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The Naming of Raton, New Mexico

Updated: Jun 19

By The Raton Museum Staff


Ever wonder how Raton got its name? Let's dive into the origins of our area to find out more!



Soon after Raton was named, many have asked questions over the name or tried to get citizens to change the town name. Even today, these questions have been asked by citizens of Raton and historians.


One day, there was a ruckus created in the Raton Museum by an individual drafting a book about Raton who became irate when Roger Sanchez, the museum's curator, told him there was never a name change. To understand this issue, a look back in time is necessary.


The Raton Mountains were originally named "Chuquirique" by the American Indians who inhabited the area well before the Spanish came into New Mexico. No one knows to which tribe the word belongs since this area was inhabited by Comanche, Cheyenne,Apache, Paiute, Ute, and a few others. The word translates as mouse or rodent.


Before anyone inhabited the Raton area, there were many small rodents who lived in the mountains. Speculation indicated that they may have been pine mice, squirrels, chipmunks, or bats. Since our high mountains are covered with pinon trees, it stands to reason the mountains were named for the mice. These pine mice were abundant and medium-sized with large ears. These mice could be found in the southwest from Oregon and Wyoming south to the Mexican Border.


Spanish explorers later changed the name from Chuquirique to the Raton Mountains. The Spanish word "raton" means mouse. Roger Sanchez explains, "An early group of Spanish explorers spent the night on the mountains and had to build a ring of fires around themselves to keep the mice away because the mountains were loaded with mice."


Father Stanley, in his book "Raton Chronicle," indicates that the mountains may have been named because one of the mountains in the Raton Range looks like a mouse. Sometime after the United States acquired New Mexico as a territory in 1846, Mr. Fayette Gillespie built a house at the foot of the Raton Pass. Later, he sold it to Mr. Smith Archibald Sayre. Sayre also acquired a lease in 1868 from Lucien B. Maxwell, owner of the Maxwell Land Grant.



A rumor spread that if Sayre had lived, the town would have been named for him. There is no way to prove nor disprove this rumor. 


In 1871, a jacal (an adobe and rock house) was built at Willow Springs by a Mr. Sears. In 1872, Mr. John Thacker acquired the property, which became the Willow Springs Forage Station. It provided food for animals and people, supplies, and overnight accommodations for Army officers.


Prior to anyone settling on the land, it sported a creek that travelers used to quench the thirst of people and animals. Once settled, Thacker dug a well, people coming over the pass had to buy the water at 25 cents per bucket which contained about two gallons. In today's currency, this would be about seven to eight dollars. This did not endear people to the Willow Springs Forage Station, so they purchased only the minimum water necessary and moved on a few miles south where the water was free. The Station was also used as a stop for the Barlow and Sanderson Stage.


In 1878, Mr. George Pace opened a store and post office at Willow Springs, which survived for only a few months when in 1879, Pace left. The Willow Springs Forage Station was located on the Maxwell Land Grant which created problems for them.


In his writings, Kenneth Fordyce, author, made a comment that Willow Springs "was the first spot on which man lived in Raton." It was the first spot where Anglo men ever lived. The first inhabitants were the Folsom People.


 After the Civil War, the transcontinental railway was completed. This did not end the building because two railroad companies wanted to build a railroad into New Mexico to connect Santa Fe to the rest of the United States. The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG) and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (AT&SF) both wanted the right of way. To do this, they had to acquire the land from Richens "Uncle Dick" Lacy Wootton who owned the right of way through the Raton Pass.


Both railroads sent an agent to Uncle Dick. The railroads could only get them just so close to him. Between February 26-27, 1878, AT&SF put their agent on a horse who beat the D&RG. Uncle Dick, a few men, Albert Robinson, and W. R. Morley were found the next day building an area to make way for the railroad. This action was called "right of prior construction" which meant the pass belonged to AT&SF.


In 1878, Otero (named for Governor Miguel Otero) was built by the railroad as a terminus six miles from the foot of the Raton Pass. In 1879, many of the residents left and traveled south to continue building the railroad. Those who did not move with the railroad, primarily the business people, moved to the new townsite of Raton lock, stock, and barrel, including the wooden structures and houses which were raised and loaded on flat cars and moved by train. The reason Raton was built was to provide a place for the trains to reload on water before the climb up the Raton Pass. When Otero was moved, Mr. Pace moved his store and post office to Raton. This was the beginning of what was to become Raton, which came into being when the AT&SF Railroad built a station and created the townsite.


There are people who have asked why Raton changed their name. In all actuality, the name was always Raton from the very beginning. A perusal of the warranty deed for Raton shows that it was signed by a representative of the Maxwell Land Grant Company on October 28, 1880, and was recorded by Mr. John Lee, probate clerk fc Colfax County, New Mexico on December 4, 1880. This document deeded 320 acres to the New Mexico Town Company and designated the sight as Raton. The Maxwell Land Grant Company may have chosen the name Raton because the reputation of Willow Springs was not good Or it could be another reason which was suggested by a railroad historian-the railroad people did not want to name two stops with the same name.

At the time, there was another station east that carried the name Willow Springs. People can ask all the questions they want about why Raton's name was changed. The honest answer is that it was never changed. It always has been Raton. The main question asked is concerning Willow Springs.


First, the original grant of 320 acres for Raton did not include the Willow Springs Forage Station. That section was added to the town later. Secondly, just because Willow Springs did have a post office (later changed to Raton) that was later moved to Raton is inconsequential. The name of the post office does not indicate that the town was named for the post office.


Next time anyone asks why the town name was changed, tell them it was always Raton.


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