The Jemez Springs History Project
With community involvement, we are building a digital archive of historical information about the Jemez Valley and surrounding areas to include known human history as well as the unique geology and natural mineral hot springs.
The geographical scope of this historical archive is roughly the southwestern part of the Jemez Mountains: bounded on the north by Fenton Lake, Seven Springs, and Hwy. 126; on the east by the Valles Caldera; on the south by the Village of San Ysidro; on the west by the Nacimiento Mountains and the Village of Cuba. While Los Alamos and the Pajarito Plateau are important in the area’s history, that part of the Jemez is well-served by other online resources. This map in a Circle K ad from the Sandoval County Review, September 4, 1978, illustrates roughly the area covered in this history.
The human scope of this history is an overview of explorer and land grant eras and more detailed information from families who settled here in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Jemez Springs Public library acknowledges that the land on which these histories took place was originally inhabited by the ancestors of the pueblo of Jemez, who now reside at Walatowa due to forced removal in the late 1600s. This site does not attempt to appropriate the telling of indigenous history, but rather provides links to existing respected resources.
The Jemez Springs History Site is a dynamic archive, constantly growing thanks to our passionate volunteer writers and researchers, and the generous contributions of community members willing to share their unique anecdotes, memories, and images. Our volunteers actively engage in interviews, share their own stories, and pursue new research leads. Feel free to explore the wealth of information using the menus and search options provided. If you have any factual additions for a historical post, please use our contact link to get in touch. We value your ideas, comments, and your integral role in the success of this exciting endeavor!
The Jemez Valley History project was started in 2015 and funded in part by the Friends of the Library. Content is written and edited by Judith Isaacs, a volunteer, and Amanda Lewis, a library assistant. Janet Phillips, Library Director is the overall coordinator.
For further information please: