Las Cruces, New Mexico is a golf retirement community in the Southwest.

Las Cruces, NM History

In 1598, Don Juan de Oñate and his entourage made their historic trek into what is now New Mexico in search of gold. Oñate's expedition marked the first major European colonization of the North American continent, years before Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.

Before Oñate, this area was inhabited by the ancient culture of the Mogollon Indians until roughly 1450. Expressions of life in that long-ago era are depicted in the many petroglyphs (rock drawings) that remain scattered throughout the area.

During the summer of 1848, United States Army Lt. Delos Bennett Sackett, along with a company of soldiers, was sent to the area to protect small communities from Apache raids. That same year, the Mexican War with the United States ended with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. That treaty converted the town of Doña Ana from Mexican to United States territory. Many settlers headed for the area, trying to claim rights to the undeeded land just acquired by the treaty. In an attempt to maintain order in Doña Ana, the mayor sought relief from the US Army to help in surveying and platting out a new town site. Using rawhide rope and stakes, Lt. Sackett plotted out 84 city blocks to form what is known today as Las Cruces, NM.

Las Cruces, New Mexico – Southwestern Golf Retirement Community

Today, Las Cruces, New Mexico is a popular southwestern destination. Senior Travel Genie provides resources for dining, hotels and more in Las Cruces.