Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico
Nestled within the rugged landscapes of New Mexico, between the historic towns of Pecos and Glorieta, lies a place steeped in history and whispered tales: Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico. This unassuming location, traversed by both the venerable Santa Fe Trail and the pre-1937 alignment of the iconic Route 66, holds a significance far greater than its present-day appearance suggests. Today, only a modest three-room adobe structure remains, a silent sentinel standing guard on the northeast bank of Glorieta Creek, alongside New Mexico Highway 50, approximately 20 miles southeast of Santa Fe. However, within those weathered walls and the surrounding land, echoes of a vibrant past resonate, a past intertwined with westward expansion, frontier commerce, and the tumultuous clash of the American Civil War.
The story of Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, begins with the land itself. In 1815, the Spanish government bestowed a land grant upon Juan de Dios Pena, Francisco Ortiz, Jr., and Juan de Aguilla, marking the initial chapter in its documented history. This sprawling tract of land later passed into the hands of Juan Estevan Pino, who eventually sold it to Alexander Valle in 1852 for a sum of 5,275 pesos. This transaction was a turning point, as the land, situated on the northern edge of the Pecos Pueblo Grant, became known as the Alexander Valle Grant, laying the foundation for the establishment of the ranch that would later bear his name.
Alexander Valle, an individual whose life embodies the spirit of the American West, was a French-American born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1817. Like many ambitious individuals of his time, Valle was drawn westward by the allure of opportunity along the Santa Fe Trail, likely arriving in the late 1830s. He established himself as a Santa Fe Trail trader, a profession that required resilience, resourcefulness, and a keen understanding of commerce in a challenging environment. By 1842-43, he was residing in Santa Fe, and by 1850, he had established a frontier store with his wife, Carmen. The store primarily traded in liquor. Valle was also known as a gambler and land speculator, traits that underscore the entrepreneurial and risk-taking atmosphere of the era. It was this spirit that eventually led him to focus his attention on the fertile Pecos Valley.
Despite being recorded as illiterate in land records, Alexander Valle possessed a sharp mind for business and an unwavering determination. Upon acquiring his land grant, he embarked on an ambitious project: the construction of a sprawling adobe ranch complex. This complex was not merely a residence; it was a hub of commerce and hospitality along the Santa Fe Trail. It included a large adobe ranch home, a hostel to accommodate weary travelers, and a tavern to quench their thirst. The complex eventually expanded to encompass numerous buildings, corrals for livestock, stables for horses and mules, granaries for storing grain, and a crucial water well, ensuring a reliable water supply in the arid landscape.
The heart of Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, was undoubtedly its inn. Described as having approximately 22 rooms, the inn was large enough to house as many as 40 people, providing much-needed respite for travelers along the Santa Fe Trail. It was estimated to be between 70 and 100 feet long in the front, with 50-foot wings extending on either side, offering ample space for guests and staff. A broad porch stretched across the front of the inn, providing a shaded area for relaxation and social interaction. Behind the inn was a large courtyard, a common feature in Spanish and Mexican architecture, offering a protected space for activities and gatherings.
Beyond the inn, Valle also engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry. His fenced-in pastures, stretching for a mile along a nearby creek bottom, provided grazing land for cattle and sheep. He also cultivated a well-maintained farm, producing crops to sustain his family, employees, and guests. Valle initially named his land Rancho de la Glorieta, but it soon became widely known as Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, a testament to the prominence and popularity of its founder.
The establishment of Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, coincided with the growth of stagecoach travel in the region. A stage line had been operating in the area since 1850, and after Valle established his ranch, it became a regular stop along the Barlow & Sanderson line. By 1857, the stage line was running semi-monthly, and by the following year, it was operating weekly, further solidifying the ranch’s importance as a transportation hub. Valle himself ceased his wagon train ventures across the Santa Fe Trail in 1859, choosing to focus his energy on the development of his ranch. He became known as a genial, vivacious, and obliging host, further enhancing the ranch’s reputation among Santa Fe travelers.
However, the tranquility of Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, was shattered in March 1862, when the Civil War reached the New Mexico Territory. The ranch found itself directly in the path of two advancing military forces during the Battle of Glorieta Pass, a pivotal engagement that would determine the fate of the Southwest. During the battle, which raged from March 26-28, 1862, both Confederate and Union troops utilized the ranch for various purposes. On March 25, Confederate troops encamped at the ranch, only to be captured the following day. On March 26, approximately 400 retreating Union troops established a hasty field hospital at Valle’s ranch, utilizing corn, hay, and other supplies from the granaries.
The following day, the Union troops, with the exception of a hospital steward and the wounded, retreated to Kozlowski Trading Post. On the morning of March 28, Union reinforcements arrived at Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, bringing their strength to approximately 900 troops. They were soon followed by the Confederate Army, leading to a fierce engagement. Union troops utilized the adobe fence wall of the compound as cover, while others made their way to Sharpshooter’s Ridge, a strategically advantageous position. Confederate prisoners were held at Pigeon Ranch during the battle, highlighting the ranch’s role as a temporary prison. The Valle family themselves were caught in the crossfire, and when they attempted to flee, they were captured by Confederate forces.
After a day of intense fighting, the Rebels pushed the Union forces out of the area in the late afternoon and took control of Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico. They camped there until the morning of March 30, believing they had secured a victory. However, their triumph was short-lived. Upon moving westward to Johnson’s Ranch, they discovered that their supplies and animals had been destroyed by Union forces, forcing them to retreat to Santa Fe and ultimately back to San Antonio, Texas. The Battle of Glorieta Pass, in which Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico played a significant role, proved to be the turning point of the war in the New Mexico Territory, resulting in a total of 331 casualties – 142 Union and 189 Confederate.
Following the battle, the Valle buildings continued to serve as a field hospital for Union stewards into May. Despite Union Major John M. Chivington’s claim that the hospital flag he had placed on the building on March 26 had protected it from direct bombardment, the main building sustained damage during the fighting, with walls, doors, windows, and furnishings suffering the brunt of the conflict.
After the Civil War, Alexander Valle sought compensation for the damages and losses he had incurred during the battle. He submitted evidence to support his claim for reimbursement for goods stolen, damage to his buildings, and household goods destroyed by Union forces. He also claimed that he had served as a U.S. government forage agent, purchasing hay and corn from Pecos farms and selling it to government caravans traveling between Fort Union and Fort Marcy. During the battle, he claimed that 31,000 pounds of corn, 3,000 pounds of fodder, and 10,000 pounds of hay had been taken, and cattle on his ranch had been killed.
Despite the damage, Valle began repairing the ranch during the summer of 1862. However, the repairs were not completed that summer, as Santa Fe Trail travelers reported in 1863 that they had to camp outdoors at Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico. Nevertheless, by July 1865, the inn had been sufficiently repaired to accommodate the Senator Dolittle commission during a meeting with Kit Carson.
In 1865, Alexander Valle sold Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico to George Hebert and moved to his Valley Ranch north of Pecos. By the 1870s, Valle was reportedly ruined financially, either due to the war or his gambling habits. He died at his ranch in June 1880, marking the end of an era for the man who had established the ranch.
George Hebert, a French-Canadian blacksmith who had previously resided in Pecos, continued Valle’s tradition of catering to Santa Fe Trail travelers. Hebert was known to partner with several land deals. By this time, the Barlow & Sanderson stagecoaches were stopping daily at the ranch, and Hebert’s station was reported to be the largest stop along the Santa Fe Trail from Las Vegas to Santa Fe. He and his wife, Isabel, maintained the ranch’s reputation for hospitality, and in 1867, a newspaper article praised "the admirable cuisine and other needful accommodations awaiting the tired and hungry traveler at Mr. George Hebert’s hotel at Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico."
By the late 1870s, a row of one-story adobe structures had been built on the south side of the trail, including a saloon, catering to travelers and railroad construction workers. Hebert also served as the postmaster for the small community of La Glorieta, and the post office was located on his ranch.
In 1880, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad was completed over Glorieta Pass, rendering the stagecoach service and the Santa Fe Trail obsolete. The post office and the businesses across the road moved to the new railroad station at Glorieta, two miles west. Hebert likely ceased operations by the end of the year and returned to farming in the Pecos Valley.
Hebert sold Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico in 1887 to Walter M. Taber, who lived on the land with his family for almost 30 years. By the time Taber acquired the land, the inn "had a bad name as being the rendezvous of gamblers and other tough characters." Taber built another house off the road and engaged in agricultural pursuits, leading to the deterioration of the original ranch buildings during his tenure.
In 1906, Taber was appointed postmaster of the Glorieta post office, and mail was once again distributed from the ranch. However, a visitor noted that the ranch buildings were greatly dilapidated. Photos from the 1910s show that all but the front rooms had collapsed, and the rear portion of the main house square had been removed. Taber served as postmaster until 1918 and died soon after.
Martha Taber sold Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico in 1926 to Thomas Greer, a Pecos Valley cowboy. When Route 66 came through in 1926, Greer converted the ranch into a roadside attraction, moving his family into a new home across the road. Visitors paid 25 cents to visit the "Old Hospital," the "Old Cave," the "Old Post Office," the "Old Walls," and the "Old Spanish Fort," all remnants of the original Pigeon’s Ranch compound. Greer also operated a gas station and garage and sold water from the "oldest well."
However, when Route 66 was realigned in 1937, it bypassed Santa Fe and Glorieta Pass, leading to the demise of Greer’s attraction. Greer moved his family into the old Kozlowski Trading Post, where he lived until his death in 1968.
The construction of a "superhighway" over Glorieta Pass in the late 1950s caused the demolition of Johnson’s ranch and the destruction of battle sites, sparking an outcry from preservationists. In 1961, the Glorieta Battlefield site, including Pigeon’s Ranch, New Mexico, was recognized as one of New Mexico’s first National Historic Landmarks. In 1992, the National Park Service acquired Pigeon’s Ranch, which remains undeveloped.
Today, the one-story, three-room adobe structure, the western portion of the 1880 main house front, stands as the sole remnant of the once-thriving Pigeon’s Ranch complex, a silent testament to the rich history of this unassuming location on the edge of Glorieta Pass.