Tuesday, January 6 - We had a little thawing out to do this morning. Got down to 21* over-night and our hose was a frozen popsicle. The camp host visited everyone today and told us to bring our hose in. It is getting below freezing again tonight. What is with this weather?
We visited the museum here at Pancho Villa State Park. We watched an excellent video narrated by people who actually lived through the raid.
Outside the museum is an armored vehicle used in the battle in 1916. Later they were renamed tanks.
In 1916, under the leadership of General Francisco Pancho Villa, a group of over 300 Mexican Revolutionaries raided the small border town of Columbus, NM.
Prior to the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, Pancho Villa SP is on the site of the last attack by a foreign power against the continental United States.
Believe it or not, all the transportation vehicles in the next photo were used by the US to secure Columbus, NM.
Nothing signaled an army undergoing change more clearly than the sight of General Pershing riding across Mexico in the rear of a Dodge touring car. This Dodge carried him as far south as the advance camp at Namiquipa and helped him stay in contact with his far-ranging cavalry units.
The Museum contains extensive historical exhibits which depict this raid, the first armed invasion of the continental United States since the War of 1812, and also the last one. The Museum is a must see if you are visiting Deming or Columbus, NM.
The State Park is on the exact site where General Perishing and his men set up camp. There are several remaining buildings on the grounds.
This is the first grease rack installed to service the US Army automotive equipment engaged in field operations.
Headquarters building at Camp Furlong.
Cootes Hill is named after Captain Cootes of the 13th Cavalry. It was an important lookout for soldiers based at Camp Furlong. From this vantage point, Mexico can be seen a few miles to the south.
View from the top of the hill looking towards Mexico.
Columbus played an amazing the role of this tiny New Mexico town on American history.
We learned another very interesting fact about Columbus, NM. While Columbus is not in the mountains, it has ranges on all four sides. East and North are the Florida Mountain range; West and North is the Tres Hermanas Range; South is the Sierra de los Palomas.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see y’all back real soon. Have a great day!
