Bernalillo County, New Mexico is the most populous county in the state of New Mexico and is located in the central part of the state. It encompasses a total area of 1,167 square miles and is home to an estimated population of 683,000 people. The county seat is Albuquerque, which is also the largest city in the state.
Bernalillo County was established in 1852 from part of Santa Ana County. It was named after Bernalillo, a Spanish explorer who discovered the area in 1540. The county was originally inhabited by Native American tribes including Pueblo Indians and Apache Indians.
The geography of Bernalillo County consists mostly of flat deserts with occasional mountains and mesas scattered throughout the region. The climate is mostly dry with hot summers and mild winters. The average temperatures range from 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit throughout most of the year.
The economy of Bernalillo County relies heavily on government jobs as well as tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing industries such as pharmaceuticals, electronics, motor vehicle parts production and food processing plants. Major employers include Intel Corporation, Sandia National Laboratories (a research laboratory operated by Lockheed Martin for the US Department Of Energy), Kirtland Air Force Base (the third-largest US Air Force base) and University Of New Mexico (the flagship university for New Mexico).
The largest city in Bernalillo County is Albuquerque which serves as its county seat as well as being home to over 500,000 people making it one of the largest cities in New Mexico and one of its major cultural centers with attractions such as Old Town Albuquerque where visitors can explore museums or take part in traditional dances at Indian Pueblos around town; or visit some amazing natural wonders like Petroglyph National Monument featuring ancient rock carvings made by early Native Americans many centuries ago; or simply relax on a hot air balloon ride over beautiful landscapes surrounding Albuquerque’s metropolitan area.
Other cities within Bernalillo County include Los Ranchos De Albuquerque which offers some great Mexican cuisine; Rio Rancho where you can get your shopping fix at Cottonwood Mall; Corrales which offers picturesque views along its winding roads; Tijeras which has great outdoor activities like hiking trails or camping sites; Isleta Pueblo that features a casino resort for visitors looking for a little bit more excitement than what Rio Rancho has to offer; or even Carnuel which offers some great outdoor activities like fishing on its nearby lakes or visiting nearby hot springs during colder days!
In addition to all these attractions within Bernalillo County, there are also many recreational activities such as golfing at one of its several championship golf courses; exploring nearby national parks like Petroglyph National Monument or Cibola National Forest; visiting local museums like Explora Science Center & Children’s Museum Of Albuquerque; taking part in traditional dances at nearby Indian Pueblos around town; going on hot air balloon rides over stunning landscapes surrounding Albuquerque’s metropolitan area; checking out local farmers markets selling fresh produce grown right here in NM! And don’t forget about all those delicious restaurants offering up authentic Mexican cuisine too! All this makes Bernalillo County an ideal place for anyone looking to experience all that New Mexico has to offer.
History of Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Bernalillo County, New Mexico is located in the central part of the state and is the most populous county in the state. It was established by the Territorial Legislature on February 21, 1852 and named after Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Enríquez, the Viceroy of New Spain from 1702-1711. The county covers an area of 1,167 square miles and has a population of 676,680 as of 2019.
The history of Bernalillo County can be traced back to pre-colonial times when it was inhabited by Native Americans such as the Puebloans, Apache and Navajo tribes. These groups lived in villages throughout the region for centuries before Spanish settlers arrived in 1540. The Spanish established a number of missions throughout Bernalillo County during their colonization efforts, including Isleta Mission (1612) and Sandia Mission (1617).
During this time period, trade between Native American tribes and Spanish settlers flourished throughout Bernalillo County. This trade included goods like horses, mules and blankets which were exchanged for food and other goods such as pottery and jewelry. In addition to trade, Bernalillo County was also home to several large ranches where cattle were raised for meat production.
Following Mexico’s independence from Spain in 1821, Bernalillo County became part of Mexico until 1848 when it became part of the United States following the Mexican-American War. The region then became part of New Mexico Territory when it was established in 1850. During this time period, many settlers from other parts of the United States began to arrive in Bernalillo County to take advantage of its fertile land for farming purposes as well as its abundance of natural resources such as timber and minerals.
In 1912, New Mexico achieved statehood with Bernalillo County serving as one of its original counties. During this time period Albuquerque began to experience rapid growth due to an influx of new residents who wanted to take advantage of job opportunities provided by businesses that had moved into town. This growth led to increased population numbers which necessitated improvements in infrastructure such as roads and schools throughout the county over subsequent decades.
Today, Bernalillo County is home to numerous cities including Albuquerque which serves as its county seat with a population over 556 thousand people making it one of largest cities in all Southwest United States region. In addition to Albuquerque’s booming economy which is largely based on technology companies, tourism industry has also become increasingly important within recent years due its numerous attractions like Sandia Peak Tramway, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, ABQ BioPark Zoo, Petroglyph National Monument and Old Town Albuquerque. All these factors have contributed immensely towards making Bernalillo County one most important regions within entire state.
