Constructed 1866.
In 1850, Gregoria Rodela de Amador, a widow from Juarez, moved to the newly formed town of Las Cruces, where she may have opened a store.. Her son, Martin, expanded the business and began hauling freight between Santa Fe and Chihuahua. In 1866, Martin Amador built the original structure of the Amador Hotel as a one-story house for his family on the corner of Water and Amador streets. For the next twelve years, the Amador family lived in the building and furnished rooms to their freight team drivers. Then in 1878, a new home was built across the street for the ever expanding Amador family. At that time the original Amador home was turned into a rooming house and hotel.
In 1885, a second floor, balcony, and lobby were added to enhance the hotel operation. Through the years, further additions and modifications were made to add space for a livery, open patio, and bar. During most of the 20th Century this grand old building served the community as a social gathering place with fine dining, libations, and entertainment. All the while, it maintained a reputation as one of the best places to stay in the region. Numerous celebrities, politicians, military officers, and other notable and notorious figures frequented the Amador Hotel. The Amador family sold the hotel to Citizen’s Bank in 1970. Currently, the City of Las Cruces owns the historic building. A group of Las Cruces citizens formed the Amador Museum Foundation, which is raising money to preserve the hotel and develop it as a Las Cruces history museum.
180 W. Amador Ave. Las Cruces, NM 88006
Image by Eduardo Martinez.
