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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town dates from a Spanish land grant in 1807 issued to Juan
José de la Garza Montemayo. The land was purchased in 1852 by one
John Wade who formed Casa Blanca Ranch, aka the Wade Ranch. In 1907
Max Starcke came into ownership and founded the town of Sandia which
at that time consisted of dirt roads and a single building. The
name Sandia, is Spanish for "watermelon" since the area's soil is
well suited for that crop.
After the town was platted, the lots sold like proverbial hotcakes
and by 1914 the town had a respectable population of 150, reaching
200 by the mid 1920s and swelling to 500 by 1927. It declined to
300 by 1940 and reached 215 by 1974. It has since grown to 431.
The two story
former school is now in private ownership.
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