Historical Marker

Tucumcari Mountain


Tucumcari Mountain has long been a landmark for travelers along the Canadian River. Pathfinder Pedro Vial mentioned it in 1793, while opening a trail between Santa Fe and St. Louis. In order to find the best route from Arkansas to California, Capt. Randolph B. Marcy led an expedition past here in 1849. The town of Tucumcari was founded in 1901 and takes its name from the mountain, which signaled people traveling Route 66 and Interstate 40 that rest was nearby.

During World War II, New Mexico was the site of several top-secret military installations, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the atomic bomb was developed. The laboratory is still one of the largest employers in the state and conducts research in fields such as nuclear energy and national security.
New Mexico random facts