Anton Chico

History

Prior to 1786, when a peace treaty was concluded with the Comanches, Spanish settlements in New Mexico were confined to the Rio Grande valley and nearby. The reduced threat from the Comanches, the most numerous and dangerous of the Indian peoples surrounding the New Mexican settlements, permitted the expansion of the Spanish eastward into the Pecos River valley and onto the Great Plains. The motivation for the Pecos Valley settlements was the growing population of New Mexico plus the need to defend the Spanish and Puebloan settlements in the Rio Grande valley from raids by Apache and other Indian peoples. In 1822 the government of New Mexico created the Anton Chico Land Grant, 378,537 acres (153,188 ha) in size. Salvador Tapia and 36 others petitioned the government for the grant. In exchange they promised to take up residence in the grant area, to hold the land in common for themselves and future settlers, and to obtain firearms and bows and arrows to defend the settlement against Indian attacks. The initial settlers came to Anton Chico from La Cuesta (now called Villanueva), upstream on the Pecos River. However, Indian raids caused the abandonment of the settlement in 1827. Anton Chico was resettled in 1834, this time with success Seven settlements grew along of the Pecos River. From north to south (upstream to downstream) they were Tecolotito, Upper Anton Chico, Anton Chico, Llano Viejo, La Loma, Llano del Medio, Dilia, and Colonias. Anton Chico is the largest settlement of the seven. It was described in 1841-1842 as having a population of 200 to 300 people and built around a plaza designed for defense. The houses, surrounded by high walls, were described as follows: As one of the closest New Mexican settlements to the Great Plains with its bison herds and…

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the community has an area of , all land. In 1958 tin roofs rather than adobe were on the majority of houses. Anton Chico has a cold steppe climate (BSk) under the Köppen Classification of climates. Under the Trewartha climate classification the climate is a cold steppe with hot summers and cool winters (BSak). Most precipitation is received in the warmer six months of the year.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• RITA A. MARQUEZ ELEMENTARY
  Elementary · ANTON CHICO · 61 students · 10.2:1 ratio
• ANTON CHICO MIDDLE
  Middle · ANTON CHICO · 34 students · 8.5:1 ratio