Valencia County, an Inland Empire 



ITH its great area and vast natural resources, Val- 

 encia county is one of the most important in New 

 Mexico. Its farming, mining, lumbering and stock 

 growing interests, already large, open tremendous 

 possibilities of development. The county was one of 

 the original divisions on creation of the territory, 

 and has suffered little from the creation of new 

 divisions. Its present population is about 16,000, but the growing town of 

 Belen and important development enterprises along the Rio Grande and in 

 the western sections of the county will double this population within the next 

 five years. Los Lunas, the county seat, is one of the oldest settlements of the 

 whole valley. A fine court house is located there, a large flouring mill and 

 several large mercantile establishments which do 

 an extensive business with the rich farming region 

 surrounding. 



Belen, the largest town in the county, is rapidly 

 taking its place as one of the most important 

 towns in New Mexico, As the junction point of 

 the Santa Fe's north and south and east and 

 west lines across the territroy, it has assumed im- 

 portance as a railroad center and is enjoying rapid 

 and substantial growth as a result. One of the 

 largest mercantile establishments in New Mexico, the John Becker Com- 

 pany, makes its headquarters at Belen, while the largest flouring mill in 

 the territory is located there. It is the shipping point for the southern 

 portion of the Central valley and has tributary to it one of the most 

 productive regions in New Mexico. 



An Indian Truck Gardner 

 Bluewater Valley 



Church and Chapel at Belen 



