In the late 1960's and early 1970's many towns and cities across the US went through a phase of urban renewal. Many old downtown areas were 'put aside' as populations centers shifted to what used to be the outlaying areas of cities.
It happened in Las Cruces and we lost many historic buildings. The layout of downtown changed forever and, unfortunately, we'll never be able to get them back.
On the very outskirts of the downtown area sits a building that dates back to the late 1800's - The Amador Hotel. It was built in 1866 by the Amador family and started out as a one story building for the Amador family. In 1878, a new home was built across the street and the Amador home became a rooming and boarding house. As Las Cruces grew, so did the Amador. In 1885, a second story was added and the lobby played host to community events and social dances. When the county seat moved from Mesilla to Las Cruces, in the early 1880's, the hotel provided temporary accommodations for the jail, county court and post office.
As urban renewal grew in popularity, the hotel saw a drop in guests. Finally, in 1970, the building was sold to Citizen's Bank of Las Cruces and became a new branch. In 1985, the building was sold again - this time to Dona Ana County where it housed county offices for many years. In 2006, after the completion of the new County building on Motel Boulevard, the building was abandoned and turned into a downtown hub for the bus system.
Before the county moved, the Dona Ana County Historical Buildings Advisory Committee was formed to 'figure out' what to do with the Amador Hotel. Many ideas have been floated around - turn it into condominiums, preserve it and create a Dona Ana County museum. Discussions are still ongoing but the outcome is something everyone can agree on: the Amador Hotel must be preserved. The building is in great condition. It is an important part of the Mesilla Valley's history.
During the time that I was on the radio in Las Cruces, I had the opportunity to attend a few events at the Amador. One thing that always stuck in my mind were the murals that had been painted on the walls. I'd seen them repeatedly but didn't know anything about the artist. These 8 murals had been restored and covered with plexi-glass to protect them.
The artist's name was Lillian Egerton -
(Pardon the glare and the angles - the 2nd floor balcony is rather narrow)
These murals, restored in 2002 by Las Cruces artist Alex Rosa, show the influences of our history in the Mesilla Valley. Lillian became a fashion illustrator in New York after leaving Las Cruces. Prior to her departure, she attended what is now New Mexico State University where she was the art director for the college yearbook, The Swastika.
The Dona Ana County Historical Society has much more information about the Hotel and, of course, Ms. Egerton and her works. Hopefullly, in the next few years, we'll see the building re-opened to the public and be able to see what an incredibly beautiful building it is.
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