Las Cruces Embroidered Hat

Las Cruces in spanish means "The Crosses." There exists a popular tale about how travelers, waylaid by Apache raiders during the early 19th century, were buried near the present location of the city of Las Cruces. The many crosses marking their graves gave rise to the name "Las Cruces. However, it is now known that old spanish records discovered in archives in Mexico City reveal that a spanish army officer, Don Gabriel, reported in 1693, "I have just received a report of Indian raids in the region of Los Organos (the Organ Mountains east of Las Cruces) where three Spaniards were killed, the raiders then going on to a place called Las Cruces..." Las Cruces is New Mexico's second largest city, home of New Mexico State University, and a popular retirement location. It has continually been listed as one of the best places to live in the United States. Las Cruces is located in south central New Mexico at the cross roads of interstates 25 and 10, forty-two miles north of El Paso, Texas.