Belen in Valencia County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Belén

On the Camino Real

— Population 5,617 - Elevation 4,800 —

Belén Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025

1. Belén Marker

Inscription. By the mid-18th century, Spanish colonization had begun along the Rio Grande south of Albuquerque. The Belen land grant was made to encourage this expansion, and colonists from Albuquerque settled here around 1740. The early community also included a group of genizaros, or Hispanicized Indians. Belén is Spanish for Bethlehem.

Erected by New Mexico Historic Preservation Division.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Hispanic Americans • Immigration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1740.

Location. 34° 42.009′ N, 106° 46.889′ W. Marker is in Belen, New Mexico, in Valencia County. It is at the intersection of Bypass Interstate 25 and Andres Sanchez Road, on the right when traveling west on Interstate 25Bypass . The marker is located along the street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Belen NM 87002, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Rio Grande Valley

and in Greater Albuquerque.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named Belén (approx. 0.3 miles away); "Bethlehem" (approx. 2.7 miles away); Belen Veterans Memorial (approx. 2.7 miles away); Harvey House (approx. 2.7 miles away); The Belen Hotel

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(approx. 2.9 miles away); Camino del Llano (approx. 3.3 miles away); Tomé (approx. 4.1 miles away); Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad Depot (approx. 7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Belen.

More about this marker. There is a duplicate of the marker just across the street.

Also see . . . Belen, New Mexico. Wikipedia

Belén was founded in 1740 as Nuestra Señora de Belén (Our Lady of Bethlehem) by a group of colonists led by Diego Torres and Antonio Salazar, who had received permission to settle the tract of land known as the Belén Grant. The early settlers in the Belén grant included several genízaro families. The genízaros, Native Americans with origins as slaves and servants of colonists, were important in the frontier defense of New Mexico.

(Submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)

Belén Marker - Reverse Side image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025

2. Belén Marker - Reverse Side

The view of the Belén Marker along the street image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025

3. The view of the Belén Marker along the street

Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 29, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.