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Village of Los Lunas
The Village of Los Lunas is a municipality that exists solely for the purpose of providing
the best possible services to our customers, the entire community including citizens,
businesses and all other government entities located in the area. We are committed to
excellence and constantly strive to provide all services with honesty and integrity, and
through the most compassionate and fair processes possible.
Management is committed to long-term financial stability and responsible growth. All
decisions are driven by our formal statements of priorities and by our commitment to
provide the best services possible in a financially sound and responsible manner given
today's economic and regulatory realities.
History of Los Lunas
Los Lunas has a rich and colorful history. Located on the San Clemente Grant, it was given to
Don Felix Candelaria in 1716, two years after his mother petitioned for the land. Shortly after
Don Candelaria received the grant, the Luna family made claim to the grant and then took
possession. Antonio Jose Luna was born in 1808 and is sometimes referred to as the father of Los
Lunas. He became a civic and political leader and married Isabella Baca, daughter of a prominent
family from Belen, a community ten miles south of Los Lunas. Antonio & Isabella's son,
Salomon, married Adelaida Otero, granddaughter of Antonio Jose Otero of Valencia. This
formed a union of two powerful and rich Republican families who controlled and dominated
the future of Valencia County for almost a century.
Through the influence of the Luna family, the county seat moved from Tome to Los Lunas in
1876. When the Santa Fe Railroad line arrived in Los Lunas, the railroad depot was built which
facilitated the movement of livestock, hay, supplies and general merchandise. The depot was also
used for telegraph communications as well as passenger and baggage service.
In 1928, the Village of Los Lunas incorporated with Antonio J. Archuleta as the first mayor.
Electricity arrived in the Los Lunas area in the early 1930's. Water and sewer facilities came to
the village in the late 1930's when the population was listed as 513. Los Lunas Village Hall was
located for many years in the building which is now the public library. In the mid-1990s, the
village administration and police department moved into a new building which has enough room
to accommodate these departments plus the Los Lunas Village Council Chambers.
Valencia County was one of the seven counties comprising New Mexico prior to 1850. The
county boundaries of the state have been through no less than a dozen changes since New
Mexico became part of the United States. Valencia County once stretched from Texas to
California. The most recent change in Valencia County was in 1981 when Cibola County was
created from the western half of Valencia County.
During the Civil War, Confederate and Union forces fought a skirmish at Peralta, an
unincorporated community north of Los Lunas. After the April 15, 1862 event, the Confederate
Army retreated southward. Another light skirmish was fought near La Joya, south of Belen, in
that same period.
Area Statistics
Valencia County (of which Los Lunas is the county seat) ranks fifth in the state of New Mexico
in median household income. Los Alamos County, home of Los Alamos National Laboratories,
ranks first with $67,200; Sandoval is second, $42,300; Santa Fe, third, $37,400; Bernalillo,
Albuquerque's county, fourth, $34,000; and Valencia County, $31,900.
Valencia County population 60,214 (1996). Los Lunas population 10,034 (2000 Census).
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