The Watrous (La Junta) National Historic District is set within the beautiful and fertile Mora Valley Courtesy of J.N. Stuart, Flickr Commons |
The Santa Fe Trail Routes Courtesy of the National Park Service |
The Samuel Watrous Ranch House is one of the most impressive sites in La Junta. It fell to disrepair but has recently been completely restored. Courtesy of Watrous Valley Ranch |
In 1879, the railroad town of Watrous was established just east of La Junta. The population of La Junta largely moved to the new village as rail travel and trade made the Santa Fe Trail obsolete. Public domain |
Plan your visit |
Watrous (La Junta) is a National Historic Landmark historic district located in Watrous, NM along Route 85, north of Las Vegas, NM, along the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, which is part of the National Park System. Click here for the Watrous (La Junta) National Historic Landmark file: text and photos. The historic Samuel Watrous house is privately owned and operated by the Watrous Valley Ranch and is located at 2286 Hwy 161, Watrous, NM. For more information, please visit the ranch’s website or call 505-425-1500. The Watrous House has been documented by the National Park Service’s Historic American Buildings Survey. The Santa Fe Trail is featured in the National Park Service Places Reflecting America's Diverse Cultures: Explore their Stories in the National Park System Travel Itinerary and many other historic places along the Santa Fe Trail are featured in the American Southwest Travel Itinerary. |