January 2004 ...........
Las Cruces: Another town we go through often, this time stopping to see friends, Con and Susan Helback. We took a wonderful hike to Dripping Springs, just outside of Las Cruces. The resort was built in the 1870's and had approximately sixteen rooms, a large dining room and a concert hall. It was popular around the turn of the century and many famous people stayed there, including Pat Garret and Poncho Villa. The Butterfield Stage brought guests to the hotel from Las Cruces, seventeen miles away. In the 1900's guests arrived by automobile and horse and wagon. In 1917 the property was sold and the man who bought it turned it into a sanatorium because his wife had tuberculosis. New structures were built to house and care for patients. As late as 1946 the resort was still in relatively good shape, though vacant, and a group of citizens attempted to raise $4,000. to purchase it for historic preservation. That failed and unknown persons scavenged the resort for building material. The ruins of Dripping Springs Resort lie scattered along the canyon, and it is a neat place to hike. Photo top left is a how the hotel looked in it's heyday.
March 2005 ...........
Old Mesilla: It was a major stop for travelers going between San Antonio and San Diego 150 years ago and it hasn't changed much over the years, allowing visitors to see what an 1800's border town looked like. The town was originally part of Mexico, but with the signing of the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, the village became a part of the US. Billy the Kid once stood trial for murder in a Mesilla courtroom, and the Mesilla Plaza was once a major stop for the Butterfield Stagecoach.
Another important landmark is the San Albino Church on the plaza. The church, originally built of adobe in 1855, still offers masses today. The town is located south of Las Cruces on Avenida do Mesilla. We stop there whenever possible, the food is great and there is a shop on the right side of the square where we purchase rugs and clothing. Photo of building on right is where Billy the Kid stood trial.
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