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.[6]
The City of Gallup and McKinley County are part of the ancestral, cultural and present day homeland of the Navajo (Diné) & the Zuni (A:shiwi).
[7]
Because of the nearby rugged terrain, it was a popular location in the 1940s and 1950s for Hollywood Westerns.[9]
History
Gallup was founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The city was named after David Gallup, a paymaster for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.[10]
There is widespread belief that during World War II, the city fought successfully to prevent 800 Japanese American residents from being placed in wartime internment,
the only New Mexico city to do so.[11][12] 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.[13]
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 see Amarillo 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, as Route 491. Former Governor Bill Richardson pushed for (and got) the number changed because "666" is associated with Satan 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 the New Mexico Department of Transportation and state and local law-enforcement agencies.[14]
American Coal Company mine and plant, Gallup, circa 1920: Early coal mining here supplied the railroad's steam locomotives.
Gallup has a modestly lively night time culture downtown, Indian dances during summertime nights, art crawls, and small museums, including a Navajo code talk museum.[15]
Gallup commissioned a number of murals highlighting local culture, and contributions dot downtown.[16][17]
Gallup is sometimes called the "Indian Capital of the World", for its location in the heart of Native American lands, and the presence of Navajo, 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.
In 2013, Gallup was named by Rand McNally as the "Most Patriotic Small Town in America 2013".[20]
As of the 2000 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). The racial 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.[22]
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 many mine 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. The per capita income for the city was $15,789. About 16.6% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 16.8% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
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 of Albuquerque, the state’s largest city."[24]
Parade ramming
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.[25][26]
Previously, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) operated Manuelito Hall in Gallup, a dormitory 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.[27]
Transportation
Airport
Gallup Municipal Airport is a public airport with primarily private and charter flights. The Aviation Identifier for the airport is GUP.
Gallup, like most of the interior Mountain West, has a cool semiarid 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 large diurnal 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 snow cover, 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).
Carl Nelson Gorman (Kin-Ya-Onny-Beyeh), Navajocode talker during World War II, visual artist, painter, illustrator, and professor; lived in Gallup from 1973 until 1998.[32]
^"GALLUP, NM HOUSING IMPACT ASSESMENT". MckinleyHealthAlliance.org - Community Health Data. McKinley Community Health Alliance. p. 5. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
^Evans, Andrew (May 9, 2014). "Route 66: Gallup". National Geographic. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. The El Rancho Hotel and Motel was a popular place for Hollywood stars to stay while filming Western movies near Gallup, New Mexico.
^"U.S. 666: "Beast of a Highway"?". Highway History. United States Department of Transportation – Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
^"Downtown Gallup". Gallup Chamber of Commerce. Gallup Chamber of Commerce, Gallup NM. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
^"Downtown Gallup". Gallup Chamber of Commerce. Gallup Chamber of Commerce, Gallup NM. December 24, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
^"Photos Cities Gallup". gallup.ipub.us. ipub.us, Actual news in your location. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
^Barth, Jack (1991). Roadside Hollywood: The Movie Lover's State-By-State Guide to Film Locations, Celebrity Hangouts, Celluloid Tourist Attractions, and More. Contemporary Books. Page 55. ISBN9780809243266.
