Last updated: January 16, 2023
Place
Mesquite Historic District
Quick Facts
Location:
Mesquite Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Significance:
The original town site for modern-day Las Cruces, and a once-bustling section of El Camino Real
MANAGED BY:
City of Las Cruces
Amenities
2 listed
Food/Drink - Restaurant/Table Service, Gifts/Souvenirs/Books
The Mesquite District is a centuries-old neighborhood at the cultural core of one of southern New Mexico’s oldest communities. As a drive or walk through the district reveals, the area’s eclectic collection of homes and small businesses reflect the pioneering spirits of those who set down roots along the southerly path of El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, then known as the Chihuahua Trail, after the Mexican-American War. The original town site for modern-day Las Cruces, and a once-bustling section of El Camino Real, the Mesquite Historic District today stretches across Campo, San Pedro, Tornillo and Mesquite streets between Chestnut and Colorado avenues.
Today, as home to some 713 historic homes and buildings, the district is only half its original size. In the 1960s, the razing of the entire western part of the district to make room for parking lots and non-traditional architecture was the result of a shortsighted urban renewal project. Other community projects have further altered aspects of the district’s original traditional character. Many of the changes contributed to the economic stagnation of the city’s old downtown. But recent efforts to boost awareness of El Camino Real and its history in the old neighborhood are heightening local pride in the trail, fueling architectural preservation initiatives and drawing new residents to the area’s traditional treasures.
Site Information
Location (Mesquite Street, Las Cruces, New Mexico)