Historical Marker

Rio Costilla Valley (Note: never built)

A winter hunting ground for many indigenous people, this area was originally homeland for the Ute people. In 1849, striving to encourage occupation on the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant, seven plazas were settled along the Rio Costilla. Governor Diego de Vargas crossed this valley during his reconquest of New Mexico in 1694 during his restoration of New Mexico to Spain from 1692-1697, as did Juan Bautista de Anza during his 1779 Comanche campaign.