Clayton, New Mexico Clayton, New Mexico Location of Clayton inside Union County and New Mexico Location of Clayton inside Union County and New Mexico State New Mexico Clayton is a town and governmental center of county of Union County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town/city population was 2,980. Clayton is a crossroads for tourists heading from Texas to Colorado, and Kansas / Oklahoma / Texas to Taos, New Mexico.
The Cimarron Cutoff of the Santa Fe Trail brought some of the first Americans through the Clayton region.
The Santa Fe Trail was first established in 1821 after Spanish rule was evicted from Mexico which opened up trade between Santa Fe and the United States.
William Becknell, also known as the Father of the Santa Fe Trail, became the first person to utilize the Santa Fe Trail as a trade route between the state of Missouri and Santa Fe.
He established the Cimarron Cutoff, also known as the Cimarron Route, as a faster route between countries as the Cimarron Route shortened the Trail by more than 100 miles.
The Cimarron Cutoff went straight through the Clayton region where travelers used the Rabbit Ear Mountain as a guiding landmark.
Eventually travelers along the trail began to appreciate the rich soil around Clayton and the rolling green hills which were perfect for raising livestock.
According to the United States Enumeration Bureau, the town has a total region of 4.7 square miles (12 km2), all land.
Clayton is considered to be in the Plains region of New Mexico.
This region stretches to the Sangre de Cristos Mountains down to the Guadalupe Mountains.Clayton is positioned in the northeast corner of New Mexico, 10 miles from the border of Texas and 11 miles from the border of the Oklahoma panhandle.
Clayton is also positioned near two parks, Clayton Lake State Park, and Capulin Volcano National Monument.
A Carbon Dioxide Field called Bravo Dome can be found near Clayton and stretches nearly 1 million acres. These tunnels were believed to have connected to every building in Clayton, but most have been sealed off due to safety precautions.
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,980 citizens , 1,025 homeholds (only 77.8% of the populace was living in homeholds), and 623 family homeholds residing in the town.
In the town, the populace was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older.
About 14.2% of families and 17.9% of the populace were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Young pronghorn near Clayton The town still thrives as a ranching and farming community, but has period its commerce to include multiple eating establishments, various shops, a several dollar stores, two convenience stores, and multiple motels and campgrounds.
The Ranch Market is the town's grocery store which has served the improve faithfully for many years.
Main Street and First Street are lined with shops including two flower stores and the town's wear store: Ropes Western Wear and Casual.
The town still maintains its small-town, nation charm as the historic Hotel Eklund and the Luna Theater have been in operation for more than one hundred years, standing as a reminder to the town's earlier, simpler days.
The Herzstein Memorial Museum, run by the Union County Historical Society, is open without charge Tuesdays through Saturdays and by appointment. An official interpretative center of the Santa Fe Trail, the Herzstein focuses upon county and county-wide history. Clayton Lake State Park, featuring a fishing lake and an extensive trackway of fossilized dinosaur footprints, is positioned 15 miles (24 km) north of town.
One of the earliest movie theaters in America stands in Clayton.
Before the Great Depression, the Mission Theater flourished and provided the magic of movies in Clayton, including memorable Christmas matinees offered no-charge to kids where Santa Claus would appear and give small presents to the crowd." The Luna Theater is one of the most historic theaters in the country, landing a special place on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
"Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015".
"New Mexico Office of the State Historian | places".
Historical marker in Clayton, New Mexico "Enumeration of Population and Housing".
"Clayton, New Mexico Chamber of Commerce - Union County".
"How New Mexico Is Saving Its Historic Movie Theaters".
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Clayton, New Mexico.
New Mexico portal Municipalities and communities of Union County, New Mexico, United States County seat: Clayton
Categories:
County seats in New Mexico - Towns in New Mexico - Towns in Union County, New Mexico - Populated places established in 1887
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