Deming, New Mexico is a popular retirement community in the Las Cruces area.

Deming NM History

The history of the area dates back nearly 1,000 years when the Mimbres Indians, the first people known to inhabit the area, lived in villages along the Mimbres River and farmed the area. Primitive though they were, the pictures of daily life they painted inside their pottery reflect their gifted creativity and unsurpassed skill in reproducing likenesses of animals and birds. The Deming area was at one time rich in native pottery artifacts, beads, stone implements, stone carvings and graves. In the 1960's and 70's, many sites were bulldozed to reveal valuable pottery and other artifacts which were sold to private collectors. Laws against these practices were passed, but the damage had been done and few artifacts are left to be found.

It was about 1800 that the Americans entered Southwest New Mexico. Deming's first years were hard ones. It had such a bad reputation that some outlaws rounded up in Arizona were given one way tickets to Deming.

Deming was named after Mary Ann Deming Crocker, wife of Charles Crocker, one of the "Big Four" of the railroad industry. The Silver Spike was driven here in 1881 to commemorate the meeting of the Southern Pacific with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads. This was the second complete transcontinental railroad meeting in the United States.

Deming New Mexico – Retirement Community in Southwest New Mexico

Deming is now a retirement community located in Southwest New Mexico. Many seniors enjoy the dry heat and Native Indian influence found here.