Mesilla, New Mexico (Spanish for Little Tableland) is described as the most historic community in southern New Mexico. Geographically it sits near the famed Rio Grande River, next to bustling Las Cruces, with the Organ Mountains rising to the east. Descendants of early-day settlers have protected and sustained the charm of an 1800’s village with its cultural roots in Old Mexico. To say Mesilla has an Old World charm will be accurate.
The waters of the Rio Grande have always attracted visitors, the first being the nomadic Native Americans. Spanish Conquistadores led by Coronado came through, searching for cities of gold further north. Juan de Onate came in the late 1500’s, creating the famed El Camino Real which was the Chihuahua-Santa Fe Trail. Diego de Vargas traveled through on his quest to re-take Santa Fe after the great Pueblo revolt in 1692.
Mexican troops were garrisoned in Mesilla when the US declared war on Mexico in 1846. Two years later the war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo which ceded most of NM Territory to the US. The Treaty was based on an erroneous map, however, so the Gadsden Purchase addressed the border dispute. This treaty was finalized on the Mesilla plaza when US troops raised the stars and stripes in 1854. Thus began the growth of Mesilla as it became an important stop on trade and mail routes—the El Camino Real, Chihuahua to Santa Fe, and the Butterfield Stage stop.
For a brief time in the 1860’s, Mesilla became the Confederate capital for the Territory of Arizona. In 1862 the Confederate forces returned to Texas.
Life in Mesilla has always centered around the plaza. It is a State Monument and a National Historic landmark. Promotional materials beckon the visitor to “Visit the Plaza Where Time Stood Still.” Except for more businesses and much-needed facelifts, a resident living there in the 1800’s would recognize the area today! On the plaza’s north end stands San Albino Church, which was built of adobe bricks in 1855, then re-built in 1906 with twin spires rising into the blue sky. And of course the Rio Grande would still be flowing, and the Organ Mountains on the east would still be catching the evening’s light that turns them to shades of pink and purple. .
Enjoy great Mexican food or other fine cuisine in restaurants housed in old adobe buildings before exploring the many shops around the plaza that offer jewelry, fine arts, Southwest furnishings and decorations and unusual gifts to excite the shopper. One shop is located in the old courthouse and jail building just off the plaza where outlaw Billy the Kid was convicted and sentenced to die.
All year long something is going on in the plaza including arts, crafts, and car shows; book festivals; the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta; and seasonal produce sales from the Mesilla Valley to the south where famous pecans and chiles are grown. Watch Mariachi dancers twirl in colorful costumes to live music from the plaza’s bandstand. Perhaps the most special time of all is at Christmas when little lights, luminaries, flicker in the night air turning the plaza into a truly magical place. The visitor to Mesilla will never forget that special time. Many people like to keep the magic going by purchasing homes and land in the area. We can help you do that!
Our office, Steinborn & Associates Real Estate, is located nearby. We have considerable experience selling Mesilla Valley real estate, so give us a call or drop in! We feel fortunate to work in small town Mesilla, with Las Cruces and all its amenities nearby.
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