Mesilla Plaza, Mesilla, New Mexico

La Mesilla includes a historic plaza and surrounding buildings that have been restored to their 19th-centuryappearance. During the 1800s, the area served as a camping and foraging spot for both Spaniards and Mexicans. The first permanent settlers came to La Mesilla after the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. La Mesilla became a main supply center for garrisoned troops. The Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo left La Mesilla in a “no man’s land”—a strip of land claimed by both the United States and Mexico. The Gadsden Purchase in 1854 established that La Mesilla was officially part of the United States. People can see 19th-century businesses on the plaza, and 19th-century residences within a four-block area of the plaza. The town is surrounded by farmland and ditches used since1850. Visitors can walk around the plaza, see a historic church, and visit the privately owned Gadsden Museum. This property is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Landmark.