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The old adobe mill compex, built in the 1850's of adobe brick on a rock foundation, was part of a large shipping center for livestock and agricultural products. The mill ground flour for many families in the Mora Valley and the La Cueva area. The mill itself generated electricity through 1949 and today is in good condition and has extensive storage buildings.
The Romeros family, headed by Vincente Romero settled this area in the early 17th century, having obtained an original Mora Land Grant from Colonel Albino Perez, the then Governor of the New Mexico Territory, about 1835.
The sign at the mill decribing a brief history of the mill and ajoining community.
The community consisted of the San Rafael Mission Church, merchantile building-Post Office, blacksmith shop, harness and tack rooms, stables, Vincente Romero Big House, and inumerable pens for cattle, sheep and goats. The Big House was started in 1835 and not completed until 1863. It was built of adobe bricks in the "Montery Pennisula Territorial Style" an a two story hacienda surrounded by high adobe walls for protection from marauding Camanches, Utes, Apaches and other Plains Indians.
The currently surviving buildings of the now William Salman Ranch at the Nation Historic Site, are the Big House, the Merchantile Building (Salman Ranch Store), and the La Cueva Mill. The San Rafael Mission Church, some other out building, an old home on a hilltop, and many stone walls also remain.
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Located about 30 miles north on NM 518 of I-25 in Las Vegas, New Mexico. |
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this web site are Copyright 2003 by Jim Miller - All rights reserved
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