Tucumcari, New Mexico
Tucumcari is a city of 5,160 people in Quay County, New Mexico, founded in 1901.
Why visit Tucumcari
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 14 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Odeon Theater, Tucumcari Mountain, Arch Hurley Conservancy District Office Building and Baca-Goodman House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 94°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Tucumcari
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Tucumcari
Tucumcari (; TOO-cum-carry) is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. Its population was 5,278 at the 2020 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was established.
From the Wikipedia article Tucumcari, New Mexico (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Museums and landmarks14
Arch Hurley Conservancy District Office Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
United States historic place
Baca-Goodman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic house in New Mexico, United States
Odeon Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Movie theater in Tucumcari, New Mexico, United States
Cactus Motor Lodge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Tucumcari Trading Post
Monument and historic site · 2.5 mi
1900 West Tucumcari Boulevard
Rock Island-Southern Pacific Passenger Depot Historic Site
Monument and historic site · 1.1 mi
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds14
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2 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes19
Frost 5 Lemonade
Restaurant · 0.4 mi
1214 East Route 66 Boulevard, Tucumcari
We-Sa 11:00-19:00; Su 12:00-20:00
7 more on the map.
History
In 1901, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad built a construction camp in the western portion of modern-day Quay County. Originally called Ragtown, the camp became known as "Six Shooter Siding", due to numerous gunfights. Its first formal name, Douglas, was used only for a short time. After it grew into a permanent settlement, it was renamed Tucumcari in 1908. The name was taken from Tucumcari Mountain, which is situated near the community. The origin of the mountain's name is uncertain; it may have been derived from the Comanche word tʉkamʉkarʉ, which means "ambush". A 1777 burial record mentions a Comanche woman and her child captured in a battle at Cuchuncari, which is believed to be an early version of the name Tucumcari. Cuchuncari, however, is from Old Comanche kuhtsunkarɨ for "buffalo sitting". A folk etymology for the town name claims that a Comanche saw a brakeman carrying a lantern and exclaimed "tukaʔ manoori!, carry the light!", which the brakeman heard as "tukama carry".
In December 1951, a water storage tank collapsed in the city. Four were killed and numerous buildings were destroyed.
In 2014, a series of suspicious fires destroyed abandoned buildings, including the Tucumcari Motel, Payless Motel, and a house in the 500 block of North Fourth Street. A former Tucumcari Police Department officer and several others were charged with arson.
From the History section of Tucumcari, New Mexico on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
Blue Swallow Motel
Motel and hotel · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
815 East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Tucumcari
Motel and hotel · 1.6 mi
2624 South Adams Street, Tucumcari
Fairfield Inn & Suites Tucumcari
Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi
1901 South Mountain Road, Tucumcari City Limit
Churches and places of worship24
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare1
Map of Tucumcari
128 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 25°F | 0.4 in | 3.8 in |
| Feb | 58°F | 28°F | 0.4 in | 2.1 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 35°F | 0.9 in | 1.5 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 42°F | 1.0 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 82°F | 52°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 92°F | 61°F | 1.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 94°F | 66°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 64°F | 2.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 86°F | 57°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 75°F | 44°F | 1.4 in | 0.8 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 34°F | 0.6 in | 2.2 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 26°F | 0.7 in | 4.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tucumcari 4 Ne Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Quay County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2007-04-02: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2000-05-10: Severe Fire Threats (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tucumcari Municipal Airport (TCC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 6 miles away.
- Logan 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Melrose 51 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Fort Sumner 55 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Quay County Courthouse, Wordbuilder, CC BY 3.0
- O'Reilly Auto Parts Under Construction in Tucumcari NM - April 2021, Wordbuilder, CC BY 3.0
- Tucumcari, New Mexico, USA (50150728927), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico, Lars Plougmann, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tucumcari, New Mexico, USA (48994802801), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tucumcari Sunrise (5299067520), BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Tucumcari, New Mexico, USA (50154038121), Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Route 66 Tucumcari, NM (24469335129), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Stars of the Tucumcari Christmas Parade (6561957313), BFS Man from Webster, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Route 66 Tucumcari, NM (24743062321), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tucumcari Motel (15685997378), Michael Zanussi, CC BY 2.0
- Baca-Goodman, Leo Rorabaugh, Public domain
- Tucumcari Odeon Theater from SE 2, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Arch Hurley Conservancy Bldg from SW, Ammodramus, Public domain
- Cactus RV Park, Tucumcari, NM, US (05), Bubba73, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lasso Motel (15164702614), Michael Zanussi, CC BY 2.0
- Palomino @ Tucumari (51205063133), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Watson's BBQ (50242578218), Lars Plougmann from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Apache Motel (50243216576), Lars Plougmann from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Roadrunner Lodge (50242568073), Lars Plougmann from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Tee Pee Curios (15704290471), el-toro, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel, KatRob, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Interior court at thd Blue Swallow Motel, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Antique Buick at the Blue Swallow Motel, Cullen328, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Swallow 66 (51222123730), Mobilus In Mobili, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15469879616), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15509682552), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel - Pontiac (15499767522), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15506911531), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel Night (15489854491), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel Chevrolet Impala (15486896086), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15313466048), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15486917866), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15313222069), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15323318580), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel (15686053688), Michael Zanussi, CC BY 2.0
- Holiday Motel (15848118512), Michael Zanussi, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel - Tesla charging station (15313327408), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel - Tesla charging station and Bonneville (15499622862), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
- Blue Swallow Motel - Tesla charging station and Bonneville (15476842616), Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK, CC BY 2.0
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