Luis Lopez is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

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 wa ...

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, Ke ...

, United States. It lies between Socorro and

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

along the Rio Grande.

History

In 1667, Captain Luis López was ''

alcalde mayor An ''alcalde mayor'' was a regional magistrate in Spain and its territories from, at least, the 14th century to the 19th century. These regional officials had judicial, administrative, military and legislative authority. Their judicial and ad ...

'' (mayor) of the

Piro Pueblo Piro Pueblo : The Piros (not to be confused with the Piros of the Ucayali basin in Peru) are a Native American Pueblo people whose ancestors lived in a number of pueblos in the Rio Grande Valley around modern Socorro, New Mexico, USA. The now e ...

of Senecú. It appears that he had a hacienda on the east bank of the Rio Grande. During the 18th century, the estancia was mentioned in the journals of a few travellers, though it had been abandoned after the

Pueblo Revolt The Pueblo Revolt of 1680, also known as Popé's Rebellion or Popay's Rebellion, was an uprising of most of the indigenous Pueblo people against the Spanish colonizers in the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, larger than present-day New Mex ...

of 1680. The village of Luis Lopez appears to have been founded by the early to mid 1830s. At that time, it was located on the west bank of the Rio Grande, just east of its present-day site. Luis Lopez has been listed in censuses every decade at least as recently as 1980 since

1850 Events January–June * April ** Pope Pius IX returns from exile to Rome. ** Stephen Foster's parlor ballad "Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway" is published in the United States. * April 4 – Los Angeles is incorporated as a city ...

, except for

1870 Events January–March * January 1 ** The first edition of ''The Northern Echo'' newspaper is published in Priestgate, Darlington, England. ** Plans for the Brooklyn Bridge are completed. * January 3 – Construction of the ...

. Since the village was not counted in that year, it is thought that it may have been abandoned for a short time and then relocated to its present position above the flood plain. However, most of Luis Lopez remains in the flood plain, protected from the Rio Grande by levees. In May 1941, severe flooding required the evacuation of families in the floodplain. Luis Lopez was also listed in both the 1833 and 1845 New Mexico censuses, details of which can be found at Albuquerque Public Library, Main Library, second floor Genealogy Center. In 1952, the Luis Lopez School District was consolidated with the Socorro School District and the school was closed. However, the building continued to be used as a community center for some years. Today, the community of Luis Lopez consists of farms and a small suburb. New wells have brought growth to the community. The community is a suburb of Socorro.

Education

It is within

Socorro Consolidated Schools Socorro Consolidated School District (SCSD) or Socorro Consolidated Schools is a school district headquartered in Socorro, New Mexico. Located within Socorro County, the district includes Socorro, Alamillo, Chamizal, Escondida, Lemitar, Lui ...

. Socorro High School is the comprehensive high school of the district.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Socorro County, New Mexico Unincorporated communities in New Mexico 1667 establishments in the Spanish Empire Census-designated places in New Mexico Census-designated places in Socorro County, New Mexico