Today we went on a tour of old hwy 20 through wineries, pecan forests(farms), small towns and large greenhouses.
We stopped at the historic OLD Mesilla New Mexico. Some explanation of the history of the town that I copied of the internet.
“The Shops of Old Mesilla, NM invite you to step back in time to one of the oldest and most unique settlements of southern New Mexico. Located off I-10, it is nestled in the Mesilla Valley on the banks of the Rio Grande. Mesilla has been a part of the Kingdom of Spain, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy, and finally the United States of America. Mesilla has a rich history filled with prehistoric cultures, Spanish explorers, Apache raids, the civil war, and the wild west. Pancho Villa and Billy the Kid walked the streets. The famous trial of Billy the Kid was held here and the Democrats and Republicans had a bloody showdown on the plaza. It was the Confederate capital of Arizona and New Mexico during the Civil War. The Gadsden Purchase finally brought Mesilla into the United States. Many residents are direct descendants of the original settlers. Today Mesilla is a part of living history. Great care has been given to preserve the original adobe buildings and the beautiful plaza. People from all over the world stop to experience the history, art, architecture, quaint shopping, and unique dinning that Mesilla has to offer.”
COURTHOUSE WHERE
BILLY THE KID
WAS TRIED AND SENTENCED TO HANG
Henry Mc Carty, alias Henry Antrium, alias William H. Bonney alias Billy the Kid, lived a very short life , but made his place in history.
Billy the Kid and many outlaws contributed to the wild side of Mesilla. He was often seen in the bars or dances in town. In 1881 Billy the Kid was tried in the building which is now the Billy the Kid gift shop on the southeast corner of the plaza. He was sentenced to hang for the murder of Sheriff Brady. He was taken to Lincoln, New Mexico where on April 28th he escaped killing two deputies. Finally on July 14th, Sheriff Pat Garrett shot him in the Fort Sumner ranch home of Billy's friend Pete Maxwell. Be certain not to miss the Courthouse Building in Mesilla. People say he still haunts this historic building on the southeast corner of the plaza.
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