NM History: Pie. Is it a Dessert or a Town?

Only in Your State | New Mexico | November 19, 2019

Pie.

Dessert? Of course.

Its one of the tastiest treats, whether you have pecan, lemon meringue, coconut cream, pumpkin, apple or any other delicious flavor. The possibilities are endless with the yummy dessert. But did you know pie was also the name of a place in New Mexico?

That’s right.

Pie Town.

And yes, because I know you’re already wondering, the tiny community is known for making delicious pastry confections known as pie! In fact, every September the tiny town hosts a pie festival. All you can eat pie? Count us in!

But how did this tiny town known for their yummy pies come to be…

In the later 1920s, many areas had been wiped out by the Great Depression, and then the Dust Storm following. During those years, people headed west in search of a better life. Traveling down Route 66, which was a well-traveled, rutted dirt road at the time, many families ventured toward California (pieoneer.com). Not many made it to the so-called “land of opportunity, though. Riddled with breakdowns or supplies running out, they were forced to settle. Wherever their vehicles broke down, gas ran out, or food became scarce, travelers would homestead in that location.

Photo by Russell Lee

According to Pioneer.com, legend has it that Pie Town was one of those locations. In fact, its said that a man named Clyde Norman, would walk 7 miles from his family’s homestead to sell dried-apple pies to weary travelers passing by, as a means to make money for his family. Soon after, a friend joined him selling oil and tires. Eventually, a 4-room motel was built with a kitchen that became the first ever pie cafe in Pie Town, NM.

The little cafe became the beginning of what is now Pie Town. It is located just north of the Gila National Forest, off of Route 66. As the years passed, life in Pie Town became similar to that of other homesteads around the southwest. Many farmed and ranched the area. Wives would keep the home, while their husbands worked the land. Supplies would be brought by truck from Arizona to Pie Town to a general store. Bread, butter, clothing, tools and more were trucked to Pie Town, and the citizens created a thriving little place. It mirrored the small towns popping up all over New Mexico in the early 1900s. Pie Town grew to having a community church, a school, many homes, a general store, and of course, the little pie cafe.

Photo by Russell Lee

Obviously, the cafe of the 1920s has long-since gone, but the idea of Pie Town still remains. In fact, the people have embraced the name, and have made it a way of life. While farming and ranching became a way of life for those who have called Pie Town home throughout the years, the delicious desserts remained the niche for the area. In fact, the 2nd Saturday in September each year is when Pie Town celebrates their heritage with a pie festival, which pays homage to every pie flavor you could imagine. The Pie Town Annual Pie Festival includes a pie-baking contest, games and races, music, food, and arts and crafts.

The town now boasts less than 200 residents, and nearly as many pie recipes. So, if you’re on the west side of the state, be sure to stop in for a slice or maybe get a mix-and-match pan of 5 slices at a local business, Pie-o-neer Pies, who has made its mark by serving a variety of delicious pies!

If you’d like more information about the annual Pie Festival, please visit their website. If you’d like to learn more about Pie-o-neer Pies, here is a link to their website.