The month of May is designated as Historic Preservation Month, whereby towns and cities nationwide promote their uniqueness and the richness of their respective heritage.
For Las Cruces, Historic Preservation Month 2020 offers a distinctive moment to acknowledge a rich past and a bright future, particularly for the steps it has taken over the past year to promote its history and buildings. By recognizing the distinct architecture of the homes within the Mesquite, Alameda-Depot, and Mesilla Park neighborhoods, as well as such city-owned buildings as the Rio Grande Theater, the former United States Post Office, the Amador Hotel, the Mesilla Park Elementary School, and the Branigan Cultural Center, the built environment in Las Cruces contributes its own part to the rich architectural history of New Mexico. These gems resonate not only locally, but on a national level that draws appreciative visitors from all around the country and world.
The City has taken significant steps to prioritize its varied assets to improve the quality of life for its community and to elevate its heritage tourism profile for visitors. In 2019, the City of Las Cruces created a staff position for a preservation planner, adopted a historic preservation ordinance on December 2, and has appointed seven residents to serve on the Historic Preservation Commission. In recent years, community-driven organizations such as Las Esperanzas, the Amador Hotel Foundation, and the Doña Ana County Historical Society have promoted the community’s rich history that includes the historical architectural structures unique to our area.
Las Cruces has much to celebrate and appreciate about the community’s long, multi-cultural history. Do you live in a historic home or have a favorite historic building in Las Cruces?
Look for the Historic Preservation Month FaceBook post on the City of Las Cruces page @CityofLasCruces and share a photo of your favorite historical location. Visit the historic preservation website at https://www.las-cruces.org/1738/Preserving-Our-History for more information.