Las Vegas - A Unique Community
Established by a land grant in 1835, Las Vegas was originally called Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Las Vegas Grandes (Our Lady of the Sorrows of the Great Meadows). The town was laid out in the traditional Spanish Colonial style, with a central plaza surrounded by buildings which could serve as fortifications in case of attack. Las Vegas soon prospered as a trading post on the Santa Fe Trail. As trade on the trail increased, so did the variety of settlers in the town.
During the Mexican-American War in 1846, Stephen W. Kearny delivered an address at the Plaza of Las Vegas claiming New Mexico for the United States.
Upon its arrival in 1880, the railroad set up shop one mile east of the Plaza, creating a separate, rival New Town (as in Albuquerque). During the railroad era Las Vegas boomed, quickly becoming one of the largest cities in the American southwest. Turn-of-the-century Las Vegas featured all the modern amenities, including an electric street railway, the "Duncan Opera House", a Carnegie library, a major Harvey House hotel, and the New Mexico Normal School (now Western New Mexico University ). Since the decline of the railroad began in the 1950s the city's population has remained relatively constant.
Today, Las Vegas is the home of a unique Northern New Mexican Spanish community, influenced by Native American, Northern European, and Jewish cultures, among many others. There are over 900 buildings in town on the National Register of Historic Places, with examples of everything from Spanish adobe to Victorian architecture. We are proud of our history, and we try to reflect our heritage in every aspect of our town.
Not only are there two National Forests within minutes of downtown Las Vegas, you may also enjoy visiting one of the many campgrounds along the Gallinas River, such as Storrie Lake State Park, one of the large lakes in the state. Only a few miles from town, the lake offers tent and RV camping, as well as hiking, fishing, boating and other water sports.
Welcome to Las Vegas.
Sources:
Wikipedia Encyclopedia
Santa Fe
Las Vegas/San Miguel Chamber of Commerce
