New Mexico's rich history reaches back to 9,000 BCE with evidence of the Clovis culture from Playas Valley. Inhabited by a range of indigenous peoples, the Spanish eventually colonized the region. After coming under the control of the United Sates as a result of the Gadsden Purchase in 1854, New Mexico gained territorial status and eventually statehood on January 6, 1912 becoming the 47th state in the Union, followed by Arizona on February 14, 1912 as the 48th state. This 1880 map from David Rumsey map collection shows the original counties of both states. The Painted Pony Resort lies in the southwestern corner of the state in the original county of Mesilla in the vicinity of the early Mexican settlement of Fronteras. Mesilla county was eventually divided into Grant, Luna, and Hidalgo counties giving rise to the distribution of counties found in present day New Mexico.
Click photograph to view large formatted image