San Marcial was a community in
Socorro County
Socorro County is a county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2010 census, the population was 17,866. The county seat is Socorro. The county was formed in 1852 as one of the original nine counties of New Mexico Territory. Socorro ...
,
New Mexico, United States, founded in 1854 and survivor of two floods and a fire, but is now a
ghost town, a deserted site with little left of the original town, destroyed in a great flood in 1929. San Marcial was approximately south of
Socorro.
History
Foundation
San Marcial was founded ''circa'' 1854 by Pascual Joyla, who built a house on the east side of the
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
and began selling produce and firewood in
Fort Conrad Fort Conrad was a U.S. Army fort established in Socorro County, New Mexico Territory in 1851.
Fort Conrad was located near modern Tiffany, New Mexico. It was on the west side of the Rio Grande. Because of its location, it was later abandoned for ...
, to the north. A small community grew up around Joyla's house, taking its name from the third century Frenchman,
Saint Martial of Limoges
Saint Martial (3rd century), called "the Apostle of the Gauls" or "the Apostle of Aquitaine", was the first bishop of Limoges. His feast day is 30 June.
Life
There is no accurate information as to the origin, dates of birth and death, or the acts ...
. A flood wiped out the village in 1866, and the people relocated to the other side of the river.
In July 1881, a fire almost completely destroyed the new community.
The town was rebuilt, and became a center for the surrounding irrigated farms,
Prosperity
When the railway passed through the area in the 1880s, a new community initially called "New San Marcial" developed near the railway station to the west.
This later obtained the Post Office name of San Marcial. Between 1890 and 1920, San Marcial was the second largest town in Socorro County.
San Marcial attained a population of about 1,400 by 1929.
In 1917, the villages to the south of the community were ordered to evacuate, since they would be flooded by the
Elephant Butte Reservoir. Many of them moved to San Marcial or to
Val Verde. In 1920, a flood caused great destruction in the region, leaving many homeless. After this, much work was spent on flood defenses.
Abandonment
On 13 August 1929, following heavy rain, there was a massive flood in the area. According to the ''Socorro Chieftain'' of 17 August 1929:
Some residents tried to rebuild after the August 13 flood, but a second flood on September 23 put an end the town. The main employer, the
Santa Fe Railroad, had enough and pulled out. Without the trains and the
Harvey House, there was no reason for anyone to stay, although as late as the 1930 census a few people lingered on.
Today, a cemetery remains the only obvious sign of the former settlement, although parts of the Santa Fe Railroad's
roundhouse can still be found if one knows where to look.
External links
San Marcial Floods
References
Citations
Sources
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Geography of Socorro County, New Mexico
Ghost towns in New Mexico