New Mexico - March 2000
DEMING, NEW MEXICO
This sleepy town in southwestern New Mexico sounded interesting enough to make a stopover.  It was founded in 1881 an is just south of Cooke’s Canyon which was one of the three most dangerous places in the Southwest to travel through between 1850 and 1888.  Apache leaders involved in the various raids, killings and massacres in Cooke’s Canyon included Mangas Colorado, Cochise, Geronimo, Victorio, Juh, Chato and Nana.  The tales of the various ambushes are the basis for most of the old “Westerns.”

The railroad came to Deming in 1881 along with the Harvey House and civilization.  Military bases for state and federal troops affected the towns growth.  State parks nearby include Rockhound State Park from whence those interested can remove 20 pounds of rocks per person.  How’s that for a day's haul?

COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO
This tiny border town was the site of a raid by Pancho Villa on March 9, 1916 which led to the subsequent expedition into Mexico by 10,000 U.S. Army soldiers led by General “Black Jack” Pershing.  Pershing tracked Pancho Villa for 11 months (unsuccessfully) 400 miles into the Mexican Desert.  This was the last U.S. cavalry action and the first to employ mechanized vehicles.  I grew up near a main thoroughfare in Chicago called Pershing Road and knew only that it was named after some general, now I know more about him.

Pancho Villa State Park is in Columbus.  It was the site of Camp Furlong from whence Pershing amassed his forces.  One of the most interesting remains at this park is a concrete grease rack.  The design is essentially the same as today's, but the trucks and/or tanks drove up onto the concrete rack.

From Columbus you can drive about a mile to a border crossing and walk in to Palomas, Mexico.  This town seems to exist solely for Americans who go there for prescriptions, dental work and eyeglasses.  People came and went very quickly.  It is certainly not a tourist town, as shopping was limited, except for the pharmacies, dentists, etc.

Returning from Columbus to Deming, the highway was dotted with rather unkempt homes or ranches, and we noted a rather nice home coming up on the right hand side of the road.  It was pueblo style and obviously new.  An iron gate led to the driveway with the name clearly stated, “Rancho cost-a-lot.”

ST. CLAIRE'S VINEYARD, DEMING, NEW MEXICO
One of the not to be missed sites in an around Deming is the local vineyard.  We stopped and found the wine tasting clerk (or perhaps the owner) at a table hand painting the bottles for the winery.  There were desert scenes and congratulatory messages for many occasions available.  All were individually painted and signed.  Inside the shelves were full of the many choices.  BUT, the biggest surprise was when a local came in with two empty wine bottles and they were filled at a tap along the wall with his choice of wines and recorked with plastic corks.  They are the only place in the U.S. (according to the artist/proprieter) to do this.  She gives instructions to folks as to how to sterilize their bottles, then for $2.50 they have a new $7.50 bottle of wine.  Not bad, but I doubt it will catch on in the Napa Valley.

LAS CRUSAS, NEW MEXICO
A Farmer's Market and Craft fair on the downtown covered mall was our first stop in Las Crusas, New Mexico.  Next to Mesilla Village or Square and visited the shops and buildings there.


 
Columbus
Museum
Columbus
Museum
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Pancho Villa
State Park
Columbus
Deming Museum
Deming
Custom House
Rock Hound
State Park
Camelot at Rock
Hound SP
Ray at Rock Hound SP
Downtown 
Deming
Deming
Courthouse
Las Cruses
Las Cruses
Las Cruses
Las Cruses
Billy the Kid
Courthouse Sign
Courthouse is
now a shop
Border crossing to Palomas,_MX
Street in Palomas,_MX
Street in Palomas,_MX
Street/Park
Palomas,_MX
Small Church Palomas,_MX
Interior of Church
Palomas,_MX
See our photos of Carlsbad Caverns