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Welcome!
The Village of Hatch is located in northern Dona Ana County in New Mexico just 37 miles northwest of Las Cruces. The population within the village limits is 1,648 and the elevation of Hatch is 4,058 feet. Colonias associated with the Village of Hatch include Garfield, Milagro, Placitas, Rincon, Rodey, and Salem.
The Village of Hatch was incorporated with the state of New Mexico in 1928. Hatch is most known for being the CHILE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD and holds its annual Chile Festival on Labor Day weekend at the Village of Hatch Airport a few miles southwest on Highway 26.
(Back to top)History of Hatch
Hatch is a Village in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, USA. The population within the Village limits is 1,648. “Colonias” associated with the Hatch Valley include Garfield, Milagro, Placitas, Rincon, Rodey, and Salem. The Village of Hatch is located at exit 41 off Interstate 25, just 37 miles north of Las Cruces and 189 miles south of Albuquerque.
- Hatch was originally settled as Santa Barbara in 1851, but Apache raids drove the settlers off until the establishment of Ft. Thorn in 1853. Ft. Thorn was about 5 miles from the present Village limits. Ft. Thorn was abandoned in 1860 and the settlers once again had to leave the area. The Village was not re-occupied until 1875 and it was then named Hatch after General Hatch who had been a commander at Ft. Thorn. The Village of Hatch became incorporated with the state of New Mexico in 1928.
- Hatch’s main economy is supported through farming. The Hatch Chile Festival is an annual event held on Labor Day Weekend at the Hatch Airport off of Highway 26. The festival was created to celebrate Hatch being the Chile Capital of the World. Hatch Chile is known around the world for its taste and luster. Other crops include onions, cotton, corn, pecans, alfalfa, lettuce, cabbage and oats. Irrigation for these crops comes from underground wells, the Rio Grande River, and the Elephant Butte Reservoir 40 miles north of Hatch. Onion, chile, and pecan processing plants dot the countryside. Other economical influences include metal fabrication and machining, specializing in the manufacturing of crop processing plant equipment.
- On August 15, 2006 at 2:00 P.M. the Placitas Arroyo, located on the southwest side of Hatch, burst after days of rain. A wall of water about 6 feet high came crashing down into the Village and completely flooded out the middle section of Hatch which is where most homes are located. The Los Caballos Apartments were the first and worst hit. There was 3 ½ feet of standing water in the Village homes, businesses, and streets. With exceptional teamwork from Hatch residents and surrounding areas, FEMA, and Village employees, not one life was lost. Today, Hatch is thriving and its sense of community and pride is stronger than ever.
- Located north of Hatch, the Caballo and Elephant Butte dams contain reservoirs of over 20,000 surface acres of Rio Grande River waters. Camping, fishing, boating and other water sports are available at these popular locations. Located to the east, within two hours of driving time are the Cloudcroft and Ruidoso Ski areas, White Sands National Monument and the International Space Hall of Fame. Two hours to the northwest is the Gila National Forest and Wilderness, several ghost towns, the Gila Cliff Dwellings, Lake Roberts, Snow Lake and acres of forest for camping. Elk, Mule Deer, antelope, turkey, oryx, dove, quail, mountain lion, Barbary and Bighorn Sheep, and Javelina hunting are within a short drive of Hatch.
- The Village of Hatch is 34 miles south of Spaceport America, a Spaceport designed for individuals to “take a ride to space”. The Spaceport was built by the New Mexico Spaceport Authority. In 2013 the family of Judd Nordyke, a former Mayor of the Village of Hatch and longtime Village resident and whom the community swimming pool is named after, were invited to have Judd’s ashes flown to space because he was such a strong supporter of the Spaceport.
Average high temperatures in the summer are middle to upper 90’s and in the winter is the low 60’s. July and August are monsoon season months and the average rainfall is 2” per month. On average, the warmest month is June and the coldest month is December. The record high is 113 degrees in 1994 and the record low is -17 degrees in 1962.
(Back to top)Hatch Public Library
Contact Information
- Address: 522 E Hall St Hatch, NM 87937
- Phone: (575) 267-5132
- Fax: (575) 267-9433
- Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Website: Hatch P.L.
Library History
The Hatch Public Library has been built upon the labors of the past…
- In 1946 Mrs. T.E. Louise George Vetter saw a need for a Public Library. She founded the first Hatch Public Library and encouraged others to join her in this project.
- The first Library Board met in Mrs. Vetter’s home on November 13, 1946. Members included Mrs. T.E. Vetter, Mrs. Gladys Burkett, Mr. J.H. McLaughlin, and Mr. G.C. Mooney. The name Hatch Library was agreed upon and the new library was housed in Hammell Hall above the Taylor Morris Building located on the Northwest of Franklin and Hall Streets. The Hatch Library opened its doors in January, 1947.
- In 1949 the Hatch Library was moved to a building on Wilson Street where Jim’s Supermarket is currently located. The building had been constructed for that purpose by Robert Sabin.
- In 1984 it was decided that larger facilities for the Hatch Public Library were needed. Through the efforts of Phil Bradshaw and Mayor Clifford Browning, the railroad agreed to give the historical Santa Fe Railroad Depot to the Village of Hatch at no cost. The Santa Fe Railroad depot was built in 1935 after the original Depot, built about 1880, burned completely. The Depot was integral to the making of Hatch.
- The Friends of the Library, Library Board, Book Club, Mayor Clifford Browning, Hatch Trustees and Librarian Frances Jordan all played an integral role in raising the necessary funds to move the Santa Fe Railroad Depot to the current location and to renovate it into a library. The old depot still has many of its old railroad fixtures including the scales and levers.
- In October, 1987 the doors of the historic Hatch Public Library were opened to the public.
- Recently, through the efforts of Judd Nordyke, Library Director Rita Sue Medina, the Library Board and volunteers the library went through another renovation. Judd’s vision was to see the library moved from the old card catalog system to a new and automated system. He also purchased Overdrive which allows patrons to check out e-books and download them on their e- readers or other technological devises. Through the library’s automated system’s website patrons now have access to the library’s catalog, Newsbank, Overdrive, El Portal, and the recently purchased Mango Language System.
- In 2013 the library’s outside was renovated. A new roof was added and the exterior was repaired and repainted. Also, the inside of the library was remodeled. The bathrooms were updated with new fixtures replicating the era of the 1900’s and the kitchen, storeroom and hallways were retiled and new paint finished the overall look.
The library will continue through the labors of the future…
(Back to top)Museum
- The Village of Hatch Museum has over four hundred items which have been donated by the people of our Valley. We proudly display our pair of ice tongs along with a dress worn to the Inaugural Ball for President Garfield in 1881. We have memorabilia from school days, old school pictures, a collection of annuals, trophies, and even the script of one of the “Junior” plays. These and many other items are part of the History of the Hatch Valley.
- There is no charge to visit the Museum; however we do have a donation jar if our visitors are so inclined. The museum is located at 149 W. Hall St. and hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday. We are usually open on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend for the Chile Festival. After hour and weekend visits are always welcomed and arranged for interested groups. The phone number is (575) 267-3638.
Contact Information
Museum Attendant - Manny Shreves
- Address: 149 W. Hall St.
- Phone: 575-343-7662
- Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM