Virden is a village in Hidalgo County,

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

, United States. The population was 152 at the 2010 census. Growth and new construction is almost non-existent, but together with the Arizona sister-village of Duncan to the west, the consolidated area might experience minimal population and infrastructural growth in the next decade.

History

Known as Richmond prior to 1916, the area was originally owned by the New Mexico Mining Company, and was the location of a

stamp mill A stamp mill (or stamp battery or stamping mill) is a type of mill machine that crushes material by pounding rather than grinding, either for further processing or for extraction of metallic ores. Breaking material down is a type of unit operatio ...

for the silver ore mined in nearby Ralston. After the mine was closed, the site was sold in 1916 to

Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...

s who had left the Mormon Colonies in Chihuahua during the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution ( es, Revolución Mexicana) was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from approximately 1910 to 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It resulted in the destruction ...

. The Mormons renamed the village after the rancher who sold them the land.

Geography

Virden is located near the northern end of Hidalgo County at (32.688626, -109.002585), on the north bank of the

Gila River The Gila River (; O'odham ima Keli Akimel or simply Akimel, Quechan: Haa Siʼil, Maricopa language: Xiil) is a tributary of the Colorado River flowing through New Mexico and Arizona in the United States. The river drains an arid watershed of n ...

New Mexico State Road 92 State Road 92 (NM 92) is a state highway in the US state of New Mexico. Its total length is approximately . NM 92's western terminus is a continuation as Virden Highway at the Arizona–New Mexico state line, and the eastern terminus is ...

passes through the village, leading northwest to

Duncan, Arizona Duncan is a town in Greenlee County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 696. In 2018 the estimated population was 789. Duncan is in the Gila River valley, west of the Arizona–New Mexico border. The ...

, and south seven miles to its terminus at

U.S. Route 70 U.S. Route 70 or U.S. Highway 70 (US 70) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. It is a major east–west highway of the Southeastern United States, Southeastern, Southern Unite ...

Lordsburg Lordsburg is a city in and the county seat of Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States. Hidalgo County includes the southern "bootheel" of New Mexico, along the Arizona border. The population was 2,797 at the 2010 census, down from 3,379 in 20 ...

, the Hidalgo County seat, is southeast of Virden via US 70. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Virden has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 143 people, 48 households, and 38 families residing in the village. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 640.1 people per square mile (251.0/km). There were 63 housing units at an average density of 282.0 per square mile (110.6/km). The racial makeup of the village was 95.10%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 1.40%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 1.40% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.10% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 13.29% of the population. There were 48 households, out of which 39.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 2.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.8% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.50. In the village, the population was spread out, with 33.6% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 18.2% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.9 males. The median income for a household in the village was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $0 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the village was $23,184. There were 2.6% of families and 14.1% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 26.1% of under eighteens and 6.7% of those over 64.

References

External links

*
The Virden L.D.S. Cemetery at Virden, New Mexico
, Hidalgo County webpage, USGenWeb Project {{authority control Villages in Hidalgo County, New Mexico Villages in New Mexico Populated places established in 1916 1916 establishments in New Mexico