Mesilla Blog

New Domain For Blog!

2008-10-12T11:37:00.001-06:00

Mesilla Blog now has its own domain!

For the lastest news - history - photos, just click:

Reflections in a Pecan Wood ... it’s almost impossible to determine where reality ends and reflection begins ...

Chiles Being Picked ... which is done by hand for most varieties ...

The Telegraph Arrives in Mesilla ... on Feb 5, 1879 ...

Mesilla Museum Display

2008-04-24T21:00:00.018-06:00

The J. Paul Taylor Visitor Center opened this evening with a dedication ceremony featuring the Mayor of Mesilla and many Mesilla citizens. A welcome part of the opening ceremony was a display of some of the materials being collected for the Mesilla Museum, which will emphasize the history of Mesilla, including it's role in the Billy the Kid saga.

Billy the Kid was tried in the courthouse on the Mesilla plaza in April, 1881 for two killings. He was acquitted of the killing of Andrew A. "Buckshot" Roberts, which occurred on April 4, 1878. He was convicted of the killing of Sheriff William Brady, which happened a few days before, on April 1, 1878.

The sentence for the killing of Sheriff Brady was death by hanging, to be carried out May 13, 1881. That didn't happen, of course, because Billy the Kid escaped from the Lincoln jail 15 days before he was to be hung. The hanging was to be carried out in Lincoln because that's where the killing of Sheriff Brady had occurred.

The most intriguing item on display this evening was the barber chair where Billy the Kid was given a haircut before his trial. The chair is privately owned and was being displayed only for the ceremony.

The chair was manufactured in the early 1870s. It was re-covered in the 1980s, before the current owner acquired it. The reupholstering covered up several bullet holes that were in the chair, of unknown origin.

The permanent display in the center includes numerous historical Mesilla photos.

Here's a photo of the original San Albino church, which was torn down when the current church was constructed in 1908:

Here's a photo of the consecration of the new San Albino church in 1908:

Here's a picture of the Mesilla plaza in 1900. The first San Albino can be seen in the distance.

Here's a picture of the Fountain Theatre taken about 1930.

Tags: Billy the Kid, History, Mesilla Plaza, Fountain Theatre, San Albino Church

Billy the Kid Display -- Mesilla

2008-03-25T20:28:00.001-06:00

The Town of Mesilla is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the J. Paul Taylor Visitor Center Thursday, April 24 at 5:30 p.m.

As part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony there will be Billy the Kid display inside the Visitor Center. The display will feature historical photos, information and artifacts pertaining to Mesilla’s past. The subject is the historic period of April 1881, when Billy the Kid was a prisoner in Mesilla and tried and convicted of murder. A team of volunteers has collected names and items for the display. One of the items is the barber chair – built c1870 – in which Billy the Kid had his hair cut before the trial. The chair was once in the Billy the Kid Museum, owned by Dr. George Griggs in the 1930s, which is now La Posta Restaurant. The chair is currently in a private collection. An open house of the museum display will take place from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The visitor center is an extension of the current Mesilla Town Hall, located at 2231 Avenida de Mesilla.

For more information about the ceremony, call Kristie Medina at (575) 524-3262 ext. 116.

Tags: Billy the Kid, Mesilla, History

130th Anniversary of Incorporation

2008-02-15T13:30:00.010-07:00

Today appears to be the 130th anniversary of the incorporation of the town of Mesilla. Yet there is no celebration, no mention by the village government.

Perhaps this is explained by the fact the no one appears to know the correct date of incorporation. The history of Mesilla on the official Mesilla town site gives 1861 as the year of incorporation. Other dates are given by other sites.

I present here evidence of the official incorporation of Mesilla that appears to be definitive. This is the text of the official Act of the Territory of New Mexico that incorporates the Town of Mesilla, as printed in the Mesilla Valley Independent newspaper, dated May 4, 1878. The Act is given as passed by the Territorial Legislature on February 15, 1878. That makes today the 130th anniversary of that act.

If anyone knows differently, please post it as a comment.

An Act to Incorporate "The Incorporation of Mesilla"

Be it enacted by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico:

SECTION 1. All owners and holders of real estate situated within the limits of Mesilla Grant in Dona Ana county who are actual residents within said limits, be, and they are hereby created a body politic and corporate under the name and style of the Incorporation of Mesilla and by that name may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded; may hold real estate and have a common seal.

SEC. 2. That the officers of said incorporation shall consist of three commissioners each one of whom shall be a qualified voter under this act. Said commissioners shall have authority to take control of all real estate held in common by said Incorporation, and shall make such rules for the government of the same as they may deem just and proper, and shall have the power to lease or rent, and with the consent of two thirds of the voters under this act to convey and dispose of such real estate, and to make deeds of conveyance therefore.

Sec. 3. The said commissioners shall be elected at an election to be held on the first Monday of January of each year. Each owner and holder of real estate within the limits of said incorporation who is an actual resident therein shall be entitled to one vote for each terreno of land he may own or hold within said limits, and one vote for each separate portion of terreno; the three persons receiving the highest number of votes cast shall be declared elected, and shall respectively hold office for one year, and until their successors are elected and qualified. The commissioners elect shall take the same oath that is required by justices of the peace.

SEC. 4. The commissioners shall elect one of their number as President, one as Secretary, and one as Treasurer. The President shall call meetings of the board whenever the business of the incorporation shall require, or whenever petitioned to do so by twenty qualified voters. Whenever the said commissioners shall deem it necessary or proper to sell or lease any real estate, belonging in common to said corporation they shall call a meeting of all the members of said corporation, by giving five days public notice of the same, and shall present the project fully to the meeting who shall take a vote theron, and if two thirds of the votes cast are in favor of the project, then the said commissioners shall have full power to sell or lease the lands voted on, and in case of an absolute sale, the signature of the president of said commissioners, attested by the signatures of the secretary and the seal of the incorporation, shall be sufficient to convey all the title of the said corporation to said land.

SEC. 5. That until the first election under this act, the Governor shall appoint three commissioners, who shall have all the powers that are by this act granted to commissioners elected under its provisions.

SEC 6. This act shall be in force and effect from and effect from and after its passage and approval.

Approved Feb'y 15th, 1878

Quoted in the Mesilla Valley Independent, May 4, 1878.

Not surprisingly, only land owners could vote. They received one vote for each "terreno" and each portion of a torreno, so, obviously, one person could have multiple votes.

But what is a "terreno?" I haven't found any definition on the internet or elsewhere.

Tags: History, Mesilla, Territory of New Mexico, Mesilla Incorporation

School Window

2007-11-30T00:06:00.000-07:00

Who's daydreaming now?

Tags: Misc Images

Vandalized Cacti Healing

2007-06-09T14:26:00.000-06:00

It seems there's something about cacti that's almost fetishistic.

Protected species are constantly being stolen* in the desert areas around Mesilla. They have a compelling attraction for many people.

Cacti vandalism** is also fairly common.

It may be something of a challenge to stomp a barrel cactus.

There is no challenge to stomping a spineless cactus.

As noted in this post, a stand of Burbank Spineless Cactus next to an old adobe in Doña Ana was recently vandalized. Here's a photo of the damage:

The plant has begun to recover, as you can see here:

You can see the necrotic tissue here:

and here:

The new growth is producing blossoms:

*"Cactus rustling" -- an euphemism for a criminal enterprise that yields millions of dollars according to some sources.

**Is there a psychoanalytic term for this? Cactiphobia? Cactiandry? Cactisogyny? Cactisadism?

Tags: Spineless Cactus, Luther Burbank

Mesilla Plaza - No Smoking

2007-06-05T22:58:00.000-06:00

The Mesilla Plaza is a smoke free zone.

Tags: Mesilla, Mesilla Plaza, News

2 Gates

2007-05-03T12:42:00.000-06:00

The normal state for a gate is closed. Here's a gate doing its duty.

This gate is gate in memory only. Most of the adobe wall it once served is gone.

Tags: Adobe, Misc Images

Spineless Cactus

2007-04-24T22:42:00.000-06:00

If you look around many of the older homes in the Mesilla Valley, you'll see an odd-looking prickly pear. It's thornless.

Alien mutation?

Nope -- the non-prickly prickly pear is the creation of the eclectic Luther Burbank, "The Plant Wizard."

Burbank was born in 1849 and had no schooling beyond 6th grade, but he did have an intense fascination with plant breeding. He is credited with creating over 800 strains and varieties of plants, including the "impossible" plumcot, which he called "a cross which man said could never be made."

The 12 volumes of his 1914 magnum opus, "Luther Burbank: His Methods and Discoveries and Their Practical Application" is available online, includes wonderful color photos, and still makes interesting and enjoyable reading. His self-promotion, however, sometimes leads him to sound like a cross between a used car salesman and P. T. Barnum.

He began developing a spineless cactus in the late 1800s with the goal of producing a plant that could grow in the desert and serve as food for livestock.

He says of this effort, "the work through which this result was achieved constituted in some respects the most arduous and soul-testing experience that I have ever undergone."

Here's a picture from the book showing Burbank examining cactus seedlings:

It may look like a loving relationship, but...

"For five years or more the cactus blooming season was a period of torment to me both day and night. Time and again I have declared from the bottom of my heart that I wished I had never touched the cactus to attempt to remove its spines. Looking back on the experience now, I feel that I would not have courage to renew the experiments were it necessary to go through the same ordeal again.

Not only would the little spicules find lodgement everywhere in my skin, but my clothing became filled with them, and the little barbs would gradually work their way through the cloth and into my flesh, causing intense irritation."

The spines on the prickly pear (and other cacti) evolved from leaves on its ancestral parent. These leaves, over time, became sharp spines and acquired the capacity to detach easily when touched, a very effective defense against being eaten.

What Burbank succeeded in doing with his selection and cross-breeding was to produce a plant that grew only rudimentary spines and then dropped them voluntarily. In this photo from his book you can see the vestigial leaves with the spines gone.

Burbank's hopes for millions of acres of desert growing spineless cactus as animal feed was never realized, but for a while the un-prickly pear was quite popular as a landscape plant around homes in arid areas like Southern New Mexico.

Here's a planting around an old Adobe home in Mesilla:

A planting in Las Cruces:

A planting in Organ:

A planting next to an abandoned, decaying Adobe in Doña Ana:

A cactus without spines is defenseless. The photo below was taken about 2 months after the one above:

Someone, in an act of pure vandalism, has stomped the plant.

Tags: Spineless Cactus, Luther Burbank, History, Adobe

Saving the Pat Garrett Marker

2007-04-05T22:41:00.000-06:00

Mesilla's sister city of Las Cruces is considering the incorporation and development of 6,480 acres of state land. This is a big increase in the area of Las Cruces -- amounting to over 10 square miles. The local paper reports that this area could ultimately contain as many as 90,000+ homes.

It turns out that one of the proposed development blocks contains a concrete marker built by Pat Garrett's son (Jarvis Garrett) on the location where his Dad was shot. This is a well-known and famous event in Las Cruces, but evidently the existence of the marker has been a secret known only by a very few up until now. I understand the reason for the secrecy was to prevent vandalism.

Now that the marker is in danger of being destroyed by the proposed development, a local organization called Friends of Pat Garrett has been formed to save the marker. Details about the campaign are available on the web site:

www.FriendsOfPatGarrett.com

Here's a photo of the marker courtesy of the web site:

The marker was evidently put up by Jarvis Garrett between 1938 and 1940.

In this close-up you can see "Feb 1908" scratched in the concrete. Pat Garrett was shot Feb 28, 1908.

This is an excellent cause. Information on how you can contact the Las Cruces City Council to support saving this marker is on the Friends of Pat Garrett site.

Tags: Pat Garrett, Billy the Kid, History, Las Cruces

Adobe Restoration

2007-03-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

Part of preserving Mesilla history is restoring and maintaining its old adobe homes. This isn't a cheap proposition and most home buyers won't do it.

Here's a wonderful example of a new home owner who's willing to buy a neglected adobe and restore it:

This structure was built originally as a single room adobe in the 1860s, then added to over a period of 40 years. Here's the original part of the house:

The lintels show the location of entrances, later closed in. Here's a better view of the blocked doors:

Here's a view of the living room and the corner where the fireplace was located and will be restored:

Another corner showing a blocked window and a restored wall:

In order to preserve this wall, it was necessary to add a new wall beside it:

Another example of repair:

This is one of the wonderful features of the structure, an arched door:

After the adobe walls are made structurally sound, they will be plastered inside and out, making an energy efficient home that will be naturally cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Tags: Adobe, History, Mesilla, Restoration

Mount Bhut Jolokia

2007-02-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

Just as soon as Bhut Jolokia is identified as the hottest chile in the world, someone steps forth to conquer it.

Guwahati, India - A woman from India's north eastern state of Assam is hoping to set a world record by eating a maximum amount of chilies in the least time. If successful, Anandita Dutta Tamuly will also be the world's first person to eat a massive quantity of the world's hottest peppers.

Tamuly is extremely confident of besting the pepper, because she's an experienced summiter already.

"I have created history on Indian television by munching 60 of the chilies in two minutes. I am more than confident of creating a record once I reach London."

"I have been eating Bhut Jolokia since my childhood and never felt the hotness in my mouth. I can even break the chilli and splash it on my eyes. I tried this on TV and had no problems whatsoever."

The Assam government will pay for her trip to set the record. The previous world record appears to be 8 jalapenos in a minute, a pretty small bump compared to 60 Bhut Jolokias and a little Bhut Jolokia eyewash.

One consequence of the chile's new fame is its price is climbing.

"We never thought Bhut Jolokia was so hot until news came in that this is the world's hottest chilli. Now we have hiked the prices by Rs.50 a kg and people are buying it like hot cakes," said Nalini Ram Thakuria, a vegetable vendor in Guwahati.

Note: In New Mexico, it's spelled "chile," not "chili."

Tags: Chile, Chili, Bhut Jolokia, Anandita Dutta Tamuly

Adobe Wall

2007-02-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

An old adobe wall along a quiet Mesilla street.

Tags: Adobe, Mesilla

World's Hottest Chile

2007-02-19T00:08:00.000-07:00

An NMSU professor has identified what is evidently the hottest chile in the world:

In fall of 2006, the Guinness Book of Records confirmed that New Mexico State University Regent’s Professor Paul Bosland had indeed discovered the world’s hottest chile pepper, Bhut Jolokia.

Bhut Jolokia, at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), is nearly twice as hot as Red Savina, the chile pepper variety it replaces as the world’s hottest. A New Mexico green chile contains about 1,500 SHUs and an average jalapeno measures at about 10,000 SHUs.

"The name Bhut Jolokia translates as ‘ghost chile,’" Bosland said, "we’re not sure why they call it that, but I think it’s because the chile is so hot, you give up the ghost when you eat it!"

According to Bosland, Bhut Jolokia is a naturally occurring inter-specific hybrid indigenous to the Assam region of northeastern India. A member of NMSU’s Chile Pepper Institute visiting India sent Bhut Jolokia seeds back to NMSU for testing in 2001.

"The plant doesn’t set fruit very well, so it took a couple of years to get enough for field testing," Bosland said.

Bhut Jolokia Chile -- NMSU photo.
The Scoville Heat Units scale for measuring pepper hotness is named in honor of Wilbur Lincoln Scoville, who invented the first method of measuring hotness. The hot substance in chiles is capsaicin. Pure capsaicin has a Scoville Heat rating of 15 to 16 million.

The Chile Pepper Institute was established in 1992 and is located at New Mexico State University.

Tags: Hottest Chile, NMSU, Chile Pepper Institute, Capsaicin

"Development"

2007-02-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

Mesilla is getting something it's never had -- apartments (how rare is that in today's world?). Two apartment complexes are now going up, as you can see here:

The Mesilla City Council, which does take its responsibility to preserve historic Mesilla seriously, approved these projects.

But why? Apartment complexes are totally out of character for Mesilla. They will increase the traffic and population density without contributing in any way to Mesilla's wonderful qualities.

But perhaps worst of all, they are now the tallest structures in Mesilla except for San Albino.

Tags: Mesilla Development, Mesilla Apartments

Snow!

2007-01-06T23:45:00.000-07:00

Mesilla caught up with the rest of New Mexico this morning and got snow -- the first this winter. There are years in which Mesilla gets no snow.

Here's what San Albino looked like as the snow came down.

An adobe off the plaza:

The Rio Grande:

A pecan orchard:

About 1 pm the sun came out and the snow was mostly gone by evening.

Tags: Mesilla, Snow, San Albino

Pecan Pruning

2007-01-03T00:37:00.000-07:00

After the harvest, pecan growers have one last, big task -- pruning the trees.

Pecan trees are pruned for several reasons. The main reason is to keep the trees smaller, which makes harvesting and tree care easier. But pruning also helps increase or maintain yields and improve nut quality.

Big trees are pruned using a rideable, motorized arm:

The operator can drive through the orchard and raise or lower the arm as needed.

Pruning requires skill. Trees must be cut in the right way, dead limbs recognized and taken out, and narrow crotches removed.

The prunings must be cleared so that they don't interfere with the care of the trees or serve as a host for disease or insects.

The prunings are first stacked, then hauled off and burnt. No viable economic use for pecan prunings has been found, so burning is currently considered the best disposal option.

Until they began to leaf out and grow, pruned trees look buzz-cut.

Tags: Pecan Pruning, Motorized Arm, Rideable Pruning Arm

Happy New Year!

2006-12-31T20:26:00.000-07:00

2006 ends in a few hours and 2007 begins.

A traditional way to celebrate the start of the new year in this former Spanish colony is to set off fireworks.

The City Fathers have been trying to squelch that behavior for years. Here's a lone fireworks stand in Mesilla, selling the bland, "safe" fireworks permitted by current law.

Best wishes for 2007!

Tags: Mesilla, Fireworks

Mesilla Plaza - Christmas

2006-12-31T01:05:00.000-07:00

Taken this evening on the Plaza, looking toward San Albino.

Tags: Mesilla Plaza, Christmas

Mesilla Post Office

2006-12-22T23:18:00.000-07:00

Tags: Mesilla Post Office

No Trespassing

2006-12-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

As you drive the backroads around Mesilla, through the 18,000+ acres of pecans in the county, you will see these little signs every where:

Why such concern about trees? They are not going to be damaged by people walking under them.

Here's the reason:

Tags: Pecan Thieves

Blacksmith

2006-12-15T11:20:00.000-07:00

Here's the old Mesilla blacksmith shop, which was built before 1900. It's been closed for 40 years.

The structure is unplastered adobe.

Here's a closer view of the weathered front and the sliding horse door.

The human door:

The inside:

Tags: Mesilla, Blacksmith Shop

Adobe Embeds

2006-12-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a well-maintained adobe building co-habitating with the remains of an old adobe structure.

This kind of thing can be seen around Mesilla because most owners don't want to demolish this historical heritage. In recognition of this preference, Mesilla has a city ordinance against removing old adobe structures.

This tree was undoubtedly alive when it was incorporated into this adobe wall.

So we have duple embeds: tree in wall, wall in building. Or do we have tree in building, building in wall?

Tags: Adobe, Mesilla, Duple Embeds

Pecan Harvesting

2006-12-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

The 2006 pecan harvest is almost finished.

The trees are ready for harvest when most of the protective shucks have split. You can see the open shucks and pecans here:

Pecan trees alternate between high yield and low yield years. This year is a low year for this area. Production in a low year can be as little as 1/3 of a high year.

Here is a tree from an orchard with an excellent yield this year, perhaps because the trees are younger and were recently transplanted.

The first step in harvesting is getting the nuts out of the tree. This is done with a shaker:

The trees are shook for about 2 or 3 seconds and you can feel the shaking in the ground 20 or 30 feet away. The going rate to get your trees shook if you don't own a shaker is $5 a tree.

Sometimes it is necessary to shake several branches of a large tree.

Here you can see pecans falling as the tree shakes.

The shaker shakes out anything that will fall, including shucks, leaves, and twigs. All of this joins the leaves which have already fallen from the tree, so the second step is to use a windrow machine to rake this material into rows.

The last step in harvesting is to use a sweeper to pick up the leaves and debris and pecans and separate the pecans. Here's a sweeper in action.

The sweeper stores the nuts in a bin and grinds the leaves and debris and returns it to the soil.

Here are what trees look like after harvest.

Doña Ana county produces more pecans than any similarly-sized area in the world.

Tags: Pecan Harvest, Pecan Shaker, Pecan Sweeper

Two Lanes

2006-11-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

Two of Mesilla's tranquil lanes, reflecting the pleasant pace of life here.

Tags: Mesilla, New Mexico

Pecans Yellowing

2006-11-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

The pecans trees are just beginning to yellow. This is later than usual, which will delay the harvest, which usually begins in late October.

The pecans are hard to see unless you look closely.

Tags: Pecan Harvest

Ironworks Unlimited

2006-11-09T00:40:00.000-07:00

The best place in the Mesilla Valley to get custom metal work.

You won't find Ironworks Unlimited near the plaza. It's on a side road, but people who have been here awhile know where to find it. The owner does the work himself, and has been at this location since 1972.
Tags: Ironwork

Daydreaming

2006-11-05T01:26:00.000-07:00

Sitting on a wall, daydreaming in the Mesilla sun...

Tags: Mesilla

Making Adobe

2006-11-02T00:03:00.000-07:00

Adobe is still made in Mesilla just as it was 150 years ago, with the exception that a machine is used to help mix and pour the mud.

First the dirt for the adobe is shoveled into a pile and mixed with straw.

Next water is added to the center of the pile and roughly mixed.

The mud is then shoveled into the mixing machine and mixed to the right texture. You can see the adobe building being repaired here.

The mud is poured into wooden forms that make bricks 10 x 14 inches in size.

The forms are removed and the bricks are not moved until they are dry. The drying process may take days.

Mesilla ordinances forbid the demolition of an adobe structure.

Tags: Making Adobe

Rain Today

2006-10-24T14:14:00.000-06:00

We've had about 20 hours of slow rain. It's welcome and very pleasant, but comes at a bad time for local farmers.

San Albino this morning:

The Fountain Theater:

Tags: San Albino, Fountain Theater, Mesilla

Billy's DNA

2006-10-23T23:10:00.000-06:00

Part of the myth of Billy the Kid is that he "somehow" escaped being killed by Pat Garrett in 1881 and lived out his life quietly and (mostly) honestly.

Not very likely.

One of the supposed Billy's is a John Miller, who died March 12, 1937 at the Pioneers' Retirement Home in Prescott, Arizona. It is said he never claimed publicly (except when drunk) to be Billy, but his friends identified him as such.

Here are Billy (left) and John.

On May 19, 2005, Tom Sullivan, former sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico, and Steve Sederwall, former mayor of Capitan, New Mexico, exhumed Tom Miller's body from the cemetery at the Pioneers' Home.

Miller's grave was unmarked. When they dug it up, they found 2 skeletons. The second one was William Hudspeth, a cattleman who died 3 days before Miller.

They were given permission to dig up Miller's grave by the former superintendent of the Pioneers' Home, but not to remove the remains, which they did. Sullivan and Sederwall took the remains to get a DNA sample and to separate Miller's remains from Hudspeth's.

Arizona authorities had threatened to charge Sullivan and Sederwall with grave robbing, but announced today that the two would not be charged.

The results of the DNA tests are not known at this time.

Tags: Billy the Kid, John Miller, Billy's DNA

Standing Cow

2006-10-22T14:11:00.000-06:00

In a pasture south of the plaza...

Tags: Cow

Adobe House

2006-10-20T01:44:00.000-06:00

All the early structures in Mesilla were adobe, and many, many adobe structures remain in use. Here's an adobe house a couple of blocks off the plaza that's being renovated.

Before the arrival of Spaniards, Native Americans were building using dried mud. But they didn't use bricks. They built by drying the mud in layers. Building with mud bricks was introduced by the Spaniards, and it's structures built with these bricks which are called adobe.

Almost all the early adobe houses are long and narrow, or L-shaped like this one.

Two features that characterize adobe structures are recessed doors and windows with wooden lintels, as you see here. The recessing is due to the thickness of the walls, which can be two feet or more. The thick walls keep the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Before hard plaster was available, the external and internal surfaces were plastered with mud. Hard plaster is vastly superior, providing a water-proof, durable surface.

In this case, it appears that the outside plaster below the top cap has been removed, probably because it was in bad shape. This will certainly be replaced during the renovation.

The smoothness of this wall, and the rounded corner, show it's been exposed to the weather a long time

Tags: Adobe

Best Coffee

2006-10-17T10:55:00.000-06:00

The best place in town for coffee:

The Bean coffee shop is located on the east side of Mesilla, across the highway from the old town.

Tags: The Bean of Mesilla, Coffee Shop

Cafe Don Felix

2006-10-16T00:30:00.000-06:00

Chile rellenos any one?

Cafe Don Felix is located opposite the southwest corner of Mesilla plaza. Sit on the patio at night and enjoy our great fall weather and great food.

Tags: Cafe Don Felix

Cabbage Harvest

2006-10-15T00:24:00.000-06:00

The harvest begins.

Tags: Cabbage Harvest

Mesilla Chiles

2006-10-09T00:36:00.000-06:00

The local chile harvest is almost over.

Chile pods can be picked green or red. The pods, green initially, turn red when older.

Green chiles are eaten in many ways, chile rellenos being perhaps the most famous. Red chiles are used for spicing and sauces.

Here's a green chile two days before its harvest:

Here are red chiles from the same field. Because the pods mature at different times, a field will have both green and red.

Here's a banana pepper:

Here are cherry peppers:

Tags: Chiles, Chile Rellenos, Peppers

Moonrise

2006-10-07T01:44:00.000-06:00

The "harvest" moon rising this evening.

The moon tonight appeared 12 degrees wider than usual, due to moon's position in relation to the earth.
Tags: Moonrise, Harvest Moon

Freight Wagon

2006-10-05T00:26:00.000-06:00

Before mechanical transport, hundreds of thousands of tons of goods were transported to Mesilla using freight wagons like this.

One early pioneer account, for example, relates an instance when 400 freight wagons were used to transport $100,000 worth of stores to Mesilla. These wagons were pulled by horses or mules.

Tags: Freight Wagon

Mesilla Mariachis

2006-10-03T10:40:00.000-06:00

Sunday at 4 pm at the Mesilla Plaza is the place to be if you like music and folk dance. That's when the free Mariachi concerts begin, to be held every Sunday until November 5.

Mariachi - what does it mean? Oddly enough, no one seems to know for certain. The most accepted theory is that it comes from one of the languages native to Mexico before the Spanish invasion and conquest.

A Mariachi band consists of multiple violins, two trumpets, several kinds of guitars, and usually a folk harp. Besides a standard guitar, a Mariachi band has a high-pitched guitar and a base-rhythm guitar.

Tags: Mariachi

Irrigation Gates

2006-10-01T14:36:00.000-06:00

Mesilla is criss-crossed with ditches and canals. This irrigation system goes back to the founding of Mesilla.

The Rio Grande is the source of the water. The gates enable the water to be directed to specific places at specific times in specific amounts.

Tags: Irrigation Gates

Tree Regal

2006-09-30T01:39:00.000-06:00

I think this is the oldest tree in Mesilla, perhaps the oldest in the valley. Why it's growing in regal isolation on the edge of town, I do not know. Nor do I know how old it is.

This tree has lived so long, survived so much -- it should be recognized as the majestic living thing it is and protected. Vivat rex!

Tags: Oldest Tree, Mesilla

Flood Irrigation

2006-09-29T00:01:00.000-06:00

Pecan trees are irrigated by flooding, which is the only practical way to get water to the roots of the trees. Flood irrigation may appear wasteful, but it actually encourages deep root growth, which in turn reduces the amount of irrigation water required by the crop.

Tags: Flood Irrigation, Pecans

Quiet Lanes

2006-09-27T00:55:00.000-06:00

If you're looking for a place without traffic jams, where life is still delightful, consider these tree-lined Mesilla lanes:

Tag: Mesilla, Traffic

Cotton, Chile, Corn, Cabbage

2006-09-26T00:01:00.000-06:00

Cotton is the number one crop around Mesilla. Here's the Organ Mountains viewed over a cotton field just north of Mesilla:

Mesilla grows excellent chiles. Here's the Organ Mountains viewed over a chile field just south of Mesilla:

Here's the Organ Mountains viewed over a corn crop:

And finally, here's the Organ Mountains viewed over a cabbage crop:

Tags: Cotton, Chile, Corn, Cabbage

Welcome and Adios

2006-09-24T00:57:00.000-06:00

One sign, two sides.

Welcome to Mesilla.

Thanks for Visiting Mesilla. Adios.

Tags: Mesilla Sign

Whole Enchilada Fiesta

2006-09-20T23:24:00.000-06:00

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta is held annually "next door" in Las Cruces. It's a huge area event that typically attracts 50,000 or more visitors.

The Festival begins Friday, September 22, and runs for 3 days.

The location is the Meersheidt/Hadley Sports Complex in Las Cruces. Here's a map of the location:

The events include food, live entertainment, pet parade, carnival, motorcycle and car show, and the making of the world's largest enchilada.

The web site provides full details and times.

Tags: Whole Enchilada Fiesta, Map, Events

Organ Mountains

2006-09-18T23:57:00.000-06:00

If you look east from Mesilla, you can see the Organ Mountains. The highest peak in the range is 8,990 feet.

Here's a view of the Organ Mountains from the north end of Mesilla, across an alfalfa field.

Tags: Organ Mountains Viewed From Mesilla

"Fall Getaway"

2006-09-17T23:14:00.000-06:00

The October issue of Sunset magazine recommends Mesilla as a top getaway location for a weekend trip.

The article in the magazine covers many of the obvious things to do in Mesilla, including the restaurants and shops.

Tags: Sunset Magazine, Travel Getaway

18,000+ Acres

2006-09-15T22:44:00.000-06:00

There are 18,000+ acres of pecans in this county (Doña Ana).

How many trees is that?

I don't know, but you can get some idea of the miles and miles of trees from these satellite photos of pecan groves just south of Mesilla.

In a mature grove, trees are spaced about 30 feet apart, resulting in about 48 trees per acre.

The average yield for a pecan grove is about 600 pounds an acre.

This area produces higher than average yields, but most importantly, the quality of pecans grown here is unmatched anywhere else. High quality pecans require cold in the winter and heat in the summer, but not too cold or too hot. The climate here is just right for pecans.

Most growers in this area do not use chemical insecticides to control pests -- instead, growers use natural predators like ladybugs and lacewing flies.

New Mexico Pecan Growers Association

Tags: Pecan Quality, Yield

Adobe Pulled Down

2006-09-13T00:46:00.000-06:00

Yesterday afternoon, several miles south of Mesilla, I watched the last wall of an adobe structure pulled down. There were several good reasons the old home had to be demolished, including public safety.

Here's the wall about to go:

I spoke with the owner, who told me the structure was not that old, having been built about 1950.

How do you date adobe? Here's one way:

Notice that the mortar used between the adobe bricks is cement. That is a practice that began in the late 1940s and largely defeats the advantages of adobe, because cement is an excellent conductor of heat. An adobe structure that uses cement mortar instead of the traditional mud will be hotter in the summer and cooler in the winter.

Here's the wall going down:

Tags: Adobe Wall

Thunderbird de la Mesilla

2006-09-09T10:55:00.000-06:00

This is believed to be the oldest brick building in New Mexico. It sits at the southwest corner of Mesilla plaza. The sign on the front wall gives a quick history of the building.

"This is the oldest documented brick building in New Mexico.

Augustin Maurin (of French descent) initiated construction in 1860 using burned brick from his own kiln. He was murdered by robbers in his adjoining apartment in 1866.

The heir, Cesar Maurin, came here from France to claim the property. He died of natural causes in 1868.

Frenchman Pedro Duhalde, a former Mesilla saloonkeeper, moved in and was himself murdered by robbers.

Now owned by Tiburcio Frietze, after having been used as a general store, residence, saloon and town hall, the building remains in good condition.

Original, hand-hewn vigas, supporting a low, irregular ceiling, join with the old brickwork in creating a fitting background for the gift items displayed.

The Dona Ana Historical Society finds this building worthy of preservation and commends Mr. Frietze for his part in its care."

Tags: Thunderbird de la Mesilla Gift Shop

San Albino Skyward

2006-09-08T00:54:00.000-06:00

Another view of San Albino.

The Skilled Irrigator

2006-09-06T23:08:00.000-06:00

Irrigation existed before civilization. Irrigation was one of the fathers (or mothers, if you prefer) of civilization.

The Skilled Irrigator was already a model of righteousness at the beginning of Sumerian civilization, around 8000 BC. The highest god in many early agricultural cultures was praised as "irrigator of all things."

The root of irrigation means "to lead water to, to refresh."

Unless you are in agriculture, you probably ignore irrigation, or maybe think about it only as a "consumer of water."

But you are dependent upon irrigation for what you eat, and for much of what you wear.

Irrigation is close in Mesilla, which still has its partnership with the land. Many houses have 15 to 30 pecan trees and irrigation rights from the Rio Grande.

Irrigation canals thread the Village. Here's some of what you can see if you look.

Cement canals prevent water loss into the ground, one of the goals of a Skilled Irrigator.

A control gate.

Canal and gate.

Gate control.

Tags: The Skilled Irrigator

Old Mesilla Courthouse

2006-09-03T23:03:00.000-06:00

The Old Mesilla Courthouse is now a gift shop.

As indicated by the sign, the Courthouse dates from 1850.

Some historical sources describe this building as adobe. That's wrong. The building is brick with a relatively recent plaster surface, as shown by this early photo.

You can see the distinctive decorative brick along the roof in both the old and the new photographs. Notice also that the corner of the building has been sliced off to make the current entrance.

Tags: Old Mesilla Courthouse

Mesilla Plaza -- Satellite View

2006-09-02T12:56:00.000-06:00

Here's a satellite shot of the Mesilla plaza.

You can see clearly the octagonal bandstand located in the center of the plaza. San Ablino is located north of the plaza, just above the three rows of parking cars.

Mesilla bandstand.

Tags: Mesilla Satellite Image

Hatch Chile Festival

2006-09-01T11:04:00.000-06:00

In spite of the rain and flooding, the 2006 Hatch Valley Chile Festival will open as planned. The cost of the Festival is $5. One dollar of the fee goes to a non-profit fund for the victims of the recent flooding in Hatch.

Here's the Saturday schedule:

Saturday -- September 2
10 am -- Parade Downtown Hatch
12 noon -- 2006 Queen Coronation
1-3 pm -- Music by Ginny Mac
All Afternoon Various Chile Contests, Booths, Food
4-7 pm -- Music and Dance to "The Silver Bullet Band"

Here's the Sunday schedule:

Sunday -- September 3
12 pm -- Cobre Folklorio Dancers
All Afternoon Various Chile Contests, Booths, Food
1-2 pm -- Music by Scotty Fitch
2 pm -- Queen's Auction
3-5 pm -- Music & Dance by Cameron the DJ

This is the 35th annual festival.

Official Festival Web Site

Tags: Hatch Chile Festival

Billy the Kid

2006-08-31T14:33:00.000-06:00

Still standing in the southeast corner of the Mesilla plaza is the courthouse and jail where Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to death by hanging.

The only authentic picture of Billy.

Billy had been captured December 23, 1880 in the Fort Sumner area.

On March 28, 1881, he was transported to Mesilla by train for trial for the murders of Andrew "Buckshot" Roberts and Sheriff William Brady. It was decided he would be tried for each offense separately.

His trial for killing "Buckshot" Roberts began on March 30, 1881. The case against him in this trail was thrown-out on the grounds that the killing took place on private land, not public land, and the government thus had no standing to prosecute.

The trial for the killing of Sheriff Brady began April 8. The judge presiding, Judge Bristol, dismissed Billy's defense attorney from the first trial and appointed John D. Bail and Albert Fountain to represent him. Although he didn't say so, the judge felt that his first attorney had done too good a job.

On April 13. the jury brought in its verdict: guilty. The judge then sentenced Billy to death by hanging, to be carried out on May 13, 1881 in Lincoln, New Mexico.

In an interview later that day in the Mesilla News, Billy said the following:

"Well, I had intended at one time to not say a word in my own behalf, because persons would say, 'Oh, he lied'; Newman gave me a rough deal; has created prejudice against me, and is trying to incite a mob to lynch me. He sent me a paper which shows it; I think it a dirty, mean advantage to take of me considering my situation and knowing I could not defend myself by word or act. But I suppose he thought he would give me a kick down hill. Newman came to see me the other day; I refused to talk to him or tell him anything; but I believe the News is always willing to give its readers both sides of a question."

"If mob law is going to rule, better dismiss judge, sheriff, etc., and let all take chances alike. I expected to be lynched in going to Lincoln. Advise persons never to engage in killing."

Three days later he was taken to Lincoln. It was from the Lincoln courthouse that Billy escaped on April 28, killing two deputies.

Tags: Billy the Kid Trial Escape

Pecans -- The Cadillac of Nuts

2006-08-30T23:51:00.000-06:00

Pecans are a huge agricultural industry around Mesilla. There are an estimated 18,000 acres of pecans in the county (Doña Ana).

Pecans, because of their wonderful flavor, have been called the Cadillac of nuts.

This is a wonderful time of the year to drive through the pecan groves. The trees are lush green and the patterns made by the sunlight, shadows, and rows of trees are dazzling.

The pecans in this area are irrigated primarily with water from the Rio Grande. As a result, there are many irrigation canals feeding the groves.

Tags: Cadillac of Nuts Pecans

More on Gadsden Purchase

2006-08-29T23:57:00.000-06:00

The Gadsden Purchase was signed in Mesilla on November 16, 1854. This is reflected in the Mexican name for the Purchase, the Treaty of Mesilla. A bronze plaque in the Mesilla plaza commemorates this agreement between the two countries.

Following the signing of the treaty, the Mexican flag was lowered and the American flag raised. The people of Mesilla, who had previously been citizens of Mexico, became citizens of the United States. The agreements between Mexico and the inhabitants of the Gadsden Purchase area were respected by the US Government, including all land grants made by Mexico that were eventually adjudicated as valid.

Las Cruces, which today adjoins Mesilla, was just outside the Purchase area, being already part of the United States.

Tags: Mesilla Plaque

San Albino Pictures

2006-08-26T12:12:00.000-06:00

Here's a view of the Mesilla plaza at twilight.

Here are two more views of San Albino.

Tags: San Albino Church

Mesilla Plaza

2006-08-26T11:54:00.000-06:00

The Mesilla plaza. You can see the San Albino Catholic Church at the end of the plaza.

Tags: Mesilla Town Plaza

Mesilla History

2006-08-26T10:36:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Mesilla.

It is generally accepted that the town of Mesilla was founded some time in the late 1840s, although it had been visited by various European travelers since the mid-1500s. Of course, Native Americans were familiar with this area and had camped here for thousands of years. They were not pleased to see settlers.

Mesilla means "little tableland."

In 1851, Fort Fillmore was established to protect Mesilla from raids by Apaches.

In 1854, The Gadsden Purchase made Mesilla officially part of the United States. The treaty is named after the person who represented the United States in the negotiations with Mexico, James Gadsden.

With this treaty, Mexico sold the United States approximately 29,000 square miles of land for $10 million.

The map shows the location of the Purchase.

You can read the actual treaty here.

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Today Mesilla has a population of about 2400.

Tags: Old Mesilla History Gadsden Purchase