Seniors Explore Columbus (City of the Sun)

Senior citizens why go there?  National Geographic mentioned this town in their recent publication and “Curious Jim” just had to check it out. Columbus is a neat little village in Luna County, New Mexico. The population runs right at 1,800.

“Hidden in plain sight at the seemingly prophetic intersection of Interstates 9/11, lies this historical town nestled firmly in the footprints left by the dramatic events that transformed the United States at the Turn Of The 20th Century”.

Established in 1891 and sitting in a high-desert valley that’s nestled between the Florida and Tres Hermanas mountain ranges, Columbus enjoys a fascinating history. Columbus has a 24-hour border crossing, a unique geology, a New Mexico State Park, museums, and a mild winter climate that attracts snowbirds, senior tourists, artists, historians, authors, and retirees from all over the country and only 3 minutes away from Old Mexico.

Senior Retirement Community

Columbus is a retreat from the daily pressures of a fast paced, dog-eat-dog world. The Village offers the weariest of souls a real opportunity to rejuvenate, relax, re-center, and to quite literally “Get away from it all”. It’s quite isolated so seniors seeking a rest can find it in Columbus. The area has become a community for senior retirement  and is coveted by artists and others who simply want to get away from crowds.

Learn all about Columbus via Wikipedia including the famous raid back in 1916 by Pancho Villa. Villa’s army burned a part of the town and killed seven or eight soldiers and 10 residents before retreating back into Mexico. At that time Columbus was the largest city in New Mexico and nearby Camp Furlong was the headquarters of the 13th US Cavalry. This Camp was eventually made into a National Historic Landmark. The Pancho Villa State Park is another big attraction to the area.

The Village of Columbus was the dream of a man by the name of Andrew Osmond Bailey, an American Civil War Veteran with one arm missing from that conflict and known as Colonel Bailey. His home and ranch were close to the Mexican border just west of the present border gate.

Senior Historical Interests

In 1902, when the El Paso/Santa Fe Railroad Line opened a station for Columbus, the residents moved themselves and their village three miles north to the present location. While Columbus remains a refuge for those who enjoy the quiet life, there are many amenities such as a modern health clinic and a regional learning center that provide for a high quality of life.

Of particular interest to senior visitors and serious historians alike are the Columbus Historical Museum and the Columbus historical walking tour. Those of you who appreciate the attractive flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert you’ll find a plethora of hummingbirds, snow geese, dove, quail, hawks, eagles, finches, rabbits, hares, and many types of lizards all around Columbus.

Stop by Columbus and check the place out for yourself.  jeb