Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2026

Abstract

The flour mills along the upper Mora River constitute the largest number of still standing commercial mills in the State of New Mexico, namely the Cleveland Roller Mill, the St. Vrain Mill, the Gordon-Sánchez Mill, and the La Cueva Mill at the Houser Raspberry Ranch. Notably, all four mills are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. During their heyday, 1964-1920, Mora County was seen as the “breadbasket of New Mexico” due to its bountiful supply of cereal and cool climate vegetables. Local acequia farmers supplied the mills with the input of wheat, corn and other grains that led to the rise of a milling industry lasting for more than a half century. Today, the mills organize Labor Day weekend events to celebrate the agricultural heritage and culture of the greater Mora Valley as a way of preserving the past but also helping to instill pride and unity in the aftermath of the wildfires of 2022. In May of 2025, the Mora Valley Mills Committee received a Heritage Preservation Award from the State of New Mexico Cultural Properties Review Committee for its role in preserving the history of the valley gristmills in the wake of the devastation wrought by the wildfires.

Download

Share

COinS