HM 48 — "VALENCIA COUNTY DAY"

HOUSEA MEMORIAL 48DECLARING 57THFEBRUARY LEGISLATURE-4, STATE OF NEWMEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 2026 INTRODUCED"VALENCIA BYCOUNTY TanyaDAY" MirabalIN MoyaTHE andHOUSE GailOF ArmstrongREPRESENTATIVES. and Brian G.

Baca5 andWHEREAS, MichelleValencia Paulenecounty Abeytais 7part 9of Athe MEMORIALhistoric DECLARINGRio FEBRUARYAbajo 4,region; 2026 "VALENCIA COUNTY DAY" IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

14and WHEREAS, Valenciain county1739, isthe partking of Spain granted the historicfamous Riotown Abajoof region;Tome land grant-merced to thirty families, establishing a foundational community in what is now Valencia county;

and WHEREAS, in 1739, the kingvillage of SpainLos grantedLunas thewas famousfounded eby tSpaniards 17in townthe ofeighteenth Tomecentury landand grant-mercedhas grown to thirtybecome families,one establishingof wNew lMexico's nfastest-growing dcommunities; 18 a foundational community in what is now Valencia county;

and = = 19 a l WHEREAS, the villagecity of LosBelen, Lunasofficially wasknown foundedas by"Nuestra SpaniardsSenora ide aBelen", ewas ra 20strategic inpoint along the eighteenthCamino centuryReal, andalso hasknown grownas to"the becomeRoyal oneRoad", ofwhich Newcarved a ttrade mroute msouth 21into Mexico'sMexico; fastest-growing communities;

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, theBelen citylater ofbecame Belen, officially known as "Nuestra"the chub ecity" sdue kto 23the SenoraBelen decutoff Belen",of was a strategic point along the CaminoAtchison, Real,Topeka eand aSanta nFe brailway, 24now u [ also known as "thethe RoyalBNSF Road",railway whichcompany; carved a trade route south into Mexico;

and .233460.2 WHEREAS, Belen later became known as "the hub city" due to the Belen cutoff of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway, now known as the BNSF railway company;

and HM 48 Page 1 WHEREAS, the town of Peralta is a historically significant agricultural community founded along the Camino Real and named for the Spanish explorer Don Pedro de Peralta;

and WHEREAS, the village of Bosque Farms became a destination for relocated dust bowl refugees and was incorporated as a e t 17 municipality in 1974;

and w l n d 18 WHEREAS, Bosque Farms has a strong agricultural heritage, = = 19 a l with dairy production emerging as a key industry by the 1960s, i a e r 20 making the area known as "the heart of the Rio Grande a t m m 21 dairyland";

and d r e 22 WHEREAS, the city of Rio Communities is known for its c e s k 23 official slogan, "spectacular views, endless opportunities", e a n b 24 highlighting the community's natural beauty and future-focused u [ vision;

and .233460.2 - 2 - WHEREAS, in 2025, Rio Communities demonstrated its commitment to infrastructure with the dedication of Founders way, a new bypass road that is noted locally as one of the fastest-completed roadway construction projects in Valencia county history;

and WHEREAS, the original pre-1937 United States route 66 runs through the heart of Valencia county, carrying travelers HM 48 Page 2 through Los Lunas, Peralta and Isleta along present-day New Mexico state road 314 and Main street/New Mexico state road 6, shaping early trade, cultural exchange and economic development;

and WHEREAS, Valencia county proudly recognizes the Pueblo of e t 17 Isleta for its deep historical and cultural significance, w l n d 18 honoring its enduring contributions to the region's heritage, = = 19 a l identity and vitality;

and i a e r 20 WHEREAS, Valencia county is the home of the largest a t m m 21 matanza in the world, a symbol of the rich Spanish heritage of d r e 22 the Rio Grande valley, hosted annually by the Hispano chamber c e s k 23 of Valencia county to preserve traditions, promote local e a n b 24 businesses and raise funds for scholarships;

and u [ WHEREAS, the greater Valencia county chamber of commerce .233460.2 - 3 - has played a pivotal role in driving business growth and expansion in the region by fostering collaboration among local businesses, providing valuable resources and supporting initiatives that enhance economic development and community prosperity;

and WHEREAS, Valencia county has emerged as a driver of HM 48 Page 3 technological advancement, innovation and economic growth in New Mexico with the highest number of manufacturers per capita in the state, including major employers such as Meta, Amazon, Arcosa, Colorcon, Wall Colmonoy and the Pacific Fusion build center, fueling job creation and regional prosperity;

e t 17 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF w l n d 18 REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that February 4, = = 19 a l 2026 be proclaimed "Valencia County Day" in the house of i a e r 20 representatives;

and a t m m 21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be d r e 22 transmitted to the mayors of the city of Belen, the village of c e s k 23 Los Lunas, the village of Bosque Farms, the town of Peralta and e a n b 24 the city of Rio Communities and the chair of the board of u [ county commissioners of Valencia county.

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