la Union, New Mexico

Everything la Union is known for

0 songs mention this city 1 artist from here

Music in la Union

Songs About la Union

No songs reference la Union yet.

Artists From la Union

J
Joe West
americana Pop: 27

Rivers & Roads in Song near la Union

Songs written about the waterways and highways that run near la Union.

Rio Grande / Río Bravo 83 songs Rio Grande / Río Bravo 144 songs Interstate 10 23 songs

History of la Union

Canutillo, TX RoadyGoat

Canutillo might seem like just another quiet spot along the Upper Valley, but this little town has a story to tell. It's a place where the desert meets the river, named for the "little reeds" that once grew thick along its banks. For generations, families here have worked the land, coaxing life from the soil and building a community around cotton fields and the promise of a good harvest. The air is a little crisper here, up at 3,750 feet, and the pace of life a bit slower than down in El Paso. But don’t let the peaceful atmosphere fool you. Canutillo has produced its share of stars.

4.2 mi away

Canutillo, TX RoadyGoat

Canutillo wasn’t always the quiet place it is today, though its roots have always been tied to the land. Long before the name "Canutillo" appeared on any map, the Manso, Suma, and Jumano peoples knew this area along the Rio Grande. The river, and the springs that fed it, were life. Later, the Spanish came, and though no grand missions took hold here, stories whisper of hidden treasures buried near crumbling adobe walls – whispers carried on the same dry desert wind that rustles through the "little reeds" that gave the town its name in 1881. The coming of the railroad changed things, but it was cotton that truly shaped Canutillo. For decades, the fields surrounding the town were white with it, fueling the local economy and drawing families seeking a fresh start. Even now, though the landscape has changed, agriculture remains a lifeline for many. There’s a spirit of self-reliance here, a connection to the earth that’s hard to shake. And while life is generally peaceful, that doesn’t mean there isn’t passion. Just ask anyone who’s witnessed the Canutillo High School Eagles take on Chapin – that rivalry burns bright. This town might be small, but its history is rich and its people have deep roots.

4.2 mi away

Canutillo, TX RoadyGoat

Canutillo is a place where the past and present intertwine, and a lot of that story is written in the fields around town. This area, sitting higher than the heart of El Paso, enjoys a slightly cooler, drier climate, and that's always been good for farming. Cotton was king here for a long time, really putting Canutillo on the map. The fertile land along the Rio Grande, even with its challenges, made it possible. You can still see that agricultural heritage today; it’s not just in the fields, but in the people who live here, many of whom still work in agriculture or related services. That connection to the land runs deep. Even the town's name, Canutillo, meaning 'little reeds,' speaks to the natural environment and its importance. Long before any town existed, the Manso, Jumano, and Suma tribes knew this land. Maybe some of that treasure they say is buried near the old mission ruins is tied to that old way of life, who knows?

4.2 mi away

Anthony, TX (El Paso County)

1884

Anthony is on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and State Highway 20 sixteen miles northwest of downtown El Paso on the Texas-New Mexico border in El Paso County. It was reportedly named by a Mexican-American woman who built a chapel to St. Anthony of Padua sometime before 1884. A post office was established on the El Paso County side in March of that year but was never in operation. The Texas community later became known as La Tuna, after the Federal Correctional Institution located there, at which a post office was open from 1932 to 1965. In the early 1940s the population was estimated at only twenty, but ten years later, after the community incorporated as Anthony, the population estimate had grown to 1,200. It declined to 1,082 in the early 1960s, then grew to 2,154 in the early 1970s, 2,640 in the early 1980s, and 3,328 in 1990. The population grew to 3,850 in 2000. A post office was established in Anthony in 1981. In 1988 the Anthony Chamber of Commerce named the town the Leap Year Capital of the World, and the Worldwide Leap Year Birthday Club, open to anyone born on February 29, had more than 100 members by 1992.

Tsha Handbook → · 4.5 mi away

Federal Correctional Institution

1932

The Federal Correctional Institution at La Tuna (now part of Anthony) in northwestern El Paso County is a medium-security prison for men. It was formally opened on May 1, 1932, and designated to house offenders from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and southern Utah; its Spanish-mission architecture was designed to reflect the Southwestern environment. A minimum-security Federal Prison Camp was added in 1978. In 1992 the inmate population was 890 at the Federal Correctional Institution and 324 at the Federal Prison Camp; the staff numbered 359. Thomas P. White, who served from the facility's opening in 1932 until 1951, had the longest tenure of any warden. During White's service some 300 of the institution's 630 acres was irrigated, and inmates were trained in farming and dairying. Agricultural activities were discontinued in subsequent years but resumed in 1992, with the aim of supplying vegetables and some fruits for the facility and for other federal prisons. The FCI offers a variety of educational and vocational programs, including studies for the general-equivalency diploma, English as a second language, computer literacy, continuing-education courses, and training in automobile repair, building trades, and horticulture. The institution formerly served as a detention center for aliens held by the United States Immigration Service.

Tsha Handbook → · 4.5 mi away

El Paso

1861

Largest U.S. city on the Mexican border. Named for the mountain pass. Historic gateway for Indians, priests, gold-seekers, traders, stages. Federal troops occupied this area longer than any other in Texas during the Civil War. Agricultural, industrial and military center. Texas Western College, Spanish missions. (1964)

Historical Marker → · 5.0 mi away

Fusselman Canyon

1890

Below is Fusselman Canyon, which follows the Fusselman Canyon Fault, a major natural cut into the Franklin Mountains. For centuries it has served as a natural corridor for the movement of people, goods and livestock between the river valley to the west and the desert basin to the east. The canyon also served as a source of seasonal water, plants and animals for the many Native Americans who inhabited this region. It is named in honor of Charles H. Fusselman (1866-1890), Texas Ranger and U.S. Deputy Marshal. In the late 19th century, El Paso was a booming town, but outlying areas were still plagued by frontier conditions. On April 17, 1890, local rancher John Barnes reported that his horses and cattle had been stolen. Later that day, Charles Fusselman was deputized and led Barnes and city policeman George Herold into the Franklin Mountains to chase the rustlers. The thieves intended to drive the horses and cattle through the canyon (along the path of today's Woodrow Bean Trans Mountain Road), through Smuggler's Gap at the top of the canyon, and then into the Rio Grande Bosque near Canutillo, Texas. Fusselman's party captured one of the rustlers before encountering the outlaws' camp. There they were met with a barrage of gunfire, and Fusselman was shot and killed. The outlaws escaped after the outnumbered Barnes and Herold left their prisoner and fled the scene. Fusselman's body was later recovered and taken to Lagarto, Texas, where he was buried. For the next ten years, lawmen pursued the rustlers. Geronimo Parra, the outlaw leader, was finally arrested, tried and found guilty of Fusselman's murder. He was legally hanged in January 1900 in El Paso. The canyon became known as Fusselman Canyon in honor of the slain deputy and ranger. 										(2002)

Historical Marker → · 11.1 mi away

Pass of the North

1536

Historically a major trade and travel artery for North America because it is the northernmost Rocky Mountain pass that stays snow-free throughout the year. Indians used pass long before Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca, thought to be first white man in area, crossed it about 1536. Juan de Onate brought first cattle into U.S. through the pass in 1598. Route was heavily traveled during California gold rush, 1849, and in later years important stage lines and railroads crossed Rockies here. Today the pass lies on one of three major travel routes across the continent. (1968)

Historical Marker → · 13.8 mi away

Things to Do in la Union

historical 23.5 mi away
Billy the Kid Courthouse

Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang in this adobe courthouse in April 1881.
historical 23.5 mi away
Gadsden Purchase Flag Raising

On this plaza in 1854 the U.S. flag was raised for the last major American territorial acquisition.
historical 23.5 mi away
Fountain Disappearance

Attorney and son vanished near White Sands in 1896. Bodies never found.
historical 23.5 mi away
Confederate Capital of Arizona

Mesilla served as capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona from 1861 to 1862.
historical 23.5 mi away
La Posta de Mesilla

1840s stage stop where Roy Bean and Kit Carson once passed through. Still serving chile.
quirky 23.6 mi away
Double Eagle Restaurant

Haunted 1849 restaurant where two star-crossed lovers were stabbed with scissors.
nature 11.1 mi away
Franklin Mountains

The Franklin Mountains rise straight out of downtown El Paso and split the city in half. The exposed rock at the core is over a billion years old -- some of…
historical 23.3 mi away
Battle of Mesilla

1861 Civil War clash where Confederates routed Union troops and captured 492 soldiers.

Everything Near la Union

238 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.

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