It was the center of the
Aztec legend of the
Seven Cities of Gold, sometimes called the "cities of Cibola". The Tiguex Province of
Santa Fe de Nuevo México was named after the
Southern Tiwa speaking
Puebloans in the area, they inhabited the area along with the
Jemez and
Keres people. The area between
Bernalillo and
Corrales was being farmed for
sacramental wine since 1620, which started the
New Mexico wine heritage. Following this early
wine industry several Spanish towns were founded, including
Barelas in 1662 and
Bernalillo in 1695. The main city,
Albuquerque, was founded on 1706 as
La Villa de Alburquerque as the trade center for the region. During the 19th century,
Nuevo México and its Tiguex Province were acquired by the United States as a part of the
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Becoming the
New Mexico Territory it became a prominent aspect of the
American frontier during the 19th century, being highlighted in
Western fiction with
Billy the Kid,
Elfego Baca, and
Geronimo becoming lasting icons in later
adaptation to film. In the 20th century
New Mexico gained statehood, and since then trade in the region grew due to growth in technology, media, and agriculture sectors, driven by the New Mexico Technology Corridor,
media in Albuquerque, and
New Mexican cuisine. ==Counties==