Nuestra Historia: Las Vegas, New Mexico A Tale of Two Cities and New Mexico’s Long Quest for Statehood”
by Jesus Lopez
Las Vegas, NM, and its turbulent past the subject of new historical narrative
LAS VEGAS, New Mexico — A new historical narrative about one of the most significant cities in New Mexico history, written by a former powerbroker who lived and studied his hometown history all his life, is now available for sale.
It all started on the radio and in the newspaper, with a weekly KFUN program in 2011 that featured Jesús López and his in-depth knowledge of the families, politics and cultures that shaped Las Vegas through the years. The program caught the attention of the Las Vegas Optic and a weekly column, “Nuestra Historia,” authored by López, was born.
Nearly four years of essays and old photos became the “bones” for this book, which is now available through its publisher, Gazette Media Services, at gazettemediaservices@gmail.com. Cost is $25 plus shipping and handling. Other outlets for purchasing the book will be announced soon.
“Nuestra Historia” (Our History) is organized into 10 parts, from the earliest Spanish settlers and the 36 grantees who gave birth to Las Vegas Grandes de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, to the “American Invasion of 1846” and the eventual arrival of the railroad on the east side of the Gallinas River — thereby dividing Las Vegas into two towns that would briefly merge in 1882 before splitting apart again, until 1970, when consolidation finally stuck.
While López’s book is centered on Las Vegas, López also writes extensively about New Mexico’s rocky road to statehood. Many if not most of the territorial leaders at that time were from Las Vegas, and López weaves their stories into the arduous quest for statehood. And when New Mexico finally became the nation’s 47 th state, López turns his attention to the creation of the state’s constitution and its uniquely inclusive language and intent.
About the author: Jesús López was born in Las Vegas, N.M., the son of the well-known “Mama Lucy” López, whose restaurant became a gathering place for political progressives during the tumultuous 1960s and in the decades that followed. A graduate of West Las Vegas High School, New Mexico Highlands University and the University of New Mexico School of Law, López was a longtime Las Vegas attorney who served in numerous public positions throughout his career and was recognized as “the last ‘Patrón’” of the Las Vegas area by the New Mexico Legislature in 2015.
