Hatch

The town the Army named has made its name on chile. Hatch calls itself the chile capital of the world, and each Labor Day weekend the Hatch Chile Festival fills the airport grounds off NM-26; in season, vendors roast the local crop along the streets. Onion, chile and pecan processing plants dot the valley. Fort Thorn, whose closing emptied the settlement in 1860, stood about five miles from today's village limits. Hatch incorporated in 1928. The colonias of the Hatch Valley include Garfield, Placitas, Rincón, Rodey and Salem.

What the plaque says

Official Scenic Historic Marker Hatch Population 1,028 - Elevation 4,055 Originally established as Santa Barbara in 1851, Apache raids drove the settlers away until 1853 when nearby Fort Thorn was es- tablished. Abandoned again in 1860 after the fort closed, it was re-occupied in 1875 and re-named for General Edward Hatch, then Commander of the New Mexico Military District.

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Rincón — 5.6 mi
• Jornada del Muerto — 13 mi
• Fort Selden State Monument — 16 mi
• Paraje San Diego — 16 mi