How Old Mesilla Preserves A Piece Of Capone's Legacy

A famous 1930's gangster, perhaps the most famous of them al, has a place right here in the Borderland. 2 actually - 1 in Old Mesilla and the other in Cloudcroft, New Mexico.

El Paso has seen its share of outlaws like good guy turned bad guy John Wesley Hardin, outlaws like Billy The Kid and famous gangsters like John Dillinger. He spent one of his last nights as a free man here before being caught in 1934.

Other gangsters and bootleggers galore hung out in the Borderland, especially during prohibition when many were buying their booze in Juarez. I've never heard anything about Al Capone being here ... I bet he was though ,, but some of his things are here.

What Does Al Capone Have In Cloudcroft?

Cloudcroft is home to a legendary hotel called The Lodge. It's a beautiful hotel built and opened somewhere between 1899 - 1901. Over the years it was once almost lost to a fire and has gone through many changes, including a pretty recent remodeling.

It's home to a famous ghost, Rebecca, and a bar once owned by Al Capone. It was in his Florida mansion for many years and bought at auction by The Lodge. Imagine the celebrations held, deals made and "hits" ordered over it, if only it could talk.

Where's The Rest Of Al Capone's Bar?

The other half of Al Capone's bar is located about 100 miles south of Cloudcroft and only about 30 miles from El Paso. As you probably deduced by my opening sentence, it's in Old Mesilla.

You can have a drink where Al once drank at the Double Eagle restaurant. They apparently got their half from the Drake Hotel in Chicago. It had a speakeasy during the days of prohibition and also held the office of Capone's go-to enforcer, Frank Nitti.

Again, you have to wonder how many deals were made and murders "arranged" over the bar, now located at the Double Eagle. Make a deal over it yourself with a quick and easy trip from El Paso to historic Old Mesilla, just outside Las Cruces.