Welcome to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the city of the crosses! Las Cruces, located in the verdant Mesilla Valley in south-central New Mexico, is a growing community with a bright future. Las Cruces is the second largest and fastest growing city in New Mexico, as well as the 11th fastest in the nation. Centuries ago, Spanish explorers brought their faith, culture, language and way of life to this Fertile farmland.
Las Cruces history dates back to 1598, when Don Juan de Onate led the first colonists to the area. In 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. In 1854, the Gadsden Purchase was ratified in the historic village of Old Mesilla. In 1881, the infamous William H. Bonney, better known as "Billy the Kid" was tried and sentenced for murder here, but later escaped.
The Mesilla Valley has been "home" to people for at least 4,000 years, and that's no surprise to anyone who has seen Las Cruces. The Rio Grande flows through the middle of the valley with the majestic Organ Mountains rising to the east. And the weather is always great in Las Cruces. The surrounding agricultural land yields pecans, onions, cotton and other produce, but it is renowned for growing the best-tasting green chile in the world.
Las Cruces and the Mesilla Valley offer the ideal cultural community to raise a family, start a new business or retire. Friendly people and climate are our key resources. The mass population of people in Las Cruces make up is a product of a multi-cultural Hispanic, Anglo, and Native American heritage.
Las Cruces was just ranked "Best Place to Retire" in the July & August 2006 issue of AARP Magazine. The city also recently topped the Forbes/Milken Institute list of "Best Places for Business and Careers", as well as 6th Place on the Money Magazine "Best Places to Retire" list.
Sitting at 4000 feet above sea level, Las Cruces' population is about 77,000 and is the county seat of Doña Ana County, population approximately 190,000. Las Cruces is also located 45 miles north of El Paso, Texas, population of about 585,000, and 220 miles south of New Mexico's largest city, Albuquerque, with nearly 475,000 people.
Today, over 400 years after the Spanish arrived, our past is one of our great treasures, seen in everything from our traditional architecture, spicy cuisine and unique art & culture, and recreation in Las Cruces.
We are a great crossroads of Hispanic, Native American and American cultures, fertile river valleys and farmlands, and vast deserts and wildlife, beautiful sunsets and outstanding weather in Las Cruces.
Las Cruces is a relaxed southwestern city with a thriving economy based on agriculture and agricultural research, creating many opportunities for jobs and employment in Las Cruces. We also possess technology through NASA, White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico State University, and New Mexico State Physical Science Labs.
The Las Cruces Newcomers Connection website is here to help Newcomers in Las Cruces find the best health care providers, jobs & employment, housing & real estate, community information, and attractions in the Las Cruces New Mexico area.
Since we provide the service of carefully screening and selecting the very best businesses and health care providers in Las Cruces, we can make your move to Las Cruces much easier.
