Victor's Meanderings

On my first visit to this area of New Mexico, I discovered the wonderful old village of Mesilla. It's old world charm and history had made it one of my favorite places to visit here. Basilica of San Albino, on the Mesilla plaza Mesilla in 1854 City Plaza The village of Mesilla was incorporated in 1848, after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo moved the U.S.-Mexico border south of the village of Doña Ana, placing it in the United States. A small group of citizens, unhappy at being part of the United States, decided to move south of the border. They settled in Mesilla at this time. By 1850, Mesilla was an established colony. By this time, its people were under constant threat of attack from the Apache. By 1851, the attacks caused the United States to take action to protect its people just to the north of the border, in the Mesilla Valley . They did this by creating Fort Fillmore. As a result of the fort, the United States declared the Mesilla Valley region part of the United

Billy the Kid and Sheriff Garrett roamed these parts many years ago. And just down the road from here is the famous Lincoln County, New Mexico. Lincoln County is known for it's Lincoln County Wars. This evening, as I a prepare a very belated posting of my meanderings, I am watching the sun set over the mountains just west of this BLM campground called Valley of Fires Recreation Area. The campground is adjacent to El Malpais, Spanish for Bad Lands. The lava in this area covers an area 125 miles wide and more than 160 feet deep. It came up from the ground. Another El Malpais area that I visited a couple of days ago was south of Grants and resulted from the volcanic eruption of Mt. Taylor. These lava flows made it difficult for the Spanish and the US Army because they could not get their wagons and canons through the area. The sharp material would tear the soles of boots to shreds and badly injure the horses. Coronado and his men had to find ways around these areas as a result.