Town in Chihuahua, Mexico
Puerto Palomas de Villa, also known simply as Palomas, is a small town of 4,688
[1] people in the
municipality of
Ascensión, in the
Mexican
state of
Chihuahua. It
borders the village of
Columbus, New Mexico, in the
United States.
Geography and climate
Palomas is located in the
Chihuahuan Desert at an approximate elevation of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) above sea level. Because of this rather high elevation, in addition to its location in far north Mexico, it receives about 5 inches of snow each year.
Tourism
Puerto Palomas is an alternative border crossing for the El Paso area, approximately 90 minutes west of El Paso. Most US tourists come to purchase low-cost prescription drugs, get dental work done, or visit "The Pink Store and Restaurant".
[2] The store has arts and crafts from all across Mexico, while the restaurant is known for its dishes made from
queso menonita produced in the state of
Chihuahua.
[3] A hotel is located a few blocks away at the corner of Progreso and 5 de Mayo Avenue.
[4]
History
Pancho Villa launched his attack on
Columbus, New Mexico, on March 9, 1916, from Palomas. In retaliation, the United States launched the
Pancho Villa Expedition, under General
John J. Pershing, to capture him. Notwithstanding more than a year of effort, including one of the first large-scale uses of motorized transport by the
U.S. Army, Pancho Villa was not captured. During this campaign, a young Lt.
George S. Patton, later to be known as General Patton, became famous. During his service and accompanied by ten soldiers of the
6th Infantry Regiment, Patton killed two Mexican leaders, including "General"
Julio Cárdenas, commander of Villa's personal bodyguard. For this action, as well as Patton's affinity for the
Colt Peacemaker, Pershing titled Patton his "Bandito." Patton's success in this regard gained him a level of fame in the United States, and he was featured in newspapers across the nation.[
citation needed]
Education
Several public schools are located in Paloma. These schools require fees to be paid from the households of the students.
[5]
As of the 2013–2014 school year, 421 residents of Palomas attend the schools of
Deming Public Schools in the United States. Many children living in Palomas are
U.S. citizens because the U.S. federal and New Mexico state policies allow women in Palomas to give birth in the nearest hospital, which is in Deming, on the U.S. side of the border. Birth in the United States
automatically confers citizenship. Due to the school fees at the public schools in Palomas, the English-language education, and the higher quality facilities in the Deming Public Schools campuses, many parents resident in Palomas prefer to send their children to the schools in the United States. Almost 75% of students at Columbus Elementary School in
Columbus, New Mexico, the DPS school closest to the
Mexico–United States border, live in Palomas and have parents who are Mexicans.
[5]
References
External links