Editing Columbus, New Mexico (section)

==History==
===Early history (1891–1910s)===
Columbus was established in 1891 just across the Mexican border from [[Palomas, Chihuahua]], and named after 15th-century explorer [[Christopher Columbus]]. In 1902, the village center was moved {{convert|3|mi|0}} north when the [[El Paso and Southwestern Railroad]] built its Columbus station. This station is now converted into a museum run by the Columbus Historical Society.<ref>{{cite book |last=Reynolds |first=Joyce |title=Pancho Villa & Columbus, NM |publisher=JReynolds Photo & Computer Works, Deming NM |pages=1 }}</ref>

About 1905, it was a very small town with a population of about 100, two of those early settlers being Colonel Andrew O. Bailey and Louis Heller. By this time, Columbus had only one general store, a saloon, and a society inspector.{{clarify|date=June 2019}} In time, a high school was built, and Perrow G. Mosely established the ''Columbus News'', which later was renamed the ''Columbus Courier''. By 1915, the town had 700 residents, the Columbus State Bank was built, four hotels were constructed, and several stores and a Baptist church were also established. At that time, the area around Columbus also had rich silver, copper, lead, and zinc deposits.<ref>{{cite book |title=Ghost towns and mining camps of New Mexico |year=1975 |publisher=University of Oklahoma Press. Publishing Divisinon |location=Norman |isbn=0-8061-1106-2 |pages=51–54 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AeLucnQnl5QC |author=Sherman, James E. |author2=Sherman, Barbara H. |access-date=February 11, 2014 }}</ref>

===1916 Pancho Villa raid===
{{main|Battle of Columbus (1916)}}
[[File:Columbus.jpg|left|thumb|Columbus after Villa's raid]]
On March 9, 1916, on the orders of Mexican revolutionary leader [[Pancho Villa]], Colonel Francisco Beltrán, Colonel Candelario Cervantes, General Nicolás Fernández, General Pablo López, and others led 500 men in an attack against the town, which was garrisoned by a detachment of the [[13th Cavalry Regiment]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Page, Walter Hines |date=April 1916 |author2=Page, Arthur Wilson |title=The March Of Events: Making Mexico Understand |journal=[[World's Work|The World's Work: A History of Our Time]] |volume=XXXI |pages=584–593 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09_Sr9emceQC&pg=PA584 |access-date=August 4, 2009 }}</ref> Villa's army burned a part of the town and killed seven or eight soldiers and 10 residents before retreating back into Mexico.

United States President [[Woodrow Wilson]] responded to the Columbus raid by sending 10,000 troops under Brigadier General [[John J. Pershing]] to Mexico to pursue Villa. This was known as the Punitive Mexican Expedition or [[Pancho Villa Expedition]]. The expedition was eventually called off after failing to find Villa, who had escaped.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/mexex.html |title=U.S. Army Campaigns: Mexican Expedition |publisher=[[United States Army Center of Military History]] |access-date=August 19, 2010 |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229163110/https://history.army.mil/html/reference/army_flag/mexex.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Pershing expedition brought prosperity and international attention to Columbus and a realization that war had come to the border of the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=Columbus New Mexico |url=http://web.nmsu.edu/~publhist/colhist.htm |work=History of the Columbus Raid |publisher=NMSU Board of Regents |access-date=February 18, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719220950/http://web.nmsu.edu/~publhist/colhist.htm |archive-date=July 19, 2014 }}</ref>

===From 1926 to the 1990s===
In 1926 after the Punitive Expedition ended, Columbus started to change and decay over the decades. Camp Furlong activity was greatly reduced. The army decided to close their camp, and the [[El Paso and Southwestern Railroad]] stopped service in Columbus. After all these events, the economy naturally faded over time. <nowiki></nowiki>{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In the 1990s, Columbus started to revitalize, with the development of city and state parks, museums, RV parks, and history involving the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Village of Columbus NewMexico |url=http://www.columbusnewmexico.com/columbus_new_mexico_united_states_history.htm |access-date=February 13, 2014 |archive-date=March 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302225821/http://www.columbusnewmexico.com/columbus_new_mexico_united_states_history.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===2011 gun-smuggling scandal===
In July 2011, Columbus dissolved its police force after a gun-smuggling scandal that involved its village officials and others.<ref name=Yahoo>{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/mexico-town-dissolves-police-dept-gun-smuggling-scandal-184408968.html#more-13679 |title=New Mexico town dissolves police dept after gun smuggling scandal |publisher=Yahoo |author=Liz Goodwin |date=July 12, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2011 }}</ref> The mayor, a village trustee, a former police chief, and nine other people were indicted in the scandal.<ref name=Yahoo /> The case was prosecuted by the [[United States Attorney]] from [[El Paso, Texas]], before [[United States District Court for the District of New Mexico|United States District Court]] Judge [[Robert C. Brack|Robert Brack]] in [[Las Cruces, New Mexico]]. Of the 11 people charged, 10 pleaded guilty, with one person still at large. Sentences ranged from five years in federal prison to two years' probation.<ref>[http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_20858191/former-columbus-mayor-sentenced-gun-smuggling-case Brian Fraga. Former Columbus, N.M., mayor sentenced in gun-smuggling case. ''Las Cruces Sun-News''. Posted: June 14, 2012] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616213718/http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_20858191/former-columbus-mayor-sentenced-gun-smuggling-case |date=June 16, 2012 }}</ref>