Release Date: May 25, 2015
Text from the back cover of “Images of America: Hatch Valley”
The headline said it all: “Chili Industry Gains Foothold in the Hatch Community.”
The Las Vegas Daily Optic of January 17, 1929, reported that the “Farmers of [the] Hatch community, who have developed the chile industry as one which threatens the laurels of King Cotton, are moving out shipments to market.” 
The article reported that just three years prior, only a mere 300 pounds of chile had been marketed in the entire Rincon Valley, of which Hatch Valley was a part. As of 1929, farmers estimated that 250,000 pounds of chile were being sent The Hatch Valley was on its way to being known as the Chile Capital of the World. True to the nature of a pioneer, the residents of the Hatch Valley have fought against the devastation of floods, the Great Depression, and a changing economy. Their tenacity has made the Hatch Valley what it is today.
Writer Cindy Carpenter and historian Sherry Fletcher have captured the early times of the Hatch Valley’s past through photographs, oral history, and historical newspapers.
PRESS RELEASE:
Peer into Hatch Valley’s Peppery Past
Hatch Valley is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series and is set to be published on May 25, 2015.
“Whether you are a fan of red or green (chile, of course), we hope you enjoy the walk back in time.”
—Cindy Carpenter and Sherry Fletcher
The headline said it all: “Chile Industry Gains Foothold in the Hatch Community.” The Las Vegas Daily Optic of January 17, 1929, reported that the “Farmers of [the] Hatch community, who have developed the chile industry as one which threatens the laurels of King Cotton, are moving out shipments to market.” The article reported that just three years prior, only a mere 300 pounds of chile had been marketed in the entire Rincon Valley, of which the Hatch Valley was a part. As of 1929, farmers estimated that 250,000 pounds of chile were being sent to market. The Hatch Valley was on its way to being known as the ChileCapital of the World. True to the nature of a pioneer, the hardy residents of the Hatch Valley have fought against the devastation of floods, the Great Depression, and a changing economy. Their tenacity has made the Hatch Valley what it is today.
Highlights of Hatch Valley include:
- Photographs of Hatch Valley in the past and present
- Historic retellings of the Hatch Valley
Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or directly from us at (888)-313-2665 or online.
The combination of Arcadia Publishing & The History Press creates the largest and most comprehensive publisher of local and regional content in the USA. By empowering local history and culture enthusiasts to write local stories for local audiences, we create exceptional books that are relevant on a local and personal level, enrich lives, and bring readers closer – to their community, their neighbors, and their past. Have we done a book on your town? Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com and www.historypress.net.
About the authors: Cindy Carpenter is currently employed as a contract Educational Diagnostician in Truth or Consequences, NM, and Hatch, NM. She holds a Master’s Degree from New Mexico State University and has been working in the educational field for the past 27 years.
Co-author and local historian Sherry Fletcher, who retired as Assistant Superintendent of the Truth or Consequences Municipal Schools in 2009, also holds a Master’s Degree from New Mexico State University. Sherry is currently serving as a Sierra County Commissioner in her hometown of Truth or Consequences, NM.
The two authors give credit for their successful collaboration to their love for history and genealogy.
Sherry’s expertise is her knowledge of the local history. Cindy’s passion is the actual creative writing process and the restoration of vintage photos. Their love for preserving the history of their community is evident in projects such as the 70th year anniversary of the Carrie Tingle Crippled Children’s Hospital. Sherry continues to support the effort by participating in the Healing Water’s Trail Historical Committee, the Bath District (preserving the naturally occurring hot springs mineral baths), and the WPA/CCC Walking Guide companion books.
Media inquiries contact: Jenni Tyler
843.853.2070 x127
Email: jtyler@arcadiapublishing.com
420 Wando Park Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 ∙ Ph: +1 843.853.2070 ∙ Fax: +1 843.853.0044