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Espanola, New MexicoEspaola is a city located in New Mexico, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 9,688. It is one of the very few U.S. cities to have a tilde in its name. Geography is located at (36.001884, -106.064587). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.9 km² (8.5 mi²). 21.7 km² (8.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.83% water. Espaola is over a mile high at an elevation of around 5,595 feet with much variance. It is a valley nessled between the Jemez and Sangre De Cristo mountain ranges, and the meeting point of three rivers, the Rio Grande, the Rio Chama, and the Rio Santa Cruz. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 9,688 people, 3,751 households, and 2,569 families residing in the city. The population density is 446.4/km² (1,155.4/mi²). There are 4,107 housing units at an average density of 189.2/km² (489.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.55% White, 0.58% African American, 2.86% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 25.56% from other races, and 3.25% from two or more races. 84.38% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 3,751 households out of which 35.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% are married couples living together, 18.5% have a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% are non-families. 26.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.56 and the average family size is 3.08. In the city the population is spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.6 males. The median income for a household in the city is $27,144, and the median income for a family is $32,255. Males have a median income of $25,558 versus $23,177 for females. The per capita income for the city is $14,303. 21.6% of the population and 16.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 28.4% of those under the age of 18 and 15.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Culture and History The Espaola Valley is known as the "Lowrider capital of the World", but it is of historical significance as the first European-founded capital of the "New World". Espaola itself was founded in the 1880s as a stop on the "Chile Line" railroad, but has now grown to include many of the outlying rural communities. This includes the area in which Don Juan de Oate declared a capital for Spain in 1598. He created a Spanish settlement in an area already inhabited by the indigenous descendants of the Anasazi. The treatment of the Natives was typical of the Conquistadores at that time, with enslavement and brutality being a mainstay despite an initial warm welcome. The “acequias”, or irrigations ditches, set up by the Spanish helped them to prosper as an agrarian society. These life-giving lines are, in some ways the only things that remain unchanged in Espaola today. While there is a tangible feeling of pride for culture and family amongst Hispanics and Natives, there is an ever-increasing influence and presence of people that don’t belong to either of these sects. There has been a steady influx of Mexicans immigrating to the Valley for the last decade which has significantly increased their visibility and influence in the area. Espaola is also home to the largest community of ethnically-diverse Sikhs in the world. While most Sikhs descend from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, the Sikhs in Espaola come from all over the world and continue to attract people from these locations which add to the cultural mix that is Espaola. There is also a growing Anglo population which usually belong to the artist community of Santa Fe, the body of employees of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, or the farming/cowboy community. The prosperous agrarian society of the Natives and the Spanish was replaced with a money-based system with the introduction of the railroad. As is typical throughout history, this disadvantaged many locals. They were forced to adopt a system for which they lacked the education. Many continued to farm and their families still do today, however, they were taught to farm to sell, rather than to sustain and were, thus, also disadvantaged. These factors are the most important to the evolution of Espaola today. With the poverty came fewer resources to education and further dependence upon welfare this has resulted in the current problems of drugs, crime and racism. The racism is mostly aimed at whites and Mexicans, but sometimes manifests as someone with pure Spanish heritage taunting a Native, as well. The poverty also tears at the social fabric resulting in the above statistics, indicating number of female householders with no husband. These problems, which are similar to those found in urban ghettos, often result in Espaola being the butt of many jokes. This is sometimes a thinly-veiled from of racism at the majority Hispanic community by members of the white-majority towns of Los Alamos, Santa Fe and parts of Albuquerque. Despite the differences amongst the varied communities of Espaola, it is merely experiencing the growing pains that most urban centers in the United States have experienced and can be looked to as a model of how the rest of small-town America will handle greater diversity. Of course Espaola will continue to be unique, playing host to its own blend of diversity. Nothing will ever replace the amazement of watching a vato hit the switches in his ride as he takes off down Paseo De Oate with a spectrum of colored sparks coming up from the asphalt or the simple joy of three-wheeling in your ranfla as you turn off Riverside into Sonic. External link
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