National Historic Landmark

Raton Pass

Raton, Colfax County, New Mexico
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000474

About this property

Ratón Pass is a 7,834 ft (2,388 m) elevation mountain pass on the Colorado–New Mexico border in the western United States. It is located on the eastern side of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Trinidad, Colorado and Raton, New Mexico, approximately 180 miles (290 km) northeast of Santa Fe. Ratón is Spanish for "mouse". The pass crosses the line of volcanic mesas that extends east from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along the state line, and furnishes the most direct land route between the valley of the Arkansas River to the north and the upper valley of the Canadian River, leading toward Santa Fe, to the south. The pass now carries Interstate 25 and railroad tracks. The pass is a historically significant landmark on the Santa Fe Trail, a major 19th-century settlement route between Kansas City, Missouri and Santa Fe. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 for this association.

Location

Raton, Colfax County, New Mexico
36.99006, -104.48843

Categories

COMMERCEMILITARYTRANSPORTATIONEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Columbian School
Industrial
6.2 mi
Colfax County Courthouse
Industrial
6.5 mi
El Raton Theater
Industrial
6.5 mi
Original Townsite Historic District
Industrial
6.7 mi
Raton Downtown Historic District
Listed
6.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Tongue River Canyon — Colorado (1868)
1868Indian Wars
9.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Raton Pass listed on the National Register?

Raton Pass was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Raton Pass?

Raton Pass is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Raton Pass a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Raton Pass has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Raton Pass?

The period of significance for Raton Pass is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Raton Pass?

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New Mexico history

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