Albuquerque was founded in 1706 by a group of colonists who were granted permission from King Philip of Spain to establish a city on the banks of the Rio Grande.  By choosing a place by the river, it provided good irrigation for crops and for a source of wood from the bosque (willows, cottonwoods and olive trees) and from mountains that were nearby.  Albuquerque is New Mexico's largest city and it was named to honor a Spanish Duke, the 10th Duke of Albuquerque.  The name was selected by the Colonial Governor Don Francisco Cuervo y Valdez, but over many centuries the  first "r" that is originally in the Duke's name had been dropped and the name of the city is now spelled with just one "r."

 Spanish speaking settlers were the first group to settle here and these original Spanish settlers intermarried with the Indians. It wasn't  until after World War II that an influx of Anglos accompanied the other Spanish and Indian settlers.  The Spanish-Americans made up the majority of the population until the 1940's, and now people of Hispanic heritage make up a third of the population.  The early Spanish settlers were very religious people and the first building that was built in Albuquerque was a small chapel.  The church, San Felipe de Neri, still stands in the same spot where it was originally built.  The church is located in the heart of the sentimental "Old Town" of Albuquerque, with activities such as shopping and dining occur here.  Yearly feasts and special holidays are commemorated as part of the year round attractions to the "original" Albuquerque. 

The population increase of Albuquerque can be traced to two changes that took place in the early development of the area.  First, because of the Rio Grande's changing shift which moved a little further to the west, a shift in population occurred.  Second, the railroad was introduced to Albuquerque in 1880, and what is known today as the "New Town" evolved around the tracks two miles east of the "Old Town."  Other population increases can be attributed to Albuquerque becoming an important stop on the Camino-Real trail to the trail from Chihuahua to Santa Fe and the Santa Fe trail, which was the southwest's first super highway during westward expansion. 

During the times between 1850 and 1875, merchandising companies that had originally shipped good by covered wagons, and later by railroad, established warehouses and stores in Albuquerque.  Manufactured goods from the east had been brought in , and hide, livestock, pelts, lumber, and minerals were shipped out.  More than 100 agencies since the 1930's have been established here.  The development of aerospace, and nuclear and solar research industries after World War II caused a large population influx, now making Albuquerque the largest city in New Mexico. 

Today the historical atmosphere and the fusion of it's three cultures has been represented by it's historical architecture, and  most of these buildings have been modified and restored.  With the influence of their ancestors, many Indians in Albuquerque produce jewelry, pottery, blankets, beads, rings, necklaces etc. to mainly sell to the growing number of tourists that travel to visit the very beautiful and historic city of Albuquerque.

This information was found under the website of Encyclopedia Britannica.