Las Cruces in Doña Ana County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Las Cruces Railroad Depot

Photographed by James Hulse, July 23, 2024

1. Las Cruces Railroad Depot Marker

Inscription. The Las Cruces Depot, built in 1910, is a county seat style Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe (ATSF) building. Characteristics of this style of building consist of standard brick, symmetrical-gable roofed passenger areas, parapets on the edges of the roof, and waiting rooms on either side of the agents bay. The size of a depot was determined by the size of the town, so a specifically sized depot could accommodate rail traffic for that town.

Look closely at the peak of the building and you can see the famous ATSF symbol that was adopted in 1901. This symbol found on the Las Cruces Depot is unique in that it is permanently embedded in the stucco. Most other depots only have the trademark painted on the sides of the building.

Passenger service at the Depot ended in 1968, while freight service at the Depot lasted until 1988. A few years later, the ATSF donated the Depot to the City of Las Cruces, and it was converted into a museum in 2004.

[Captions]
• (Top) New Mexico State University Library, Archives and Special Collections
• (Bottom left) Las Cruces Railroad Depot, ca. 1910
• (Bottom right) Las Cruces, NM, ca 1965. Train

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

No. 51 Belen-El Paso ©William P. Diven

Erected by Las Cruces Railroad Museum.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1910.

Location. 32° 18.537′ N, 106° 47.222′ W. Marker is in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in Doña Ana County. It can be reached from the intersection of North Mesilla Street and West Las Cruces Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is by sidewalk between the parking lot and entrance of the Las Cruces Railroad Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 351 N Mesilla St, Las Cruces NM 88005, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Rio Grande Valley.

It is also in the American Southwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Gadsden Purchase,

and the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Train Basics (a few steps from this marker);

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), December 27, 2015

2. Las Cruces Railroad Depot Marker

The Santa Fe Railroad Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); The Classic Caboose (within shouting distance of this marker); The Centennial Caboose (within shouting distance of this marker); The Caboose (within shouting distance of this marker); Votes for Women (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rio Grande Theatre (approx. half a mile away); Doña Ana County Courthouse (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Las Cruces.

Las Cruces Railroad Depot image. Click for full size.

cmh2315fl via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0), December 27, 2016

3. Las Cruces Railroad Depot

The view of the Las Cruces Railroad Depot and Marker from the parking lot image. Click for full size.

Photographed by James Hulse, July 23, 2024

4. The view of the Las Cruces Railroad Depot and Marker from the parking lot

Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 27, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 867 times since then and 77 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 28, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. 2, 3. submitted on April 27, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on July 28, 2024, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.