Corrales’s fertile floodplain has attracted settlers
for hundreds of years. For centuries it sustained Pueblo
farms and villages. Spanish settlement began in 1712 and
lasted well into the 19th century when Hispanic farmers
and ranchers were joined by (mainly) Italian and French
farmers. These brought sophisticated wine-making traditions
and Corrales became known for its viniculture.
During the first half of the 20th century the name of
the village was changed to Sandoval to honor a powerful
local family, but “Corrales” remained in many
hearts and minds and in the 1960s the village reclaimed
its historic name. As the population of nearby Albuquerque
exploded after World War II the charm and quiet of Corrales
attracted many newcomers. Today the village is a rural-residential
oasis sandwiched between metropolitan Albuquerque and the
burgeoning city of Rio Rancho .
The Village was incorporated as Corrales in 1971 to provide for increased services and control over development. Over the years, the Village has enacted policies to protect their existing rural residential environment. The Village contains the historic Casa
San Ysidro, a restored Spanish hacienda from the 1700's, and Old
San Ysidro Church, built in the 1860's. More...
