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Columbus, Luna County, New Mexico, southwest United States
Columbus, in Luna County, New Mexico, southwest United States, is the
last community above the United States/Mexican border. It's only
three miles north of Palomas, Mexico. Today (2003) there's a
24-hour border crossing, a New Mexico State Park, and a local Museum
in what was once the railroad depot.
Columbus as a community was established in 1891 at the Mexican border.
In 1902 the El Paso and Santa Fe Railroadopened their station
north of Columbus--residents moved their village north to its present
location to be on the rail line.
Columbus was attacked in the early hours of March 9, 1916 by Mexican
General Francisco (Pancho) Villa and his army of 500 "Villistas" who
crossed the Mexican border to pillage and burn the sleeping village.
Eighteen Columbus residents or U. S. soldiers were killed as were over
over 100 Villistas. Later a retaliation was led by General Jack Pershing
using airplanes and motorized vehicles for the first time in warfare.
Pershing pursued Villistas into Mexico, but never found him.