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Mesilla is a small town in southern New Mexico. It has a colorful history and sits just south of the city of Las Cruces. This entry contains a short history of the town as well as places we visited outside Mesilla Plaza, which is covered in another entry.
Origins
The history of Mesilla begins in 1848 with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which placed much of present-day New Mexico in the United States. A group of citizens unhappy about the change moved south of the border and founded Mesilla.
By 1851, the town was under constant threat of Apache raids. The US responded by establishing Fort Fillmore in September of that year. This resulted in both the US and Mexico claiming the land around Mesilla as their own. The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 settled the land dispute, and Mesilla officially became part of the United States on June 8, 1854.
Civil War Era
Two Civil War battles were fought in the town. The First Battle of Mesilla was fought on July 25, 1861, resulting in a Confederate victory and the establishment of Confederate Arizona. From 1861 to 1862, Mesilla served as its capital. The Second Battle of Mesilla was fought on July 1, 1862, resulting in a Union victory and the withdrawal of Confederate troops three days later.
Wild West Era
During Wild West times, Mesilla sat at the crossroads of two important stagecoach lines and was the most important town of the region. It was famous for its cantinas and fiesta. Billy the Kid (1859-1881), Pat Garrett (1850-1908), and Pancho Villa (1878-1923) all passed through.
In 1881, the town was chosen as a stop on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The citizens asked too much money for the land rights, and much smaller Las Cruces was chosen as a replacement. Since then, Las Cruces has grown to become the second largest city in New Mexico while Mesilla has stayed the same size.
Gadsden Museum
Our first stop was the Gadsden Museum. This privately owned museum has an eclectic collection of Wild West memorabilia as well as Native American art. There are also items related to the Civil War, and town history. Among the most interesting items are the original jail cell doors that held Billy the Kid during his murder trail in Mesilla. Contrary to its name, there’s not much related to the Gadsden Purchase.
The Gadsden Museum belongs to a descendant of one of the founding families of Mesilla, who have lived in the town for generations. The curator is an enthusiastic person who knew the story behind every item, and we really enjoyed our visit. The museum is open by appointment only Wednesday through Saturday (as of May 2024). There’s no admission but donations are recommended.
Andele’s Dog House
After visiting the plaza, we had a delicious lunch at Andele’s Dog House. This dog-friendly restaurant serves up a good selection of Mexican specialties, salads, steaks, burgers, and of course, hot dogs. They also have a big breakfast menu.
Ristramnn Chile Co. (Permanently Closed)
We then made a quick stop at Ristramnn Chile Co. It’s a working chile farm that grows and dries chiles. They sell bulk chiles, ristras (decorative chile arrangements), and other items.
Chile Farm
Before leaving Mesilla, we drove by a chile farm on the north side of town and stopped to take a quick look.
