Gallup | |
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 Motels and businesses in Gallup | |
 Flag | |
| Nickname: "Capital of the World" | |
 Location of Gallup in McKinley County and the state of New Mexico | |
  Gallup Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates:35°30′50″N108°44′35″W / 35.51389°N 108.74306°W /35.51389; -108.74306 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | McKinley |
| Founded | 1881 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Louis Bonaguidi[1] |
| Area | |
• City | 20.19 sq mi (52.30 km2) |
| • Land | 20.19 sq mi (52.29 km2) |
| • Water | 0.003 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,647 ft (2,026 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 21,899 |
| • Density | 1,084.65/sq mi (418.78/km2) |
| • Metro | 71,492 |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP codes | 87301, 87302, 87305, 87310, 87317, 87319, 87326, 87375[5] |
| Area code | 505 |
| FIPS code | 35-28460 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2410562[3] |
| Website | www.gallupnm.gov |
Gallup is a city inMcKinley County, New Mexico, United States, with a population of 21,899 as of the2020 census.[6] A substantial percentage of its population isNative American, with residents from theNavajo,Hopi, andZuni tribes. Gallup is thecounty seat of McKinley County[7] and the most populous city betweenFlagstaff andAlbuquerque, along historicU.S. Route 66.
Gallup is known as the "Heart of Indian Country" because it is on the edge of the Navajo reservation and is home to members of many other tribes, as well.[8]
The city is on theTrails of the Ancients Byway, one of the designatedNew Mexico Scenic Byways.[9]
Because of the nearby rugged terrain, it was a popular location in the 1940s and 1950s for HollywoodWesterns.[10]
Gallup was founded in 1881 as a railhead for theAtlantic and Pacific Railroad. The city was named after David Gallup, a paymaster for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.[11]
There is widespread belief that duringWorld War II, the city fought successfully to prevent 800Japanese American residents from being placed in wartime internment, the only New Mexico city to do so.[12][13] But this is not true.Executive Order 9066 was never used to intern people living in Gallup, and the city complied with all federal orders and policies during the war.[14]
On August 4, 2022, an SUV, driven by an intoxicated individual, drove through a parade crowd during the city's 100th annual Intertribal Celebration, leaving 15 injured, including two police officers and several children.[15][16]
Gallup is in western McKinley County, 20 miles (32 km) east of theArizona border.Interstate 40 passes through the north side of the city, with access from Exits 16, 20, and 22. The highway leads east 138 miles (222 km) toAlbuquerque and west 95 miles (153 km) toHolbrook, Arizona.Historic U.S. Route 66 passes through the center of town.U.S. Route 491 has its southern terminus at I-40 in Gallup and leads north 94 miles (151 km) toShiprock and then intoColorado.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.2 square miles (52 km2), of which 0.003 square miles (0.008 km2) are water.[17] The city is in the valley of thePuerco River, which runs southwest to join theLittle Colorado River in Holbrook.
Gallup, like most of the interior Mountain West, has a coolsemiarid climate (KöppenBSk). The summers are hot during the day, but the high altitude and low humidity mean that nights remain distinctly cool; as late as July 2, 1997, the temperature fell to 31 °F (−1 °C). Despite the largediurnal temperature range, most rain falls in the summer from afternoon thunderstorms. Snow is common and sometimes heavy; the maximum in a month is 29.1 inches (73.91 cm) in December 1992 and the most in a year 65.1 inches (165.35 cm) between July 1990 and June 1991. Actual snowcover, with the hot sun at Gallup's altitude, however, has never exceeded 13.1 inches (33 cm), and for no day averages over 3.5 inches (8.9 cm).
| Climate data forGallup Municipal Airport, New Mexico, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1973–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) | 73 (23) | 80 (27) | 86 (30) | 95 (35) | 101 (38) | 101 (38) | 98 (37) | 96 (36) | 88 (31) | 78 (26) | 66 (19) | 101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 57.5 (14.2) | 63.5 (17.5) | 71.8 (22.1) | 78.8 (26.0) | 87.1 (30.6) | 94.9 (34.9) | 96.2 (35.7) | 93.1 (33.9) | 88.8 (31.6) | 80.7 (27.1) | 69.7 (20.9) | 59.5 (15.3) | 97.1 (36.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.4 (7.4) | 49.9 (9.9) | 58.5 (14.7) | 65.7 (18.7) | 75.0 (23.9) | 86.2 (30.1) | 88.8 (31.6) | 86.1 (30.1) | 79.9 (26.6) | 68.5 (20.3) | 55.8 (13.2) | 45.2 (7.3) | 67.1 (19.5) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 29.8 (−1.2) | 34.4 (1.3) | 40.6 (4.8) | 47.0 (8.3) | 55.6 (13.1) | 65.7 (18.7) | 71.7 (22.1) | 69.7 (20.9) | 62.2 (16.8) | 49.7 (9.8) | 38.0 (3.3) | 29.5 (−1.4) | 49.5 (9.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 14.2 (−9.9) | 18.9 (−7.3) | 22.7 (−5.2) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 36.3 (2.4) | 45.1 (7.3) | 54.5 (12.5) | 53.3 (11.8) | 44.4 (6.9) | 31.0 (−0.6) | 20.2 (−6.6) | 13.9 (−10.1) | 31.9 (−0.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −3.7 (−19.8) | 1.6 (−16.9) | 7.6 (−13.6) | 13.7 (−10.2) | 23.0 (−5.0) | 32.3 (0.2) | 43.3 (6.3) | 42.9 (6.1) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 15.5 (−9.2) | 4.1 (−15.5) | −4.9 (−20.5) | −8.4 (−22.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) | −25 (−32) | −10 (−23) | 6 (−14) | 12 (−11) | 23 (−5) | 31 (−1) | 35 (2) | 20 (−7) | 1 (−17) | −26 (−32) | −34 (−37) | −34 (−37) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.81 (21) | 0.71 (18) | 0.62 (16) | 0.46 (12) | 0.57 (14) | 0.36 (9.1) | 1.63 (41) | 1.92 (49) | 1.27 (32) | 0.92 (23) | 0.70 (18) | 0.73 (19) | 10.70 (272) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.3 (16) | 5.9 (15) | 4.4 (11) | 2.3 (5.8) | 1.1 (2.8) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.5 (3.8) | 4.5 (11) | 7.8 (20) | 33.8 (86) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 inch) | 6.1 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 10.2 | 10.7 | 7.0 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 72.5 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 inch) | 4.3 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 22.5 |
| Source: NOAA[18][19] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 2,948 | — | |
| 1910 | 2,264 | −23.2% | |
| 1920 | 3,920 | 73.1% | |
| 1930 | 5,992 | 52.9% | |
| 1940 | 7,041 | 17.5% | |
| 1950 | 9,133 | 29.7% | |
| 1960 | 14,089 | 54.3% | |
| 1970 | 14,596 | 3.6% | |
| 1980 | 18,167 | 24.5% | |
| 1990 | 19,154 | 5.4% | |
| 2000 | 20,209 | 5.5% | |
| 2010 | 21,678 | 7.3% | |
| 2020 | 21,605 | −0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[20][4] | |||
As of the2000 census, 20,209 people, 6,810 households, and 4,869 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,513.7 inhabitants per square mile (584.4/km2). There were 7,349 housing units at an average density of 550.5 per square mile (212.5/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 43.8% Native American, 35.2% White, 2.0% Asian, 1.2%African American, 12.1% from other races, and 5.8% from two or more races. About 31.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.[21]
Of the 6,810 households, 41.1% had children under 18 living with them, 45.3% were married couples living together, 19.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were not families. About 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.85, and the average family size was 3.39.
In the city, the age distribution was 32.7% under 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
It has close proximity to Native American reservations, and historic lack of economic development in addition to manymine closures in the last century. As a result of these closures, a large proportion of Gallup's households is low-income. The median income for a household in the city was $34,868, and the median income for a family was $39,197. Males had a median income of $33,380 versus $24,441 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $15,789. About 16.6% of families and 20.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Gallup has a significantPalestinian-American population,[22] unusual for a city its size.
Crime is a serious problem in Gallup. In 2012, violent crime was nearly five times the national average.[23] As a result, the city has the highest violent crime rate in New Mexico. According to an article published in November 2014, "Gallup saw 463 violent crimes last year including murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. That’s an 11% increase from the year before and two times the rate ofAlbuquerque, the state’s largest city."[24]
U.S. Route 66 passed through Gallup, and the town's name is mentioned in the lyrics of the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" ("You'll seeAmarillo and Gallup, New Mexico"). In 2003, the U.S. and New Mexico Departments of Transportation renumbered US Highway 666, the city's other major highway, asRoute 491.Former Governor Bill Richardson pushed for (and got) the number changed because "666" isassociated withSatan and Devil worship, thus it was considered "cursed" or a "Beast" to some locals. The situation was exacerbated by the high death toll on the highway, which was largely a result of high rates of drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and budget shortfalls among both theNew Mexico Department of Transportation and state and local law-enforcement agencies.[25]
Gallup has a modestly lively nighttime culture downtown, Indian dances during summertime nights, art crawls, and small museums, including a Navajo code talk museum.[26]Gallup commissioned a number of murals highlighting local culture, and contributions dot downtown.[27][28]
Being the largest city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque, Gallup claims many notable buildings, places, events, and people.[29]The historicEl Rancho Hotel & Motel has hosted a numerous array of movie stars, includingJohn Wayne,Ronald Reagan,Humphrey Bogart,Spencer Tracy,Katharine Hepburn,Joan Crawford,Kirk Douglas,Doris Day,Gregory Peck, andBurt Lancaster. The rugged terrain surrounding Gallup was popular with Hollywood filmmakers during the 1940s and '50s for the on-location shooting ofWesterns. Actors and film crews would stay at that hotel during filming. Films made in Gallup includeBilly the Kid (1930),Pursued (1947),The Sea of Grass (1947),Four Faces West (1948),Only the Valiant (1951),Ace in the Hole (1951),Escape from Fort Bravo (1953),A Distant Trumpet (1964), andThe Hallelujah Trail (1965). Other movies shot here areRedskin (1928), andSuperman (1978).[30]
Gallup is sometimes called the "Indian Capital of the World", for its location in the heart ofNative American lands, and the presence ofNavajo,Zuni,Hopi, and other tribes. Well over a third of the city's population has Native American roots. Gallup's nickname references the huge impact of the Native American cultures found in and around the city.
Gallup-McKinley County Public Schools is the local school district.
Previously, theBureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) operated Manuelito Hall in Gallup, adormitory that housed Native American students attending Gallup-McKinley schools. In 1973, it had about 300 students. That year, the BIA closed Manuelito Hall, planning to move students to various boarding schools.[31]
Major highways:
Railroad:
Bus:
The El Rancho Hotel and Motel was a popular place for Hollywood stars to stay while filming Western movies near Gallup, New Mexico.
CenPopGazetteer2024 was invoked but never defined (see thehelp page).
Gallup travel guide from WikivoyageMunicipalities and communities ofMcKinley County, New Mexico,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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