Located in north western New Mexico, San Juan County was named for the San Juan River. Until 1887, Rio Arriba County extended to the Arizona border, and residents in this area were 75-100 miles over rough country from Tierra Amarilla, the county seat. It was determined that a new county should be created. Selection of the county seat was fiercely contested between Junction City and Aztec. Aztec was named the county seat in 1892.
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San Juan County was created in 1887. Aztec is the county seat.
The Place Names of New Mexico, revised Edition by Robert Julyan, University of New Mexico Press, 1998.