Page 228 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

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(see p45), Mesilla became part dune field, covering around 300
of the United States. sq miles (800 sq km). Gypsum is
Today, Mesilla exudes the a water-soluble mineral, rarely
atmosphere of a late 19th- found as sand. But here, with
century frontier town, especi ally no drainage outlet to the sea,
around the historic plaza. It the sediment washed by the
was here, in Mesilla’s former rain into the basin becomes
courthouse, that Billy the Kid trapped. As the rain evaporates,
(see p229) was sentenced to dry lakes form, and strong
hang in 1881. The Gadsden winds blow the gypsum up into
Museum contains exhibits the vast fields of rippling dunes.
on local history and cultures. Visitors can explore White
Sands by car on the Dunes
E Gadsden Museum Drive, a 16-mile (25-km) loop.
1875 Boutz Rd. Tel (575) 526-6293. The 1692 Socorro Mission on El Paso’s Mission Trail Four signposted trails lead from
Open by appointment only. points along the way, in cluding
Closed public hols. & 7 a stopping place on the famous many stores selling cowboy the wheelchair-accessible
Remains of the 1865 Fort Selden in Mesilla Valley King’s Highway (Camino Real, boots and hats. Interdune Boardwalk. Year-
see p29), which linked Mexico round ranger-led walks
e Fort Selden been a crossroads – of frontier to Spain’s northern territories. P Mission Socorro introduce visitors to the dunes’
Historic Site trails, of the railroads, and now The city’s history as a major hub 328 S. Nevarez Rd. Tel (915) 859-7718. flora and fauna. Only plants that
two Interstate Highways (10 and is reflected today in its typically Open 10am–4pm Mon–Fri; 9am–6pm grow quickly enough not to be
Road map E5. Tel (575) 526-8911. 25). Today, it is New Mexico’s Southwestern mix of Native Sat (till 1pm Sun). & 7 8 obligatory. buried survive, such as the
Open 8:30am–5pm Wed–Sun. second-largest city and a busy American, Hispanic, and soaptree yucca. Most of the
Closed Jan 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, manufacturing and farming European cultures. animals are nocturnal, and
Dec 25. & 7 ∑ nmhistoricsites. center, as well as the home of El Paso has a series of include coyotes and porcupines.
org/fort-selden u White Sands
New Mexico State University. outstanding mission churches, National The park is surrounded by
While the town is best used as including the Ysleta and the the White Sands Missile Range.
This adobe fort was built in a base for exploring the region, Socorro, which both date from Monument For safety, the park and road
1865 to protect settlers and there are a number of 1692, while the lovely Chapel Road map E4. Tel (575) 479-6124. leading to it (Hwy 70) may shut
railroad construction crews in interesting museums to be San Elizario was built in 1789. Visitor Center: Open 8am–7pm daily for up to 2 hours during testing.
the Mesilla Valley from attacks found here. They include the Mission Socorro combines (9am–5pm winter); Dunes Drive: White Sands Missile Range
by Apaches and outlaws. Its Branigan Cultural Complex, Native and Spanish styles, with 7am–sunset daily. Closed Dec 25. & Museum displays many of
buildings, now in ruins, once which houses a Cultural Center vigas (wooden ceiling beams). 7 8 ∑ nps.gov/whsa the missiles tested here.
housed four companies of the with a historical museum, and El Paso’s western heritage is
125th Infantry, a black infantry the Las Cruces Museum of Art. Billy the Kid gift shop in the 19th-century further reflected in its links with The glistening dunes of E White Sands Missile
unit known as the Buffalo Tours can also be arranged here town of Mesilla the famous outlaw Billy the Kid the White Sands National Range Museum
Soldiers. Douglas MacArthur, of the nearby Bicentennial Log (see p229), who visited the Monument rise up from the US 70, 25 miles, (40 km) E. of Las Cruces.
who was to command Allied Cabin, a late 19th-century town in 1876 to get his partner Tularosa Basin at the northern Tel (575) 678-3538. Open 8am–4pm
troops in the Pacific in World pioneer house of hand-hewn y El Paso out of jail. Today, El Paso is a end of the Chihuahuan Desert. Mon–Fri, 10am–3pm Sat. Closed Sun,
War II, lived here for two years timber that is furnished with Road map E5. * 675,000. k center for Western wear, with It is the world’s largest gypsum pub. hols. 7 ∑ wsmr-history.org
as a boy in the 1880s, when interesting period antiques £ @ n 1 Civic Center Plaza (915)
his father was post commander. and artifacts. 534-0600. ∑ visitelpaso.com
The fort was abandoned
in 1891. Living history E Branigan Cultural Complex Large and sprawling, El Paso,
demonstrations are sometimes 501 N. Main St. Tel (575) 541-2154. Texas, is a key entry point to
offered on weekends, when Open Cultural Center and Las Cruces New Mexico and the Southwest.
rangers in period uniforms Museum of Art: 10am–4:30pm Tue–Fri Facing El Paso on the other side
portray 19th-century army life. (from 9am Sat). Closed public hols. of the Rio Grande is its Mexican
There are also exhibits on 7 ∑ las-cruces.org sister town of Ciudad Juárez.
frontier life in the visitor center. They share the border, which
was established in 1963 after
t Mesilla disputes concerning the Rio
r Las Cruces Grande had been resolved.
Road map E5. * 2,250. n 2231
Road map E5. * 101,000. n 211 Avenida de Mesilla (575) 524-3262. From the city, Interstate I-10
N. Water St. (575) 541-2444. ∑ oldmesilla.org travels north to Las Cruces and
∑ lascrucescvb.org west across southern Arizona.
This town was established in The Amtrak train Sunset Limited
Spreading out at the foot of the 1850 by a group of residents (see p288) stops at El Paso three
Organ Mountains, Las Cruces, or who preferred to remain in times a week.
The Crosses, was named for the Mexican territory, when most The Spanish named their
graves of early settlers ambushed of New Mexico came under early settlement here El Paso
here by the Apache in 1787 and American rule. However, with del Norte (Northern Pass) in
again in 1830. It has always the Gadsden Purchase of 1854 the late 16th century. It was Soaptree yucca plants growing at White Sands National Monument
For hotels and restaurants see pp242–3 and pp260–61

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