Mora Valley (5)

Historical marker location:

Mora, New Mexico

( On or near plaza in town of Mora)

Mora was settled before 1818 by Spanish people from the upper Rio Grande and was recognized by a grant from the Mexican government in 1835. The original plaza was probably built on a north-south orientation along the road from Las Vegas. It was destroyed by American troops in 1847. Mora has been the county seat since Mora County was established in 1860.

The first European to visit what is now New Mexico was likely Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish explorer who traveled through the region in the early 16th century. However, it was not until the arrival of Juan de Oñate in 1598 that the Spanish established a permanent settlement in the area.