Candelaria Road, our southern border, in itself, goes clear back to the earliest of times of villa of Alburquerque in 1706.  Early settlers entering in the area were more interested in farming the land, and the small villa of Alburquerque was no bigger than a few official buildings at the rivers edge.  Farmers settled all around the outskirts of the town forming their own small communities in support of the larger village just next door in the 1750’s.  Named after the more prominent family in the communities, there came to be Los Candelarias, Los Griegos, Los Montaños, and many more. In the late 1700’s, early 1800’s ditches were dug between many of the communities to aid in the farming of the land by bringing water from the Rio Grande enabling the farming of fruits, vegetables, and domestic animals.

The railroad, which was originally called the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe or AT&SF later came to be known as just the Santa Fe railroad was brought to Albuquerque in 1880 allowing more growth for the now thriving little town. Running parallel with 4^th street, which was already a main street running north and south out of town, could now hold and sustain businesses receiving product through the rail services.

1904 brought the automobile to New Mexico and Albuquerque allowing construction of a statewide north-south highway, or “El Camino Real”.  However unpaved portions and frequent flooding of this new highway encouraged drivers to use 4^th Street as Albuquerque’s Main Street; giving the people an access route from Bernalillo to Albuquerque.  Businesses flourished with the increase of people and traffic; and the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads even designated it as part of U.S. Highway 85.

In 1926, the infamous U.S. Route 66 was created, but in a different manner from all the rest of U.S. highways. Commonly highways run either North and South or East and West, however U.S. Route 66 ran diagonal from Chicago, Illinois to Los Angeles, California.  507 miles run through New Mexico, coming from Texas and running through Santa Rosa heading northwest near Las Vegas, running along Highway 85 through Santa Fe, heading down south to Albuquerque through 4^th Street, down to Las Lunas and heading back west again. 4^th Street remained a part of U.S. Highway Route 66 until 1937 when Albuquerque realigned the streets and marked Central Ave. as the well known highway.  But 4^th Street still maintained its reputation with the shops along the roadside at tourists driving its ways. City busses ran service up the old Highway until the last stop just north of Candelaria at Monkbridge Housing Development.  Monkbridge Housing originally received its name from the Monkbridge Manor, a well known local mansion that was located were Wells Fargo Bank is now just off of 4^th and Aztec.

With the construction of the Interstate 25 and 40 running some ways away from 4^th, 2^nd, and the railroad, the traffic all but ceased for the major thorough fare, starving businesses and shops along the all but forgotten old Route 66 on 4^th Street.

Currently, the City of Albuquerque is trying to restore the old value and prestige that 4^th Street once owned as part of Route 66, with revitalization of old buildings and revamping the look of the nearly 200 year old street.