby. When Tonopah's knife found the heart of Tocom, the young squaw rushed from her hiding place and used a knife to take Tonopah's life, as well as her own.
When Chief Wautonomah was shown this tragic scene, heartbreak enveloped him and he buried his daughter's knife deep into his own heart, crying out in agony, "Tocom-Kari"!
A slight variation of the Chief's dying words live on today as Tucumcari, and the mountain
which bears this name stands as a stark reminder of unfulfilled love.
Some credit this folktale to Geronimo. More skeptical and less romantic historians believe the word Tucumcari is a derivation from the Comanche word Tukum Kahni, which means "Night House" because Comanches Used to use the mountain as a lookout point particularly at night. There's historical veracity to this explanation, since the mountain (actually a mesa
) was known to be a Comanche lookout many years ago.
Tucumcari is mentioned in several songs, including:
(formerly U.S. Route 66
in the area). It is the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas
and Albuquerque, New Mexico
. Billboards reading "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" placed along I-40 for many miles to the east and west of the town invite motorists to stay the night in one of Tucumcari's "2000" (later changed to "1200") motel rooms. The "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" campaign was abandoned in favor of a campaign which declared Tucumcari, "Gateway to the West". However, on June 24, 2008, Tucumcari's Lodgers Tax Advisory Board, the group responsible for the billboards, voted to return to the previous slogan.
Old U.S. Route 66 runs through the heart of Tucumcari via Route 66 Boulevard, which was previously known as Tucumcari Boulevard from 1970 to 2003 and as Gaynell Avenue before that time. Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants and motels, were constructed to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road. A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business despite intense competition from newer chain motels and restaurants in the vicinity of Interstate 40, which passes through the city's outskirts on the south.
Most of Tucumcari's oldest buildings lie along or near Main Street in the Historic Downtown area. These include:
Also located in the downtown area are the concrete arches that once surrounded the Vorenburg Hotel, which was demolished in the 1970s after being damaged by fire.
hydrofoil named after it. The USS Tucumcari (PGH-2) was built by Boeing
. It began service in 1968 and ended service in 1972 after running aground in Puerto Rico
.
Schools in Tucumcari cover all groups from daycare to post-secondary education.
and his associates robbed a post office and store in Liberty, NM, a community that dissolved after the railroad bypassed it. Many of Liberty's residents moved to the nearby railroad siding that eventually became Tucumcari.
Musician Bob Scobey
was born in Tucumcari in 1916. The following year, American character actor Paul Brinegar
was born in Tucumcari as well.
In December 1951, a water storage tank collapsed in the city. Four were killed and numerous buildings were destroyed.
Tucumcari High School graduate Stan David
was a star safety for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
and played 16 NFL games for the Buffalo Bills
in 1984. He was listed as number 48 in the Sports Illustrated
list of "The 50 Greatest New Mexico Sports Figures."
The buildings formerly at Metropolitan Park (locally known as "Five Mile Park" because it is located about five miles (8 km) outside of town) were designed by Trent Thomas, adapted from his design of La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe
. The park once featured New Mexico's largest outdoor swimming pool. Owing to deterioration, Metropolitan Park was named to the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance's list of Most Endangered for 2003. In 2010, the park's predominant building caught fire and burnt to the ground. The city of Tucumcari razed the site weeks after the fire.
Each year since 1992, the town has held the Tucumcari Air Show
. The show held on October 4, 2006, was cancelled after one hour when a single-engine plane crashed, resulting in the pilot's death.
Rex Maddaford, who competed for the New Zealand
team in the 1968 Summer Olympics
, has been a long-time Tucumcari Public Schools faculty member. He is currently a teacher at Tucumcari High School.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Quay County
Quay County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*86.1% White*1.1% Black*1.2% Native American*1.0% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.4% Two or more races*7.2% Other races*42.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was founded.
History
In 1901, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific RailroadChicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...
built a construction camp in the western portion of modern-day Quay County. Owing to numerous gunfights, the camp became known as Six Shooter Siding. After it grew into a permanent settlement, it was renamed Tucumcari in 1908. The name was taken from Tucumcari Mountain
Tucumcari Mountain
Tucumcari Mountain, once referred to as Tucumcari Peak or Mesa Tucumcari, is a mesa situated just outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico....
, which is situated near the community.
Geography
Tucumcari is located at 35°10′10"N 103°43′32"W (35.169453, -103.725488).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.6 km²), of which, 7.5 square miles (19.5 km²) of it is land and 0.13% is water.
Climate
Tucumcari has a semiarid climate characterized by cool winters and very warm summers. Rainfall is relatively low except during the summer months, when thunderstorms associated with the North American monsoonsNorth American Monsoon
The North American monsoon, variously known as the Southwest United States monsoon, the Mexican monsoon, or the Arizona monsoon, is experienced as a pronounced increase in rainfall from an extremely dry June to a rainy July over large areas of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico...
can bring locally heavy downpours. Snowfall is generally very light. Due to the frequency of low humidity, wide daily temperature ranges are common.
The record high temperature at Tucumcari was 109 °F (42.8 °C) on August 23, 1926, and June 28, 1968. The record low temperature was -19 F on January 13, 1963. (The cooperative National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
station 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Tucumcari reported a low temperature of -22 F on the same date.) The wettest year was 1941 with 35.46 inches (900.7 mm) and the driest year was 1951 with 7.34 inches (186.4 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 8.86 inches (225 mm) in July 1950. The most rainfall in 24 hours was 4.4 inches (111.8 mm) on August 12, 1917. The most snowfall in one year was 40.7 inches (1,033.8 mm) in 1931. The most snowfall in one month was 26 inches (660.4 mm) in December 1923.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 5,989 people, 2,489 households, and 1,607 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 793.8 people per square mile (306.7/km²). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 406.2 per square mile (156.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.87% White, 1.29% African American, 1.39% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 17.10% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51.41% of the population.
There were 2,489 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.
Economy
Income inequality rose from 1990 to 2000. The rich got richer more quickly than the poor.The median income for a household in the city was $22,560, and the median income for a family was $27,468. Males had a median income of $25,342 versus $18,568 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,786. About 19.1% of families and 24.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.
Legend surrounding the area
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
Chief Wautonomah was nearing the end of his time on earth and was troubled by the question of who would succeed him as ruler of the tribe. In a classic portrait of love and competition, his two finest braves, Tonopah and Tocom, were not only rivals and sworn enemies of one another, but were both vying for the hand of Kari, Chief Wantonomah's daughter. Kari knew her heart belonged to Tocom. Chief Wautonomah beckened Tonopah and Tocom to his side and announced, "Soon I must die and one of you must succeed me as chief. Tonight you must take your long knives and meet in combat to settle the matter between you. He who survives shall be the Chief and have for his wife, Kari, my daughter."
As ordered, the two braves met, with knives outstretched, in mortal combat. Unknown to either brave was the fact that Kari was hiding nearby. When Tonopah's knife found the heart of Tocom, the young squaw rushed from her hiding place and used a knife to take Tonopah's life, as well as her own.
When Chief Wautonomah was shown this tragic scene, heartbreak enveloped him and he buried his daughter's knife deep into his own heart, crying out in agony, "Tocom-Kari"!
A slight variation of the Chief's dying words live on today as Tucumcari, and the mountain
Tucumcari Mountain
Tucumcari Mountain, once referred to as Tucumcari Peak or Mesa Tucumcari, is a mesa situated just outside of Tucumcari, New Mexico....
which bears this name stands as a stark reminder of unfulfilled love.
Some credit this folktale to Geronimo. More skeptical and less romantic historians believe the word Tucumcari is a derivation from the Comanche word Tukum Kahni, which means "Night House" because Comanches Used to use the mountain as a lookout point particularly at night. There's historical veracity to this explanation, since the mountain (actually a mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
) was known to be a Comanche lookout many years ago.
In popular culture
- Many of the scenes in the televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
show RawhideRawhide (TV series)Rawhide is an American Western series that aired for eight seasons on the CBS network on Friday nights, from January 9, 1959 to September 3, 1965, before moving to Tuesday nights from September 14, 1965 until January 4, 1966, with a total of 217 black-and-white episodes...
(1959–1966) starring Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
were shot in the Tucumcari area. - One of the killers in Truman CapoteTruman CapoteTruman Streckfus Persons , known as Truman Capote , was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's and the true crime novel In Cold Blood , which he labeled a "nonfiction novel." At...
's 1965 book In Cold BloodIn Cold Blood (book)In Cold Blood is a 1966 book by American author Truman Capote detailing the brutal 1959 murders of Herbert Clutter, a successful farmer from Holcomb, Kansas, his wife and two of their four children. Two older daughters no longer lived at the farm and were not there at the time of the murders...
asks about the travelling distance to Tucumcari. This scene appears in the 1967 film versionIn Cold Blood (film)In Cold Blood is a 1967 film based on Truman Capote's book of the same name. Richard Brooks prepared the adaptation and directed the film. Some scenes were filmed on the locations of the original events, in Garden City and Holcomb, Kansas including the Clutter residence...
of the novel. - Tucumcari is the setting of one of the first scenes in Sergio LeoneSergio LeoneSergio Leone was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter most associated with the "Spaghetti Western" genre.Leone's film-making style includes juxtaposing extreme close-up shots with lengthy long shots...
's 1965 film For a Few Dollars MoreFor a Few Dollars MoreFor a Few Dollars More is a 1965 Italian spaghetti western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Gian Maria Volonté. German actor Klaus Kinski also plays a supporting role as a secondary villain...
, starring Eastwood, Lee Van CleefLee Van CleefLee Van Cleef was an American film actor who appeared mostly in Western and action pictures. His sharp features and piercing eyes led to his being cast as a villain in scores of films such as High Noon, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Good The Bad and the Ugly.-Early life:Van Cleef was...
, and Gian Maria VolontéGian Maria VolontèGian Maria Volonté was an Italian actor. He is perhaps most famous outside of Italy for his roles as the main villain in Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More.-Early life:Volonté was born in Milan, and graduated in Rome in 1957...
. However, this is a prochronismAnachronismAn anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
since Tucumcari was founded many years after For a Few Dollars More is set to take place. - A scene in the 1971 movie Two-Lane BlacktopTwo-Lane BlacktopTwo-Lane Blacktop is a 1971 road movie directed by Monte Hellman, starring singer-songwriter James Taylor, Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates, and Laurie Bird. Esquire magazine declared the film its movie of the year for 1971, and even published the entire screenplay in its April, 1971...
, starring James TaylorJames TaylorJames Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, Dennis WilsonDennis WilsonDennis Carl Wilson was an American rock and roll musician best known as a founding member and the drummer of The Beach Boys. He was a member of the group from its formation until his death in 1983...
, and Warren OatesWarren OatesWarren Mercer Oates was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah including The Wild Bunch and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia...
, was filmed at a gasoline service station on U.S. Highway 54 just northeast of Tucumcari. Tucumcari Mountain is clearly visible at the beginning of this scene. - The city is mentioned in the 1988 film Rain ManRain ManRain Man is a 1988 drama film written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass and directed by Barry Levinson. It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish yuppie, Charlie Babbitt, who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son,...
by the character played by Tom CruiseTom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
. However, the location in the scene is not Tucumcari. - In the David Stone Series featuring Micah Dalton, the lead character was raised in Tucumcari.
Tucumcari is mentioned in several songs, including:
- "Coyote" recorded by Better Than EzraBetter Than EzraBetter Than Ezra is an American alternative rock trio based in New Orleans, Louisiana.-Formation and early success:Better Than Ezra was formed in 1988 by its four original members - vocalist and guitarist Kevin Griffin; Joel Rundell, the lead guitarist; bassist Tom Drummond; and drummer, Cary...
on Deluxe (1993) - "Dead End Diner" recorded by Lost DogsLost DogsLost Dogs are an American musical supergroup formed in 1991, comprising vocalists, songwriters, and guitarists from multiple Christian alternative rock bands. Their current lineup includes Terry Scott Taylor , Michael Roe , Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong . The original lineup included Gene...
on Old AngelOld AngelOld Angel is the title of an album by Roots music band Lost Dogs, released on Fools of the World and Stunt Records in 2010. The songs were composed by the band while traveling down Route 66 in 2009, and recorded in Nashville.-Track listing:...
(2010) - "Goodbye Tennessee" recorded by Jim PostJim PostJim Post is an American folk singer-songwriter, composer, playwright and actor. In 1968 his pop song "Reach out of the Darkness" charted on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, peaking at number 10.-History:...
- "I Don't Care" recorded by Justin Townes EarleJustin Townes EarleJustin Townes Earle , son of Steve Earle, stepson of Allison Moorer, and named for songwriter Townes Van Zandt is an AMA winning, Americana musician based in Nashville, Tennessee. Earle is signed to Bloodshot Records and has four released albums from 2007–2010...
on Yuma (2007) - "Last Hobo" recorded by John DenverJohn DenverHenry John Deutschendorf, Jr. , known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer/songwriter, activist, and humanitarian. After growing up in numerous locations with his military family, Denver began his music career in folk music groups in the late 1960s. His greatest commercial success...
on All Aboard!All Aboard! (John Denver album)All Aboard! is the 24th and final album by American singer-songwriter John Denver released in August 1997.The album consists of old fashioned swing, big band, folk, bluegrass and gospel styles of music woven into a theme of railroad songs...
(1997) - "Route 40" recorded by Leslie FishLeslie FishLeslie Fish is a filk musician, author, and anarchist political activist.-Music:Along with The DeHorn Crew, in 1976 she created the first commercial filk recording, Folk Songs for Folk Who Ain't Even Been Yet...
on Limelight (1990) - "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66Route 66 (song)" Route 66", often rendered simply as "Route 66", is a popular song and rhythm and blues standard, composed in 1946 by American songwriter Bobby Troup. It was first recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole, and was subsequently covered by many artists including Chuck Berry in 1961, The Rolling...
" written by Bobby TroupBobby TroupRobert William "Bobby" Troup Jr. was an American actor, jazz pianist and songwriter. He is best known for writing the popular standard " Route 66", and for his role as Dr...
(1946) - "Tucumcari" recorded by CexCexCex is a musical project run by Rjyan Claybrook Kidwell and started in 1998 at the age of 16. Although Cex and Kidwell are frequently used interchangeably, Cex occasionally expands to several people at sporadic points, such as particular tours or albums...
on Actual FuckingActual FuckingActual Fucking is an album by Cex released in 2006. Each track is named after and written about a city . The album is heavy on vocals and was released by Seattle label Automation Records....
(2006) - "Tucumcari" recorded by Freedy JohnstonFreedy JohnstonFreedy Johnston is a New York City-based singer-songwriter originally from Kinsley, Kansas.Having scored several minor hits since the early 1990s, Johnston's songs are often about troubled loners, and cover topics like heartbreak, alienation and disappointment...
on The Trouble Tree (1990) - "Tucumcari" recorded by Jimmie RodgersJimmie Rodgers (pop singer)James Frederick "Jimmie" Rodgers is an American singer. He is not related to the country singer of the same name.-Career:...
(1959) - "Tucumcari Here I Come" recorded by Dale WatsonDale Watson (singer)Dale Watson is an American alternative country/Texas Country singer, guitarist and songwriter based in Austin, Texas. He's positioned himself as a tattooed, stubbornly independent outsider who is interested in recording authentic country music...
on More Songs Of Route 66 (2001) - "Willin'" recorded by Little FeatLittle FeatLittle Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter, lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles....
on Little FeatLittle Feat (album)Little Feat was the eponymous debut by the American rock band Little Feat, released in January 1971. Cobbled together from a variety of recording sessions mostly between August and September 1970, its sound can be best described as the antithesis to any of the group's classic recordings . Featuring...
(1971), and also on Sailin' ShoesSailin' ShoesSailin' Shoes was the second studio album by the American rock band Little Feat, released in 1972. It is notable for several reasons.First, it introduced the work of Neon Park to the group, with his design of a sailing shoe of a cake swinging on a tree swing that adorned the front cover, which...
(1972) and Waiting for ColumbusWaiting for ColumbusWaiting for Columbus is the first live album by the Southern roots-rock band, Little Feat. The album was recorded during seven performances in 1977. The first four shows were held at the Rainbow Theatre in London on August 1-4, 1977. The final three shows were recorded in George Washington...
(1978)
Tucumcari Tonite/Route 66
For many years, Tucumcari has been a popular stop for cross-country travelers on Interstate 40Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
(formerly U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
in the area). It is the largest city on the highway between Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
and Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque, 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...
. Billboards reading "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" placed along I-40 for many miles to the east and west of the town invite motorists to stay the night in one of Tucumcari's "2000" (later changed to "1200") motel rooms. The "TUCUMCARI TONITE!" campaign was abandoned in favor of a campaign which declared Tucumcari, "Gateway to the West". However, on June 24, 2008, Tucumcari's Lodgers Tax Advisory Board, the group responsible for the billboards, voted to return to the previous slogan.
Old U.S. Route 66 runs through the heart of Tucumcari via Route 66 Boulevard, which was previously known as Tucumcari Boulevard from 1970 to 2003 and as Gaynell Avenue before that time. Numerous businesses, including gasoline service stations, restaurants and motels, were constructed to accommodate tourists as they traveled through on the Mother Road. A large number of the vintage motels and restaurants built in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s are still in business despite intense competition from newer chain motels and restaurants in the vicinity of Interstate 40, which passes through the city's outskirts on the south.
Historic Downtown
- Crescent Creamery (vacant)
- Federal Building, commonly known as Sands-Dorsey Drug (fire damaged and vacant)
- Masonic Temple
- Odeon Theater
- Princess Theater (fire damaged and vacant)
- Rock Island - Southern Pacific Train Depot
Also located in the downtown area are the concrete arches that once surrounded the Vorenburg Hotel, which was demolished in the 1970s after being damaged by fire.
USS Tucumcari
The city has the honor of having a United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
hydrofoil named after it. The USS Tucumcari (PGH-2) was built by Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
. It began service in 1968 and ended service in 1972 after running aground in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
.
Schools
- Tucumcari Early Head Start and Head Start (non-public daycare and preschool)
- Tucumcari Elementary School (public Pre-K through fifth grade)
- Tucumcari Middle School (public sixth grade through eighth grade)
- Tucumcari High School (public ninth grade through twelfth grade)
- Mesalands Community CollegeMesalands Community CollegeMesalands Community College, located on in Tucumcari, New Mexico, is a two-year higher education institution offering instruction at the associate's degree level. Program offerings include Business, Wind Energy Technology, Farrier Science, Fine Arts Bronze, Paleontology, Agri-Business, Animal...
(community two-year institution of higher learning)
People and events
Tom "Black Jack" KetchumTom Ketchum
Thomas Everard Ketchum , known as Black Jack, was a cowboy who later turned to a life of crime. He was hanged in 1901 for attempted train robbery.-First train robberies and murders:...
and his associates robbed a post office and store in Liberty, NM, a community that dissolved after the railroad bypassed it. Many of Liberty's residents moved to the nearby railroad siding that eventually became Tucumcari.
Musician Bob Scobey
Bob Scobey
Bob Scobey was an American jazz musician born in Tucumcari, New Mexico.He began his career playing in dance orchestras and nightclubs in the 1930s. In 1938 he worked as second trumpeter for Lu Watters in the Yerba Buena Jazz Band. By 1949 he was leading his own band under the name Bob Scobey's...
was born in Tucumcari in 1916. The following year, American character actor Paul Brinegar
Paul Brinegar
Paul Brinegar was an American character actor.Brinegar made over 100 appearances between 1946 and 1994, appearing in many western films, and played the barman in Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter in 1973...
was born in Tucumcari as well.
In December 1951, a water storage tank collapsed in the city. Four were killed and numerous buildings were destroyed.
Tucumcari High School graduate Stan David
Stan David
Stanley Chaunce David is a former American football player for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1984 NFL Draft. David graduated from Tucumcari High School in Tucumcari, New Mexico. Collegiately, he was a safety for the Texas Tech Red Raiders...
was a star safety for the Texas Tech Red Raiders
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and played 16 NFL games for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1984. He was listed as number 48 in the Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
list of "The 50 Greatest New Mexico Sports Figures."
The buildings formerly at Metropolitan Park (locally known as "Five Mile Park" because it is located about five miles (8 km) outside of town) were designed by Trent Thomas, adapted from his design of La Fonda Hotel in Santa Fe
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...
. The park once featured New Mexico's largest outdoor swimming pool. Owing to deterioration, Metropolitan Park was named to the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance's list of Most Endangered for 2003. In 2010, the park's predominant building caught fire and burnt to the ground. The city of Tucumcari razed the site weeks after the fire.
Each year since 1992, the town has held the Tucumcari Air Show
Air show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
. The show held on October 4, 2006, was cancelled after one hour when a single-engine plane crashed, resulting in the pilot's death.
Rex Maddaford, who competed for the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
team in the 1968 Summer Olympics
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, has been a long-time Tucumcari Public Schools faculty member. He is currently a teacher at Tucumcari High School.