Las Cruces, NM
Established by Don Juan de Oñate in 1598 as a camp for Spanish colonists, Las Cruces is located in southern New Mexico, close to the Mexico and Texas borders. Las Cruces was added to the nation under the Gadsden Purchase, and the city of Las Cruces was incorporated in 1901.
The nearby village of Mesilla, founded in 1848 by settlers who wished to remain a part of the country of Mexico, boasts original architecture, the area's best shopping and many local wineries.