Last updated: May 20, 2026
Place
Vado, New Mexico
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Location:
Southeastern Doña Ana County, New Mexico.
Significance:
First all-African American settlement in the territory.
Designation:
Historic site on El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro NHT.
MANAGED BY:
Unincorporated Community of Vado
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
In the Mesilla Valley, approximately 15 miles south of Las Cruces, New Mexico, along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail, lies the community of Vado. The rich history of the small town was shaped by the efforts of Francis Marion Boyer and Ella Louise McGruder Boyer, who arrived in New Mexico from Georgia in the early 1900s and founded the first all-African American settlement in the territory.
Site Information
Location (Southeastern Doña Ana County, New Mexico.)