Las Cruces: Recreation

Sightseeing

A popular attraction is the monument and white crosses which mark the graves of the travelers from Taos who were ambushed and killed by Apaches in 1830, and for which the city is purported to be named. White Sands Missile Range displays missiles and weapons at its visitor's center. Its museum traces the origins of space and nuclear research. Separate and distinct from the missile range is White Sands National Monument, an area of over 275 square miles of pure gypsum. Nature tours, including Lake Lucero, are given. Visitors can explore the world's largest pecan farms at Stahmann Farms, about 7 miles south of the city. History buffs of the Old West will enjoy San Albino Church in old Mesilla, one of the oldest missions in the region; the Fort Seldon State Monument on the site of the former cavalry fort; and the Historical Museum of Lawmen, located at the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Department, which displays law enforcement memorabilia. The only federally funded monument to the Bataan Death March heroes can be found in Veterans Park in Las Cruces along Roadrunner Parkway. It was dedicated in 2001 and sculpted by local artist Kelly Hester.

Arts and Culture

Founded by Tony-award-winning playwright Mark Medoff, The American Southwest Theatre Company performs five or six regular season productions a year plus a children's show at New Mexico State University. Professional actors from the London Stage Company produce Shakespearean plays with the group once a year. The Las Cruces Community Theatre group produces five shows annually and holds a one-act festival of experimental plays in the winter. Opportunities for Creative Theater Students offers student performances at the NMSU Attic Theater.

Las Cruces boasts a number of interesting museums. Five are run by the city itself: the Las Cruces Historical Museum (formerly the Branigan Cultural Center), the Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Fine Art and Culture, The Railroad Museum, and the Bicentennial Log Cabin. The log cabin was originally in the Black Mountain range in Grant, New Mexico, until the mining industry ended and Grant became a ghost town. The log cabin was transported and completely rebuilt by Las Cruces Association of Home Builders, and features original furnishings and artifacts from the 1880s. The Las Cruces Historical Museum displays both historical and fine arts items in a turn-of-the-century parlor. The Museum of Fine Art and Culture was completed in spring of 1999. The Las Cruces Railroad and Transportation Museum holds artifacts from New Mexico's railroading past. The museum of Natural History displays plants and animals from the Chihuahuan Desert region and has programs running the gamut from dinosaurs to astronomy. The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum is the largest of its kind in the world and educates the public on everything in the 3,000-year history of agriculture in New Mexico. New Mexico State University has its own University Museum in Kent Hall on the main campus, which holds mostly anthropological artifacts including historic and prehistoric art objects. Space Murals, Inc. is a combination giant water tower mural and museum honoring space exploration and astronauts. Visitors to the Gadsden Museum get a taste of life and times of the Albert Jennings Fountain family, who played a crucial role in Las Cruces history. The museum exhibits Indian artifacts and objects from the Civil War, paintings and china, and outlines the history of the Gadsden Purchase.

Festivals and Holidays

Las Cruces hosts holidays and fiestas year round, many of them celebrating the city's Hispanic culture. Starting in mid-January is the Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally, when 90 or more colorful balloons fill the sky. April offers four happenings: the La Vina Blues and Jazz Thing features cool music sponsored by New Mexico's oldest winery; the Trinity Site Tour in White Sands Missile Range where the first atomic explosion was set off; the Border Book Festival, featuring renowned visiting authors, food, fun, and live acts; and the annual Frontier Days at Fort Seldon. Cinco de Mayo festivities take place in May, with Mexican food, dancing, and music in old Mesilla. Also in May, the Fiesta de San Ysidro celebrates agriculture and Hispanic traditions, and ends with a Blessing of the Fields and the hot GLASS Fly-In, showcasing the latest in flight technology. Another wine festival dubbed The Vintner's Splash is held at the end of May.

Fourth of July is celebrated with the Electric Light Parade and fireworks. In September and October, kids and grown ups alike enjoy the Mesilla Valley Maze, which includes hay rides to a pumpkin patch and finding one's way through twists and turns cut into a corn field. In early September is the Hatch Chile Festival, honoring the Mesilla Valley as the chile capital of the world with food, crafts, an auction, and more. An hour north of Las Cruces, Hillsboro holds its apple festival the first week of September. Diez y Seis de Septiembre commemorates Mexican Independence day with folk dances, mariachi music, and traditional Mexican foods. The world's largest enchilada is constructed each year at the Whole Enchilada Fiesta, with an accompanying parade and other festivities. The end of September and the beginning of October bring the Southern New Mexico State Fair, with food, music, an auction, livestock shows, and a rodeo. La Vina, New Mexico's oldest winery, holds its namesake festival in October. The Annual Mesilla Jazz Happening holds court in two places, the old Historic Plaza and the new Mercado Plaza, with horse drawn shuttles giving free rides between the two plazas. Then in mid October "Cowboy Days" unfolds, with roping and riding demonstrations, food and music, and cowboy poetry.

While the Anglo world celebrates Halloween, in Las Cruces there is Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, with candlelit processions, homemade altars in the streets, and a giant piñata. November brings the Annual Renaissance Craftfaire where artisans present their works in a juried art show and exhibition. In mid-November the International Mariachi Conference and Concert arrives to New Mexico State University and Young Park. Finally, in December, Christmas Carols and Luminarias set historic old Mesilla aglow.

Sports for the Spectator

New Mexico State University offers Division I NCAA college sports with 6 men's and 10 women's teams. Many games are held at Aggie Memorial Football Stadium with a capacity of more than 30,000 people.

Sports for the Participant

Las Cruces is home to more than 60 parks, many of which have playgrounds, picnic tables, and special events throughout the year. The city's four recreation centers have weight rooms and racquetball and basketball courts. Therapeutic recreation is offered at Mesilla Park Recreation Center. Summer programs include swimming, tennis, track and field, and computer camp. Other city recreation department offerings are soccer, football, softball, basketball, BMX, track and field, swimming lessons, volleyball, and boxing.

Shopping and Dining

Shopping in Las Cruces can be a delightfully varied experience. Mesilla Valley Mall houses 74 stores, including both national chain stores and small boutiques. Rated one of the top 10 open-air markets in the country, the Las Cruces Farmers & Crafts Market presents more than 200 local artisans and farmers twice a week, year round. Visitors to Las Cruces are drawn to Old Mesilla, a picturesque village of galleries, unique stores and restaurants built around the town plaza, with buildings dating back to the 1850s. Mesilla is only five minutes from downtown Las Cruces. Visitors to Rancho Mesilla may sample a variety of chile pepper products while kids of all ages are entertained by llamas that roam the property. Also in Mesilla, Lowry Farms offers fresh or frozen berries, pecans, corn, flowers and ornamentals, and jams and jellies made on site.

Besides the wonderful Southwestern cuisine featuring dishes of local peppers and other produce, Las Cruces has more than 70 restaurants running the gamut from fast food and deli fare to Chinese, Japanese, continental, Italian, and, of course, Mexican fare.

Visitor Information: Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau, 211 N. Water St., Las Cruces, NM 88001; telephone (505)524-8521; toll-free (800)FIESTAS

Las Cruces: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

1980: 96,340

1990: 135,510

2000: 174,682

Percent change, 1990–2000: 28.9%

U.S. rank in 1990: 208th

U.S. rank in 2000: 181st

City Residents

1980: 45,086

1990: 62,648

2000: 74,267

2003 estimate: 76,990

Percent change, 1990–2000: 19.5%

U.S. rank in 1980: 475th

U.S. rank in 1990: 396th (State rank: 2nd)

U.S. rank in 2000: 408th (State rank: 2nd)

Density: 1,425.7 people per square mile

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 51,248

Black or African American: 1,738

American Indian and Alaska Native: 1,289

Asian: 863

Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 55

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 38,421

Other: 16,031

Percent of residents born in state: 46.7% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 5,195

Population 5 to 9 years old: 5,251

Population 10 to 14 years old: 5,054

Population 15 to 19 years old: 6,244

Population 20 to 24 years old: 8,771

Population 25 to 34 years old: 9,981

Population 35 to 44 years old: 9,976

Population 45 to 54 years old: 8,265

Population 55 to 59 years old: 2,972

Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,837

Population 65 to 74 years old: 5,280

Population 75 to 84 years old: 3,306

Population 85 years and over: 1,135

Median age: 31.2 years (2000)

Births (2002)

Total number: 3,081

Deaths (2002)

Total number: 1,129

Money Income (1999)

Per capita income: $15,704

Median household income: $30,375

Total households: 29,184

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 4,666

$10,000 to $14,999: 3,247

$15,000 to $24,999: 4,287

$25,000 to $34,999: 4,030

$35,000 to $49,999: 4,939

$50,000 to $74,999: 4,483

$75,000 to $99,999: 2,085

$100,000 to $149,999: 957

$150,000 to $199,999: 189

$200,000 or more: 218

Percent of families below poverty level: 17.2% (41.4% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Las Cruces: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

Las Cruces is served by the Sun-News, which is published every morning, and the Las Cruces Bulletin, a community newspaper that comes out each Thursday. Locally published magazines include New Mexico Farm and Ranch, a monthly covering equipment, techniques, and laws affecting the farming industry in New Mexico. The scholarly journal Tamara, covers organization science and is published out of New Mexico State University's Department of Management.

Television and Radio

Las Cruces has two AM and five FM radio stations that broadcast a variety of formats including country, Hispanic news/talk, adult contemporary, and public radio programming. The city has one public television station and one cable station.

Media Information: Sun-News, 256 West Las Cruces Avenue, Las Cruces, NM 88005; telephone (505)541-5400; fax (505)541-5498. Las Cruces Bulletin, 1210 East Madrid, Las Cruces, NM 88001; telephone (505)524-8061, fax (505)526-4621

Las Cruces Online

City of Las Cruces home page. Available www.las-cruces.org

Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. Available www.lascruces.org/chamber

Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau. Available www.lascrucescvb.org

Las Cruces Public Schools. Available lcps.k12.nm.us/LCPS

Las Cruces Sun-News. Available www.lcsun-news.com

Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance. Available www.mveda.com

New Mexico Department of Education school fact sheets. Available sde.state.nm.us/divisions/ais/datacollection/dcr factsheets.html

New Mexico Department of Labor. Available www3state.nm.us/dol

New Mexico State University Library. Available lib.nmsu.edu/siteindex.html

Southwest New Mexico Online Magazine. Available www.gilanet.com/swnmonline

Selected Bibliography

Harris, Linda G., Las Cruces: An Illustrated History (Las Cruces, New Mexico: Arroyo Press, 1993)

Las Cruces

The City in Brief

Founded: 1848; incorporated 1907

Head Official: William Michael Mattiace (since 2003)

City Population

1980: 45,086

1990: 62,648

2000: 74,267

2003 estimate: 76,990

Percent change, 1990–2000: 19.5%

U.S. rank in 1980: 475th

U.S. rank in 1990: 396th (State rank: 2nd)

U.S. rank in 2000: 408th (State rank: 2nd)

Metropolitan Area Population

1980: 96,340

1990: 135,510

2000: 174,682

Percent change, 1990–2000: 29.0%

U.S. rank in 1990: 208th

U.S. rank in 2000: 181st

Area: 52.22 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 3,909 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperature: 64.0° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 8.5 inches rain, 3.2 inches snow

Major Economic Sectors: government/military, services, trade, education, agriculture

Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (January 2005)

Per Capita Income: $15,704 (1999)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Major Colleges and Universities: New Mexico State University, La Dona Branch Community College

Daily Newspaper: Las Cruces Sun-News

Las Cruces: Health Care

Las Cruces has three medical facilities serving its health care needs. Memorial Medical Center (MMC) recently signed a 40-year, $150 million dollar agreement with Province Healthcare, which will enable it to add 99 private rooms to its 286-bed acute care facility. MMC offers emergency and urgent care, comprehensive cancer care at Ikard Cancer Treatment Center, imaging services, maternal/infant care, lab services, Memorial Heart Center for Heart and Vascular Care, outpatient surgery, Women's Health and Wellness, pediatrics, a neonatal care center, behavioral services, and various rehabilitation services among others. Additional services are offered at its new freestanding annex, Memorial HealthPlex, an outpatient surgery center with diagnostic imaging, lab services, and endoscopy. The Mesilla Valley Hospital, with 86 beds, offers adult and child psychiatric care, and chemical dependency treatment. The newest choice in health care in Las Cruces is Mountain View Regional Medical Center, which opened in 2002. It boasts a state of the art, full service emergency room and all private inpatient rooms. Among other key services at Mountain View are the Comprehensive Women's Center, cardiology services, surgery services, diagnostic imaging, inpatient rehabilitation, a pain management center, and an ADA certified diabetes program.

Las Cruces: Geography and Climate

Las Cruces is located 45 miles from the Mexican border and 40 miles northwest of El Paso, Texas. Bordered by the Organ Mountains in the east and the legendary Rio Grande on the west, Las Cruces is located in the heart of the fertile Mesilla Valley.

Las Cruces enjoys 350 days of sunshine annually, with less than 9 inches of average annual rainfall, which happens mostly at night, and only 3.2 inches of snowfall. Because it is situated over a natural underground aquifer, it does not suffer the water problems of a number of southwestern cities. Also, unlike many desert cities, Las Cruces experiences four mildly distinct seasons, with the harder part of the winter occurring during December and January, when the average daytime temperature is 57 degrees. Light snow does fall in the winter but seldom lasts longer than one day. June is generally the hottest month, with an average temperature of 94 degrees. The monsoon season, when heavy thunderstorms can occur daily, takes place in July and August.

Area: 52.22 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 3,909 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 41.5° F; June, 77.4° F; annual average, 64.0° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 8.5 inches of rain, 3.2 inches of snow

Las Cruces: Introduction

Las Cruces, Spanish for "city of crosses," is located in the Mesilla Valley, a wonderfully varied area of forests, river valley, and vast desert. The seat of Dona Ana County, the city is near White Sands Missile Range, where the first atomic bomb was tested. The city's spectacular setting boasts the Organ Mountains to the east and the surrounding Chihuahua Desert, with the Rio Grande running through the middle. Since the end of the nineteenth century, the city has been the political, social, and business hub for southern New Mexico. The Forbes/Milken Institute named Las Cruces among the top three small metro areas for business and careers in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and Money magazine placed it in the top eight places to retire, based on factors such as weather, crime, and economy.

Las Cruces: Convention Facilities

The Las Cruces Hilton has 203 rooms and nearly 6,500 square feet of convention and meeting facilities, including a 5,000 square foot Grand Ballroom and smaller executive conference rooms. The Best Western Mesilla Valley Inn is the second largest hotel with 170 rooms, and six conference rooms that can accommodate from 16 to 400 people.

Convention Information: Las Cruces Convention and Visitors Bureau, 211 N. Water St., Las Cruces, NM 88001; telephone (505)521-2144 or (800)FIESTAS

Las Cruces: Municipal Government

Las Cruces has a council-manager form of government with six council members elected by district serving staggered terms. Both the mayor and the council members serve four year terms.

Head Official: William Michael Mattiace (since March 2003; current term expires 2007)

Total Number of City Employees: 1,251 (2004)

City Information: City of Las Cruces, PO Box 20000, Las Cruces, NM 88004, telephone (505)541-2000