During the 18^th and early 19^th century, Albuquerque served as a trading center on the El Camino Real. In 1846, the New Mexico became a territory of the U.S. With the railroad's arrival in 1880, settlers began moving to Albuquerque in large numbers. New Albuquerque sprang up east of Old Town.

Albuquerque’s growth from a small Spanish colonial villa founded in 1706 into a major Southwestern metropolis was driven by several distinct historical phases. A primary catalyst was the arrival of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad in 1880, which shifted the town's center away from the "Old Town" and established it as a critical transportation hub. In the early 20th century, the city became a destination for "health seekers" due to its dry climate, sparking a boom in the sanatorium and tuberculosis treatment industry. However, the most explosive growth occurred during and after World War II, when the establishment of Sandia National Laboratories and Kirtland Air Force Base transformed Albuquerque into a premier center for scientific research and military defense. This influx of high-tech jobs and federal funding, combined with the city's location along the historic Route 66, led to rapid suburbanization and a population surge that has continued into 2026, making it the most populous city in New Mexico and a hub for the aerospace and technology sectors.