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| Jim Harbison |
Sometimes you get it right and that’s what happened last weekend in the Mesquite Historical District. Last Saturday was the first monthly “Camino del Arte” event and the grand opening of Nopalitos Galeria. The Galeria is located in an old adobe house adjacent to Nopalito’s restaurant. This was the official introduction of the Mesquite District Art corridor and the historical district itself to many residents. Mesquite Street was originally part of the old El Camino Real from Mexico City to Santa Fe. This is part of one of the longest, oldest, and most historic trails in the Americas and it passed right through the center of Las Cruces. Most of us who participated in this opening event were pleasantly surprised about the number of galleries and restaurants that are located in this corridor and each made everyone feel welcome. It was quite amazing.
There was a horse drawn trolley that seated about two dozen people that took everyone for a ride through the district and identified all the galleries and restaurants located within the corridor. It is my understanding it was fairly expensive to hire the trolley and that the costs for it were shared by the various businesses and galleries in the area and the Las Cruces Arts Association. Most of us drive through town every day and never really see what’s around us. We are so focused on driving and all that it entails that we are oblivious to what lies beyond the boundary of the streets. The horse drawn trolley offered an excellent opportunity to actually take in all the beauty and history of the district. We could finally observe all the things we had never had the time to see before. The round trip from any of the multiple stops was approximately 25-30 minutes.
One of the more enjoyable parts of the ride was that there was a member and resident of the district who narrated the trip and answered questions about the district. They explained the historical significance of many of the buildings and the influential people of New Mexico who lived there. It was informative, relaxing and very enjoyable. You could get off at any gallery or stop and visit one of the galleries or restaurants and then reboard at your leisure. Everyone we encountered was friendly and pleasant and expressed that this was a wonderful new experience in Las Cruces and it made them even more proud of their city 
Business and Gallery owners as well as the residents of the district are rightfully proud of their district and are working hard to preserve, renovate, revitalize and protect the Mesquite Historical District. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge those businesses. The galleries included Unsettled Gallery and Studio, Mesquite Street Studios, Mesquite Art Gallery, Studio 308 #1, Gabriella Denton Studio, Nopalitos Galeria, Joyce T Macrorie Studio, Tony Pennock Studio and Michael Ponce Contemporary. The restaurants were Nopalito’s, La Nueva Casita, La Guadalupana”s, El Tiburon Mariscos, Kiva Patio Café, Tacos Santa Fe, Roberto’s Mexican Food, El Sombrero Patio Café, Church’s Chicken, and Lujan Bakery.The Las Esperanzas organization is continuing its efforts to highlight this area as a great place for residents of Las Cruces to appreciate and enjoy and a must visit spot for tourists. They are hoping the public will continue to support the Camino del Arte and enjoy the hospitality of the galleries, businesses, and restaurants in the district.This is a citizen’s driven effort (no tax dollars were used) to revitalize our City and its businesses and I encourage everyone to visit the Mesquite Historical District.
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