History
The Elephant Butte Historic District, a historic district in the Elephant Butte, New Mexico, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The district included 30 contributing buildings, 10 contributing structures and 34 contributing sites on 2,443 acres (9.89 km2), as well as numerous non-contributing resources. It includes the Elephant Butte Dam, which was completed in 1916, and resources associated with its construction such as buildings and roads, and including even garbage dumps from that era which were later themselves recognized as archeological sites for studying the construction era. It includes developments during the New Deal era, which created and expanded power generation and recreation opportunities associated with the dam. The district runs roughly along New Mexico State Road 51 from the dam to Mescal Canyon and along New Mexico State Road 52 from Ash Canyon to Long Ridge. The dam itself is important for its effect on agriculture and life in its area and down the Rio Grande valley in both the U.S. and Mexico. The construction of the dam allowed early season water runoff to be stored until needed for agricultural purposes, and addressed water rights...
Common questions
What is Elephant Butte Historic District?
Elephant Butte Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places district in Sierra County, New Mexico, listed in 1997. The district includes 30 contributing buildings, 10 contributing structures, and 34 contributing sites across 2,443 acres, centered on the Elephant Butte Dam and its associated construction-era resources.
When was Elephant Butte Historic District built?
The district's central feature, the Elephant Butte Dam, was completed in 1916. The district also includes resources from the dam's construction era and later New Deal-era developments that expanded power generation and recreation around the dam.
Where is Elephant Butte Historic District located?
Elephant Butte Historic District is located in Sierra County, New Mexico. The district runs roughly along New Mexico State Road 51 from the dam to Mescal Canyon, and along New Mexico State Road 52 from Ash Canyon to Long Ridge.
Is Elephant Butte Historic District open to the public?
Elephant Butte Historic District contains private property and the public-facing dam and recreation areas. Specific contributing buildings are not generally open for tours, though the dam and surrounding recreational lands around Elephant Butte are accessible to visitors.
Why is Elephant Butte Historic District historically significant?
Elephant Butte Historic District is significant for the Elephant Butte Dam's role in storing early-season runoff for agricultural use along the Rio Grande valley in both the United States and Mexico. The district also documents New Deal-era expansions and even contains construction-era garbage dumps now recognized as archeological sites.