New Mexico Historic Sites and the Friends of Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site have scheduled a celebration for John Paul Taylor’s birthday. Taylor would have turned 104 years old on August 24.
According to an announcement on New Mexico Historic Sites’ website, the event takes place on August 24 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site.
According to his obituary published in the Las Cruces Sun News, Taylor served as the Democratic representative for District 33 in the New Mexico legislature. He was called "the conscience of the New Mexico Legislature." He passed away on February 12, 2023.
The announcement states that Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site Family Day will feature festivities such as music, dancing, and family-friendly activities and booths highlighting the history and culture of the Mesilla Valley, which Taylor and his wife, Mary Daniels, loved.
Additionally, according to the announcement, the Wonder on Wheels mobile museum will be at the plaza, featuring a New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum exhibit titled "Growing New Mexico." The event will also include the grand opening of the Reynolds Center, which is the visitor center for the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site. The center’s first exhibit, called "Mesilla: A Place of Growth and Change," will spotlight Mesilla’s history with a focus on its role in key moments during the second half of the 19th century.
