Historical Marker
Arroyo Seco
The valley in which this community is located is mentioned in Spanish colonial documents as early as 1716. By 1804, the village was securely established around a traditional, enclosed defensive plaza, with irrigated fields along both banks of Arroyo Seco Creek. The Iglesia de La Santisima Trinidad (Church of the holy Trinity), which sits on the historic plaza, was licensed in 1826 and completed by 1834.
In the early 1800s, New Mexico became an important center for trade along the Santa Fe Trail, which connected Missouri to Santa Fe. The trail was used by traders, trappers, and settlers to transport goods and supplies across the frontier.