Years ago many of us found a magical place in Northern New Mexico called Santa Fe. While the city remains a wonderful place to visit, it has seen meteoric growth and exploitation.
The Santa Fe of yesteryear is gone. Fortunately, there is another city with the same character. In the old days they called it Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Las Vegas Grandes (“Our Lady of Sorrows of the Great Meadows”). The popular name is Las Vegas, New Mexico.
If you enjoy mixing with local culture, the place to stay in Las Vegas is the Plaza Hotel. Charles Ilfeld and Don Benigno Romero 
raised the small fortune of $25,000 to build “The Belle of the Southwest.” The Plaza Hotel was a first class meeting spot on the Santa Fe Trail for the “who's who” of the times, including the Territorial Democrats and Territorial Republicans, according the to hotel’s website.
Topics of the day were similar to modern political issues. Should the territory of New Mexico join the Union? In 1846, Stephen W. Kearny claimed New Mexico for the United States in front of a crowd gathered in the Las Vegas Plaza.
During the lame duck session of 2010, children of undocumented immigrants asked Congress to pass the Dream Act so they can go to college or serve in the military and be part of America.
Education is in the hearts of the descendants of the original people of Las Vegas. In 1877, 
A group of exiled Jesuits formed the Las Vegas College, which became Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Armand Hammer's United World College is located near Las Vegas in another famous hotel. The college accepts talented youth from around the world. Perhaps some of the Dream students will go to school in Law Vegas or Denver, Colorado!
In the early days, the Railroad Brought people and problems.
Article comments
1 - terence sutherland
The writer fails to mention that Bat Masterson and the Dodge City Gang, along with Pat Garrett used to roam "Old Town" Las Vegas. Also Jack Johnson, heavyweight champion of the world in the early 20th Century, trained here. The Rough Riders trained here before going on to fight in the Battle of San Juan Hill, Puerto Rico.
Queen Elizabeth visited nearby Montezuma, also in the early 20th Century. In the 30's, big cars with Illinois plates would be seen rumbling into Old Town, staying for a few months until the heat was off in Chicago. It was later learned many were with Al Capone. Yes, there's alot of history in Old Town, Las Vegas...