7 Beautiful Historical Towns In New Mexico
New Mexico, which has been part of the United States only since 1912, captures the spirit of the American Southwest. Also known as the Land of Enchantment, its locations of Native American heritage have received praise from cultural and archeological institutions worldwide, like UNESCO. The state's role in developing the modern United States was crucial in recent history — and endures today through modern films, art, and other expressions that draw from the past.
As these small towns suggest, some of New Mexico's most interesting elements of history and culture lie beyond the state's larger cities like Albuquerque and its capital, Santa Fe. For a surprising look at some of New Mexico's long-ignored local gems, consider the historical hotspots below.
Chimayo
About 25 miles north of Santa Fe, in north-central New Mexico, a seemingly out-of-the-way community draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. The hamlet of Chimayo has long been reputed to have healing properties: its hot springs are said to cure all kinds of physical and spiritual ailments.
Today, visitors flock to the El Santuario de Chimayo, a shrine built in 1813 that draws mostly Catholic pilgrims from around the world. Each spring, the site swells with visitors and the tourism business during Holy Week, before the Christian holiday of Easter. The sanctuary site and Chimayo town offer vibrant examples of adobe architecture, a common building style from pre-colonial days. Chimayo and its shrine sit on the Old Spanish National Historical Trail, a trade route stretching as far as Los Angeles.
Hatch
Most locals and visitors know the southwest town of Hatch, with a population of just 1,600, for its outsized reputation as the "Chile Capital of the World." The town hosts its annual Hatch Chile Festival every Labor Day weekend, which attracts thousands of hungry visitors to the small town. The festivities even include the naming of a Chile Queen, who watches over the goings-on in grace and style.
For a slightly larger menu, head to Sparky's, where the burgers come recommended, and visitors can snap photos of the many plastic figurines in and outside the restaurant — and even on the roof. And for a look at the many products derived from chile, the Hatch Chile Express offers powders, strung-together chiles called ristras, chile seeds, and even chile-themed home decorations.
Los Alamos
Los Alamos, with a larger population of about 13,500, carries an explosive reputation: it is the center of the historic Manhattan Project, which developed the United States' first atomic bombs. Initially a secret laboratory, now made even more famous after the success of the 2023 film "Oppenheimer," the town welcomes visitors eager to understand the history of a weapon that helped end World War II and changed modern life. Tourists can peruse the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, the Bradley Science Museum, the Los Alamos History Museum, and other sites to understand the town's place in local, American, and world history.
For fresh air and a break from heavy reading, walkers can make for the Bandelier National Monument, which has dramatic canyon views as well as information on 11,000-year-old human settlements in the region. Other local draws, like the 89,000-acre Valles Caldera Natural Preserve, offer ideal streams for the fly fishers of all ages and skill levels.
Mesilla
The map-dot of Mesilla, not far above the U.S.-Mexico border, enjoys a history far larger than its town limits. Following a rough period of land disputes between Mexico and the United States, Mesilla in 1853 became part of American territory for good as a result of the Gadsden Purchase, a land sale finalized the same year. Today, the Mesilla Plaza is a locally famous town center, earning recognition as a National Historic Landmark in 1961. In a nod to its historic ties to Mexico, the town celebrates Cinco de Mayo festivities each year. May 5 marks the day of Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821.
After taking in Mesilla's historic central plaza, natural attractions await nearby, like the postcard-perfect White Sands National Park east of town, as well as Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park and the La Llorona Park, both close to town. Around Mesilla, look for traces of the town's most notorious former resident: William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid, who stood trial here in 1881 before making a daring escape from the local prison.
Silver City
Silver City, with a population of about 9,300, sits at an altitude of nearly 6,000 feet in southwest New Mexico, at the foot of the Pinos Altos Mountains. The town sits just east of the Continental Divide. As its name indicates, the town sprung into existence in 1876 during the early days of a precious metals boom, which brought fortune-seekers and settlers from far and wide. This and other stories are on display at the Silver City Museum, an education-focused facility downtown.
The town celebrates another, less lucrative local resource: clay. Each summer since 2012, the Silver City CLAY Festival honors the role of this natural substance in local history, handicrafts, and the economy. Fun fact: Silver City also has ties to the legend of Billy the Kid. As a child, the future outlaw lived here with his family.
Raton
In northeast New Mexico, just across the Colorado border, the small town of Raton offers a quiet, creative, and beautiful destination for a weekend or longer. Its hardscrabble ground has been traveled for many centuries, ever since Native Americans and Spanish colonists cut through Raton Pass nearby, through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. A mountain branch of the Santa Fe Trail also runs through town, further suggesting Raton's importance as a trade route and place of transition among peoples and eras.
These days, Raton offers its own art scene, if smaller than the one in Taos. Outlets like the Old Pass Gallery and the Raton Museum support creative expression from local artists as well as those from farther away. The Raton Arts & Humanities Council likewise supports the performing arts through concert series and other performance events. The Amtrak rail service stops in Raton twice daily.
Taos
Taos, a small north-central town of about 6,400 inhabitants, welcomes visitors to study the historic mark it has left on American art and history. The Taos Pueblo, a former Native American settlement, boasts adobe constructions that have sustained UNESCO heritage status since 1992. Over twenty of the town's buildings appear on the National Register of Historic Places.
Amateurs of more contemporary art should seek out the Taos Art Museum at Fechim House or the Harwood Museum of Art, both located here. The town is strongly associated with the American master painter Georgia O'Keeffe, sometimes called the "Mother of American Modernism." O'Keeffe worked and lived in Taos at the now-legendary Ghost Ranch.
New Mexico's Hidden Histories Await in Its Small Towns
As these places show, New Mexico's smaller towns are well worth a detour for the creative spirit in every visitor. The state itself draws some of the best elements from surrounding Native American, Mexican, and American cultures, and these small towns reflect that mix. Combining history and a vibrant present, these towns offer a diverse menu of visual, culinary, and spiritual interest — and a sense of how much New Mexico has helped define the American Southwest. From once-Mexican towns like Mesilla and Chile-themed events in Hatch to world-changing science and art from places like Los Alamos and Taos, the Land of Enchantment beckons for one or more visits from the history-focused traveler.
