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Espanola, New Mexico
Population: 9,688
Located in Santa Fe County
Community spirit is growing by leaps and bounds. With that growth, a vigorous new era may be just ahead for the city.
When people think of Northern New Mexico, it's Santa Fe that often comes to mind. But if you want to experience the true essence of traditional norteno culture, you'll find a much better sampling in Espanola.
These days, those old folks often talk about change. Profound changes are coming to this town of 10,000, which serves as the business and cultural hub for numerous mountain villages as distant as the Colorado border. Close to 60,000 people rely on Espanola to satisfy their basic and other needs. Lately, more and more business owners have taken note of that expansive market; many are investigating the possibility of starting up or relocating here. New residents are coming too, as evidenced by five new housing developments that have sprung up in the past few years.
New blood is stirring up fresh opportunities. Many younger people, tired of having to leave their beloved homes and families to seek out opportunities, are striving to create new ones here. Education rates are rising, and with them the size of people's dreams.
To give the "new Espanola" an initial facelift, Espanola Main Street, Inc. is playing a big role in refurbishment of the city's historic downtown area. Through a proposed $850,000 grant for ISTEA (state transportation) funding, an historic five block stretch between Espanola Plaza and the Rio Grande Bridge may soon see widened sidewalks, railroad-era lighting and small gathering areas, along a boulevard leading to a newly-developing park and plaza.
Main Street director Steve Justrich says support from the community is widespread and growing. Sunwest Bank, for one, offers low-cost loans for downtown property renovation.
The upgrading of Espanola's historic downtown has already begun to draw new business to the area. Half a dozen entrepreneurs have opened shops on the street within the past year. Building owners are encouraged both by main Street (which provides architectural support) and the city to improve at least the exteriors of unoccupied structures. Cleaning up the area is part of an overall effort to re-invent a downtown that had been allowed to run down and fragment.
Mission Convento, a centerpiece of plaza tourism development, will be a replica (as close as historians can determine) of the original church built in 1598 at the San Gabriel settlement founded nearby during Onate's reign. That $1 million-plus museum will be flanked by other museums chronicling Indian and Spanish culture in the area, along with shops and a cafe. Santa Clara Pueblo is also considering moving the annual Northern Pueblos arts and crafts fair to the area.
Source: espanolaonline.com
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