Dulce, New Mexico
Dulce ( or ; ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,743 at the 2010 census, almost entirely Native American. It is the largest community and tribal headquarters of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation. History Dulce was founded by the Gomez family as a ranching operation. The original name was "Agua Dulce," Spanish for sweet water because of the presence of natural springs that provided good drinking water for the people and their animals. The original homestead was founded in 1877 by Jose Eugenio Gomez. The Jicarilla Apache reservation was established in 1887 when the Apache people were forced into a reservation. The Gomez Ranch is currently kept under Manuel Gomez ownership, though surrounded by reservation land. Geography Dulce is located at (36.939557, -106.989600). According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 2,623 people, 779 households, and 595 families residing in the CDP. The population density was . There were 899 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP is 3.43%