El Mariachi dba Thunderbird de la Mesilla

Built beginning in 1860 by Augustin Maurin, a man of French descent who used burned brick from his own kiln, this is the oldest documented brick building in New Mexico. Maurin was murdered by robbers in his adjoining apartment in 1866, and his heir, Cesar Maurin, came from France to claim the property but died of natural causes in 1868. Frenchman Pedro Duhalde, a former Mesilla saloonkeeper, later moved in and was also murdered by robbers. After serving as a general store, residence, saloon, and town hall, the building, now owned by Tiburcio Frietze, remains in good condition, with original hand-hewn vigas supporting a low, irregular ceiling and old brickwork forming the setting for gift items displayed there.

Mesilla, New Mexico · United States