Pilar

Pilar

Pilar, New Mexico 87531

About this Location

Pilar (formerly Cieneguilla) is an unincorporated community in Taos County. It is located on the Rio Grande.

The original name of Cieneguilla is derived from the Spanish word “ciénaga”, which means “marsh” or “marshy place”. The swampy ground is caused by several streams running across a small flood plain formed by a bend in the Rio Grande. Because the area featured a flat plain with a constant source of water, it was long frequented by the Jicarilla Apache. The village’s modern name of Pilar was adopted after its post office was incorporated in 1918. One story suggests that the name came from the daughter of the office’s first postmaster, who was named for the Nuestra Señora del Pilar apparition of the Virgin Mary, which appeared on an old Roman pillar in Zaragoza, Spain. Another more commonly cited story suggests that the name was given to the post office in honor of an influential Native American (Hispanic-Ute) male who lived in the area by the name of José Pilar Vigil.

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