Puerto de Luna

Puerto de Luna (meaning "gateway to the moon") is a small town south of Santa Rosa famous for it's unique strain of chili that has been cultivated here for over 100 years (known by the locals as PDL chili). Before the coming of the railroad, PDL was the most thriving village in the area and was the county seat before it was moved to Santa Rosa.

According to legend, Coronado's conquistadors built a bridge across the Pecos here and watched the moon come up behind rock outcroppings. However, the town was really named after the Luna family who have lived in the area since the 1860's.

The town is also famous for being the place where Billy the Kid ate his last Christmas dinner. Alexander Grzelachowski (or "Grezla" as the locals called him) was a retired Civil War chaplain was a friend to outlaw Billy the Kid. Billy was a frequent visitor and ate his last Christmas dinner a Grezla's home on December 25, 1880 while being escorted to the jail in Las Vegas, New Mexico, by Pat Garrett.

The Nuestra Senora del Refugio Church in Puerto de Luna, pictured above, was built in 1881.