Union County, New Mexico, Place Names S-Z

SEDAN - Farming community on NM 102, 24 miles south of Clayton, 5 miles west of the Texas line. Named by Ames B. Christerson, who located on a homestead here and was its first postmaster, in memory of Sedan, Kansas, his home town. Post Office, 1910 to present day.

SENECA - The anglicized form of the spanish word "cienega" or swamp. This was once a heavily populated farming community on NM 18, 14 miles northeast of Clayton. After the dust bowl of the 1930's, much of the land was retired or leased by the US Forest Service to ranchers. Post Office 1908 to the present day.

SENECA CREEK - Known to the early frighters over the Santa Fe Trail by the spanish name CIENEGUILLA DEL BURRO. or "jackass swamp". Heads east of the Sierra Grande Mountains, crossing Union County from west to east. As Union county was settled by homesteaders from the East, the name was shortened to Seneca. See Rabbit Ear Creek.

SIERRA GRANDE MOUNTAIN - On us 85, in the northwestern part of Union County. A symmetric basaltic cone more than 40 miles around the base and said to be the largest individual mountain in North America.

SMITH - Post Office 1914 to 1918.

SOFIA - Former trading point on NM 120, 36 west of Clayton and 10 miles east of the Union Colfax County line. Once a large bean growing district, homesteaded by immigrants chiefly from Bulgaria and Hungary, Now a ranching community. Post Office 1914 to 1926.

SPRING HILL - Post Office 1890 to 1899; mail to Folsom.

STAUNTON - Passing track on US 87 and C&amp;S RR, 4 miles northwest of Grenville; Post Office 1914 to 1918.

STEAD - Trading point, farming, and ranching community on NM 18 and Major Long's Creek, 25 miles south of Clayton. Named for father of LR Rock Stead of Clayton. Post Office 1916 to the present.

STEAMBOAT MOUNTAIN - South of NM 325, east of Folsom. Layers of sandstone resemble a gigantic ship left stranded and immobile endless years ago.

STONEHAVEN - Post Office 1910 to 1913.

TATE - Former post office and trading point on Carrizo Creek, 18 miles southwest of Clayton. Started by H.H.Tate on old Clayton - Las Vegas Trail about 1907. Now ranching area. Post Office 1914 to 1923.

TELESFORA - Post Office 1901 to 1903; mail to Miera.

THOMAS - Ranching community west of NM 18, 17 miles douth of Clayton. First postmaster, Laura F Thomas. Post Office 1907 to 1944.

TOLL GATE CANYON - Branch of Dry Cimarron Canyon, 8 miles north east of Folsom. Named for a tollroad built by Bill Metcalf, through the canyon in 1870-1871, to avoid having to go to Trinidad via raton Pass.

TO RANCH - Located 12 miles southeast of Raton on highway 87. Homestead in 1869 by Antime J 'Tony' Meloche from Canada. TOWANDA - Passing track on C&amp;S RR halfway between Folsom and Alps.

TRAGUES CREEK - Rises in Union County near Ione, and flows southeast across the northeastern corner of Quay county to Texas.

TRAMPERAS - Post Office 1879 to 1892; changed to LOUIS.

TRAMPEROS CREEK - Spanish for "trappers", 25 miles south of Clayton.

TRAVESSER CREEK - Also TRAVASIER CREEK - more commonly knows as TRAVASIER CANYON - Heads west of Guy and runs northeast to Dry Cimarron River.

TRAVESILLA - Post Office, 1892 to 1894; mail to Veda.

TRINCHERITA - Spanish for trench. Settlement. Post Office 1882 to 1883. Later the mail was sent to Madison.

TRINCHERA PASS - Located in the northeastern corner of Johnson Mesa, it cuts through the mountains northward into Colorado.

TRIPOD MOUNTAIN - 10 miles southwest of Mt. Dora on the north bank of Carrizo Creek. A set of three low peaks representing points of a trianple (legs of a tripod), west of the famous "round mound" landmark of the old Santa Fe Trail.

TROMPERAS CREEK - Probably for spanish "tramperas" or "trappers". 6 miles south of Clapham.

TWIN MOUNTAIN - Two small cinder peaks between Folsom and Des Moines. Cinders from the mountains were used for ballast on the railroads and for building blocks.

UNION COUNTY - Created by the territorial Legislature, February 13, 1893. Named Union because of the united desire of the people to establish a county government.

UTE CREEK - Rises southwest part of Union County and flows south to join the Canadian Red River in Quay County. Named for the Ute Native Americans. Some old maps call it ALAMO CREEK.

VALLEY - Trading point on NM 456, 2 miles from the Colorado state line, on Dry Cimarron River. Settled in 1879. Post Office, 1903 to 1926.

VANCE - 14 miles south of Clayton, 1/2 mile west of NM 18, and 3 miles southeast of Thomas. First postmaster, William H Vance. Post office on the farm of Willis R Vance, 1908 to 1920.

VARGAS - Siding 5 miles from Mt. Dora where the AT&amp;SF RR bought a mountain and built a short track in order to use volcanic cinder material for ballast roadbeds.

VEDA - Post Office 1890 to 1998; mail to Spring Hill; 1900 to 1907; mail to Corrumpa.

VIGIL - The earliest record of the Vigil surname is that of Francisco Montes Vigil and his wife came to Santa Fe as early as 1695, and in 1710 received a land grant. Post Office 1894 to 1898.

WALKER HILL - Located 4 miles east of Folsom on highway 456, 2 miles from the Colorado state line, on the Dry Cimarron Canyon. Named for the Louis Walker family.

WANETTE - Established about 1911, 5 miles southwest of Seneca and northwest of Clayton. A Dr. Carpenter, owner of a general store, combined the name of his daughter Nette with the name of his freighter, Walter Ciser, to designate the place. Wanette disappeared when isolated by travel and highways. Post Office 1910 to 1916.

WEATHERLY LAKE - See Wetherly Lake

WEDDING CAKE HILL - On the north side of US 64, 12 miles west of Oklahoma state line. Named for its peculiar formation, a round mound rising about 300 feet from the floor of the canyon. The grass covered slope is topped by red, white, and brown layers of sandy rock, giving it the appearance of a big layer cake.

WETHERLY LAKE - 9 miles southeast of Des Moines. See James Dam.

WILD HORSE ARROYO - Located 13 miles northwest of Folsom, about 3 miles west of the Owen Ranch. It got its name from George McJunkin who used to train wild horses. George found the large Bison bones in the arroyo after the 1908 flood, which led to the Folsom Man Discovery.