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C+History
History · Española

Española dates to 1880, and 3 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 43% of U.S. towns · #26 of 73 in New Mexico. What drives it

Most of Española was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1978. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1953 on, and the census since 1890.

1880founded
3on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
11famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Española’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Española began

When was Española founded?

1880

Española dates its founding to 1880 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 398 in 18902020 census: 10,526146 years

How historic is Española?

C+

More historic than 43% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1878.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Española’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Española is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #26 of 73 in New Mexico. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Española’s overall grade.
Founding era1880, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19404.9% of homes (±1.1) · typical NM town 2.3% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register3 listings, 5 historic buildings, 4.8 per 10,000 residents · typical NM town 2.2 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 43%
NewerOlder
New Mexico towns of 2,500+ (73)Ahead of 65%

New Mexico towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical New Mexico town has 2.2 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Española’s 4.8 sits above most of its state (68% of New Mexico towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1880.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.1 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Española’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1930 and 1950, then grew 4-fold.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Española, and 7 old place names are still on the map.Famous sons and daughtersScott Tipton, Patricia D. Lopez and 9 more were born here.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Española’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Española’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewEspanola 1919: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Española, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00019001920194019601980200020204,269 in 1930Low: 2,489

Lost a third of its people between 1930 and 1950, then grew 4-fold.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Española’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Santa Cruz
1878–today
Espanola
1881–today
Ranchitos
1905–1907
Fairview
1952–1963
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
El GuachoFairviewRanchitosRiversideSan PedroSanto NiñoSanto Nino
Gone or out of use
Bartholomew - Sanchez GrantmineFairview Post Officepost officeSan Juan PitmineUnited Brethren Churchchurch

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Española came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Española.

Read it all →

Española was referred to as La Vega de los Vigiles ('the Vigils' Meadow') before the arrival of the railroad. The source of the current name is disputed: La Española means 'Spanish woman', and folk history attributes the name to railroad construction workers who named the area after a woman who worked in a small restaurant in the area. Alternatively, it may be a variation of Hispaniola (New Spain), or as a shortened form of Plaza Española ('Spanish town'), which likely was to differentiate it from the Tewa pueblos to the north and south.

Tewa people have lived in the area since the 13th century. They built towns in the area, now called Pueblos, five of which still exist: Ohkay Owingeh, Pojoaque, Nambé, Santa Clara and San Ildefonso.

ChaptersEtymologySpanish settlementRailroad eraPost-railroad eraEspañola in the 21st Century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Española, 1878 to 2020

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1878Post officeThe Santa Cruz post office opens
  3. 1880
    FoundingEspañola is established
  4. 1881Post officeThe Espanola post office opens
  5. 1887BuiltFrank Bond House is built
  6. 20th century
  7. 1905Post officeThe Ranchitos post office opens
  8. 1907Post officeThe Ranchitos post office closes
  9. 1919In the archiveEspanola 1919
  10. 1920In the archiveChili line train, Rio Grande Railroad (1920)
  11. 1939BuiltE.D. Chimayo Trading Post and Trujillo House is built
  12. 1950Born herePatricia D. Lopez is born here
  13. 1953On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  14. 1956Born hereScott Tipton is born here
  15. 1965Born hereJacobo de la Serna is born here
  16. 1971Born hereSatya Rhodes-Conway is born here
  17. 21st century
  18. 2020CensusPopulation peaks at 10,526
By decade

Española, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1910s to the 1920s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1910s–1920s3 items
Espanola 19191919Espanola 1919Chili line train, Rio Grande Railroad (1920)1920Chili line train, Rio Grande Railroad (1920)Espanola Downtown, 19201920Espanola Downtown, 1920
1930s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today19 recent
3-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 00320143-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 0033-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 00220143-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 0023-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 00120143-9-2014 Sunset in Espanola on 3-9-2014 - 001City of Espanola - Industrial park view (2012)2012City of Espanola - Industrial park view (2012)Las Conchas Fire22011Las Conchas Fire2Las Conchas Fire12011Las Conchas Fire1Las Conchas Fire02011Las Conchas Fire0Española812011Española81Española 802011Española 80Espanola, NM, View W across Riverside Dr. the Chimayo Trading Post2010Espanola, NM, View W across Riverside Dr. the Chimayo…Espanola, NM, View S Riverside Dr. from Chimayo Trading Post, 20102010Espanola, NM, View S Riverside Dr. from Chimayo Tradi…Turdus migratorious male snow2009Turdus migratorious male snowEchinocereus fendleri flowers12009Echinocereus fendleri flowers1Tylosis maculatus dorsal12008Tylosis maculatus dorsal1Junco hyemalis mearnsi12008Junco hyemalis mearnsi1Espanola cars12008Espanola cars1Ascalapha odorata male12008Ascalapha odorata male1Espanola, New Mexico2006Espanola, New MexicoEspanola, New Mexico2006Espanola, New Mexico
On the map

Española on the map, 1953 to 2002

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Española. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Española on the 1953 USGS mapEspañola on the 1984 USGS mapEspañola on the 2002 USGS map1953Espanola sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Española.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Espanola 1919
Retake this viewEspanola 1919, 1919

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Española’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

3 historic places in Española

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
3
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
5
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
La Iglesia de Santa Cruz and Site of the Plaza …
La Iglesia de Santa Cruz and Site of the Plaza of Santa Cruz de la CanadaFrank Bond House, built 1887E.D. Chimayo Trading Post and Trujillo House, built 1939
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

New Mexico Vernacular1
Neo-Classical Revival1
Pueblo1
La Iglesia de Santa Cruz and Site of the Plaza of Santa Cruz de la CanadaNew Mexico Vernacular
Frank Bond HouseNeo-Classical Revival · Built 1887
E.D. Chimayo Trading Post and Trujillo HousePueblo · Built 1939

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Famous people

11 famous people were born in Española

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Scott TiptonAmerican politician · b. 1956
Patricia D. LopezAmerican computer scientist · b. 1950
J
Jacobo de la SernaAmerican ceramic artist, Spanish Colonial schol… · b. 1965
Satya Rhodes-ConwayAmerican politician · b. 1971
Kenneth J. GonzalesUnited States District Judge · b. 1964
R
Richard LuceroAmerican politician · b. 1934
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Santa CruzIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townSombrilloIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townCuartelezIts storyB−Ohkay Owingeh1 historic placeA−

Questions about Española’s history

What year was Española founded?

In 1880, according to Wikidata. Española’s post office opened in 1878, and the census of 1890 counted 398 people here.

How does Española rank for history?

Española is more historic than 43% of U.S. towns, #26 of 73 in New Mexico. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Española?

Three places: the La Iglesia de Santa Cruz and Site of the Plaza of Santa Cruz de la Canada (listed 1973), the Frank Bond House (1980) and the E.D. Chimayo Trading Post and Trujillo House (1999).

How old are the homes in Española?

5% of Española’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.1 points), against a typical 2.3% for a New Mexico town; the median home was built in 1978.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (22), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.