La Posta De Mesilla Ready To Celebrate Major Milestone In A Big Way

They're ready to party in Mesilla, New Mexico, about 30 miles north of El Paso. There's a major anniversary to celebrate and a huge holiday display is going up.

La Posta de Mesilla has been serving delicious food and cold drinks in a beautiful setting for quite a while now and many famous peeps have graced their historic building.

From poor farmers to outlaws, to dignitaries, celebrities and media big shots; La Posta de Mesilla has served any and all kinds for decades ... hence the big celebration.

Famous wild west names have visited La Post de Mesilla including Kit Carson, Wyatt Earp and Billy The Kid. Billy was tried and sentenced to hang in the courthouse across the narrow street from La Posta De Mesilla. He escaped before they could string him up and the former courthouse is now a gift shop.

Other visitors have included tv anchor Sam Donaldson, (who had deep ties to the Mesilla/El Paso area), actors Val Kilmer and Sam Elliot, singer Cheryl Crow and boxer George Foreman. A few past US Presidents have enjoyed takeout from La Posta de Mesilla as well.

What Is La Posta De Mesilla Celebrating?

It's La Posta de Mesilla's 85th anniversary.  On September 16th, 1939, Katy Griggs opened La Posta.

With just four tables on a dirt floor, her mother cooking in the back of the same room with no running water, Katy greeted guests and manned the cash register. Those that visited La Posta that day remember the large crowd who came to taste her New Mexican food dishes prepared from century old recipes handed down over the years from the Fountain, Chavez and Griggs Families. -

Katy held the reins until she passed away in1993. In 1996, her great niece, Jerean Camuñez Hutchinson and hubby Tom took over and today another generation of Hutchinson's are stepping up to keep La Posta in "La Familia".

La Posta De Mesilla Fun Facts

• The USS New Mexico, a United States Navy submarine, named it's galley "La Posta Abajo de Mar", (La Posta Under The Sea), in honor of La Posta.
• The building itself was built in the 1840's by Sam and Roy Bean. (Yep, THAT Roy Bean.)
• For you wannabe ghost hunters, it's very haunted.
• Their annual Christmas display includes over 50 decorated Christmas trees and wreaths of all shapes and sizes. There are life size nativity scenes and even the food and drinks take on a special Christmas look.