Derek and I both like old buildings so we went into the old Mesilla village in Las Cruces. Mesilla was incorporated in 1848 and in the “wild west” era attracted colorful characters like Billy the Kid and Poncho Villa.
Back in 1854, the United States acquired present day New Mexico and Arizona as part of the Gadsden Purchase and Mesilla Plaza was the site of the flag raising. The plaza is also the site of one of the bloodiest political battles in New Mexico. In 1971 Democrats were holding a rally for their candidate for Congress in the plaza. Not far away, Republicans were also holding a rally for their candidate. The Republicans came down to the plaza to disrupt the Democrats and a fight broke out. Nine people were killed in the fighting, and over 50 were injured.
Today the plaza is pretty touristy with gift shops, restaurants, and galleries surrounding it. The old buildings are charming and we went in a few and browsed. We walked around the shops and stopped to look at The Basilica of San Albino. This active church was built in 1906 on the site of the original 1852 church. What is now a gift shop, used to be the Capitol back in 1850, then the courthouse where Billy The Kid was tried and sentenced to hang.
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