El Rito in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
El Rito
Elevation 6,870 ft.
Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 28, 2013
1. El Rito Marker
Erected by New Mexico Historic Preservation Division.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Hispanic Americans • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.
Location. 36° 20.173′ N, 106° 11.388′ W. Marker is in El Rito, New Mexico, in Rio Arriba County. It is on State Road 554 at milepost 11.5 north of State Road 571. It is at the entrance gate of the Northern New Mexico Community College. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: El Rito NM 87530, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Northern New Mexico. It is also in the American Southwest, in the Mountain West, and at the Four Corners. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, 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 7 other markers are within 13 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: A different marker also named El Rito (approx. 0.3 miles away); Welcome to the Church of San Juan Nepomuceno (approx. 0.6 miles away); Santa Cruz (approx. 8.3 miles away); Abiquiϊ (approx. 11.3 miles away);
this page online
Regarding El Rito. When the New Mexico Territory applied for statehood in 1912, the State Constitution, Article 12, Section 11, identified the Spanish American Normal School as one of ten educational institutions which would be supported by the state. The Spanish American School provided both secondary and post-secondary educational programs.
Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 28, 2013
2. El Rito Marker
Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 28, 2013
3. Reverse of El Rito Marker
Photographed by J. J. Prats, April 28, 2013
4. Entrance to the Northern New Mexico College Campus, and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 3, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,018 times since then and 26 times this year. Last updated on July 30, 2025, by Bill Wingate of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 3, 2014, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photos of the campus • Fresh photos after the marker is restored • Can you help?
