Columbus

History

Columbus was established in 1891 just across the Mexican border from Palomas, Chihuahua, and named after 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus. In 1902, the village center was moved north when the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad built its Columbus station. This station is now converted into a museum run by the Columbus Historical Society. About 1905, it was a very small town with a population of about 100, two of those early settlers being Colonel Andrew O. Bailey and Louis Heller. By this time, Columbus had only one general store, a saloon, and a society inspector. In time, a high school was built, and Perrow G. Mosely established the Columbus News, which later was renamed the Columbus Courier. By 1915, the town had 700 residents, the Columbus State Bank was built, four hotels were constructed, and several stores and a Baptist church were also established. At that time, the area around Columbus also had rich silver, copper, lead, and zinc deposits. On March 9, 1916, on the orders of Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, Colonel Francisco Beltrán, Colonel Candelario Cervantes, General Nicolás Fernández, General Pablo López, and others led 500 men in an attack against the town, which was garrisoned by a detachment of the 13th Cavalry Regiment. Villa's army burned a part of the town and killed seven or eight soldiers and 10 residents before retreating back into Mexico. United States President Woodrow Wilson responded to the Columbus raid by sending 10,000 troops under Brigadier General John J. Pershing to Mexico to pursue Villa. This was known as the Punitive Mexican Expedition or Pancho Villa Expedition. The expedition was eventually called off after failing to find Villa, who had escaped. The Pershing expedition brought prosperity and international…

Geography

Columbus is in southern Luna County about north of the border between the United States and Mexico. The village limits extend south to the international border. The Mexican village of Puerto Palomas, Chihuahua, is across the border. New Mexico State Road 11 leads north from Columbus to Deming, the Luna county seat, while State Road 9 leads east to Santa Teresa and west to Hachita. According to the United States Census Bureau, the village of Columbus has a total area of , all land. The climate is a cold semi-arid (Köppen: BSk) like much of New Mexico's lower elevations outside El Paso–Juárez.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  383
• White-crowned Sparrow

  Zonotrichia leucophrys (J.R.Forster, 1772) · Aves
  232
• Loggerhead Shrike

  Lanius ludovicianus Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  217
• White-winged Dove

  Zenaida asiatica (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  203
• Gambel's Quail

  Callipepla gambelii (Gambel, 1843) · Aves
  203
• Killdeer

  Charadrius vociferus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  197
• Mexican Duck

  Anas diazi Ridgway, 1886 · Aves
  190
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  188

Largest nearby schools

• COLUMBUS ELEMENTARY
  Elementary · COLUMBUS · 494 students · 13.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.7 — 2024-03-29
  50 km E of Ascención, Mexico
• M 3.4 — 2024-03-29
  51 km E of Ascención, Mexico
• M 3.3 — 2021-08-12
  21 km SSW of Playas, New Mexico
• M 2.8 — 2015-02-15
  34 km ESE of Pecan Park, New Mexico
• M 2.9 — 2015-02-08
  35 km ESE of Ventura, New Mexico
• M 3 — 2015-02-08
  35 km W of Fairacres, New Mexico