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One of the purposes of the United States in acquiring the Gadsden Purchase from Mexico was to establish a southern railroad route through the
area. In 1881, when the Santa Fe Railroad was completed in southern New Mexico, the people of Mesilla did not want the railroad to go through their community. Routing the railroad
through Las Cruces instead of Mesilla contributed to Las Cruces' growth and allowed Mesilla to retain many of its physical characteristics and charm, a tangible reminder of its long and
significant past.
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