Constructed 1849.
The Mesquite District is recognized as part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the historic Spanish Intercontinental Royal Route from Mexico City to Santa Fe. The original town site is rich in history and culture, with 22 of the original blocks still in existence and more than 20 families of the primary settlers continuing to live on their family properties. Plotted out with rawhide ropes in 1849, the Mesquite District features many charming adobes painted in vibrant rainbow shades some which date to the founding of the town and more that are at least a century old. Some of the neighborhood’s highlights include the Sunshine Grocery, the Nevarez House, and Barncastle House and store.
In the past few years, the Mesquite district site has started to undergo a revival with the renovation of old adobes, the installation of the Jardin de Mesquite, a tile art mural that depicts the history of the community, and the Entrada del Sol, an archway in the eastern part of the district that was created by ceramic artist Glenn Schwaiger. In 2010, preservation work began on the Phillips Chapel, the first African-American church in Las Cruces that also served as a community center and school during segregation. Improvements to the area are due to the efforts of community residents, university and college staff, city leaders and officials, as well as organizations all working in collaboration to create a safer thriving neighborhood with a sense of identity.
E. Texas St., Campo St., Torrillo St., E. Court St. Las Cruces, NM
