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Las Cruces is a city in southern New Mexico. It’s located near the Texas border and has lots of opportunities for recreation both in the city and surrounding areas.
Our trip to Las Cruces was very short. To be honest, we didn’t really dedicate much time to it. The city was meant to be an overnight stop after visiting nearby Fort Selden Historic Site and Mesilla before continuing on to El Paso, Texas, the next day. Although there’s not much to do within the city itself other than a handful of museums, we want to head back in the future to get a more complete look.
History
Las Cruces was founded in 1849 after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo established the United States as owner of its territory. Nearby Mesilla became the leading settlement in the area, but that all changed when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway came through town. The railway couldn’t agree with Mesilla residents over land rights, and Las Cruces stepped in to donate land for a depot.
Since the arrival of the railroad, Mesilla has remained the same size while Las Cruces has grown to become the second largest city in the state. The founding of Las Cruces College (now New Mexico State University) in 1888 along with the establishment of the nearby White Sands Missile Range in 1944 and White Sands Test Facility in 1963 have all contributed to the growth.
Main Street
Our visit to Las Cruces consisted of a short walk through the historic Main Street district. There were a few shops, cafés, and museums lining the street. Because it was a bit too early in the morning, we found almost everything to be closed.
Rio Grande Theatre
One building along Main Street that caught our eye was the Rio Grande Theatre. We were drawn to the historic sign and beautiful designs on the exterior.
The Rio Grande Theatre was originally built as a movie theatre by Central Theatres Corporation of Denver and opened on July 29, 1926. The first movie shown was the silent film Mare Nostrum. In October 1929, it was sold to Fox West Coast Theatres who installed sound equipment. The first movie with sound was shown on October 20, 1929.
The Rio Grande Theatre operated until financial problems forced it to close in 1997. It was then renovated over an eight year period and reopened in 2005 by the Doña Ana Arts Council. It’s now the only two-story adobe theatre in the country still operating, presenting live concerts, classic movies, theatre productions, and more.
Museums
North of the theatre are the Museum of Nature and Science (MoNaS) and the Museum of Art, both owned by the city. MoNaS offers different programs throughout the year and has three permanent exhibits: Desert Life, Light and Space, and Permian Trackways. The Museum of Art has rotating contemporary art exhibits and offers a variety of programs for visitors of all ages. Admission to both museums is free (as of May 2024), but some programs require a fee. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday.
Branigan Cultural Center
Another city-owned museum, the Branigan Cultural Center, sits just north of the Museum of Art. It hosts rotating cultural exhibits as well as classes, educational programs, and other events. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission to the Branigan Cultural Center is free (as of May 2024). It’s open Tuesday through Saturday.
Day’s End Motel
We stayed the night at Day’s End Motel before our quick exploration of the city and moving on to El Paso. It was a pretty horrible experience, with the first bad sign being the pool. A more appropriate name would be End of Days Motel. Don’t stay there.
