▁associated ▁fields . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁descend ants ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁grant ▁holder ' s ▁court ▁pet itions ▁to ▁rec laim ▁commun al ▁land ▁were ▁re bu ked . ▁ ▁Rio ▁Ar rib a ' s ▁county ▁seat ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁established ▁Camp ▁Pl um mer ▁just ▁south ▁of ▁Los ▁O jos ▁( est ab lished ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 ) ▁to ▁rein ▁in ▁already ▁decre ased ▁Native ▁American ▁activity ▁on ▁the ▁grant . ▁The ▁military ▁enc amp ment ▁was ▁desert ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 9 . ▁Las ▁N ut rias , ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁the ▁contemporary ▁community , ▁was ▁founded ▁nearby ▁c . 1 8 6 2 . ▁The ▁first ▁post ▁office ▁in ▁Las ▁N ut rias ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁and ▁bore ▁the ▁name ▁T ierra ▁Am ar illa , ▁as ▁did ▁the ▁present ▁one ▁which ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁after ▁an ▁approximately ▁two - year ▁absence . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁lieutenant ▁described ▁the ▁village ▁as ▁" the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁Mexican ▁population ▁of ▁north western ▁New ▁Mexico ". ▁ ▁The ▁territorial ▁legisl ature ▁located ▁Rio ▁Ar rib a ' s ▁county ▁seat ▁in ▁Las ▁N ut rias ▁and ▁renamed ▁the ▁village ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 . ▁The ▁Den ver ▁and ▁Rio ▁Grande ▁Railway ' s ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁arrival ▁at ▁Ch ama ,