The story of a 160-year old building, its people, and its place. The building sits on a lot next to the plaza. The lot is a “terreno de solar,” a grant to a Mexican citizen by the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, on which to build a house. By the terms of the grant, the grantee is obliged to own a horse and a gun. Within a year or so the grantee – and his lot – are no longer in Mexico – they are both in the United States. A merchant buys the home, and opens a store. He sells to a partner, who opens Samuel Bean & Co. The Civil War begins and the town is occupied by Confederates. The Confederates are driven out by the Union. Bean is denounced as a “Johnny Reb,” and a U. S. Marshal confiscates his store. It is sold for almost nothing on the town plaza. After a fast series of buyers make quick profits, Lola Bennett buys it and builds her dream home. She trades it to John Davis, who establishes the most famous hotel in New Mexico Territory, the Corn Exchange. Davis dies. His widow runs the Corn Exchange as long as she is able. She dies and the church inherits it. The church sells it to the town priest. The priest sells to George Griggs, the impresario of the Billy the Kid Museum. Griggs sells to “Katy” Griggs for $1, who opens the most famous eating place in southern New Mexico – La Posta. The Corn Exchange hosts guest from as far away as London and Hong Kong, and cities like San Francisco, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago, New York, and Washington D. C. Ulysses Simpson Grant, Jr., son of the president, stays at the Exchange. As does John S. Chisum, “Cattle King of the West,” just two days after being robbed of $100 and a gold watch in a Silver City stage holdup. Virtually all of the significant people in Billy the Kid’s life stay at the Exchange: Sheriff Harvey H. Whitehill, who arrests Billy for his first crime; “Doc” Scurlock, Charles Bowdre, and Richard Brewer, Billy’s best friends; Attorneys Albert J. Fountain and John D. Bail, who defend Billy in his trial for murder; William Rynerson, the District Attorney who relentlessly pursues Billy; Simon Newcomb, the prosecuting DA in Billy’s trial; and Judge Warren Bristol, who sentences Billy to “be hanged by the neck until his body be dead.” Even Billy’s implacable enemies James Dolan and John Riley stay at the Exchange. Did Billy stay at the Exchange? Someone signed his name. Was it he? "Mesilla is full of Billy the Kid history... For someone who grew up in the area of Mesilla, it's nice to have a well-researched book about the area -- and the giant photographs don't hurt either.... And the thing I was most excited to see is a photo of the hotel registry where the name of "William Bonney" is scrawled on the page.... There is some debate as to whether or not Billy the Kid really signed the book, which the author goes into, but what would Billy the Kid history be without a little controversy?" Billy the Kid Outlaw Gang Newsletter, Winter, 2013 "David G. Thomas shares the fruits of some impressive historical sleuthing.... ...he traces the history of Mesilla's famous restaurant through its various incarnations.... Thanks to Thomas's meticulous documentation, visitors... will appreciate more than fine dining, knowing that the likes of cattle king John Chisum and other prominent figures in the colorful life of Billy the Kid once walked where they sit. Dozens of historic photographs and rare maps illustrate this illuminating book." -- The Journal of Arizona History, Spring, 2015 Founder of WindowDos Associates. Author and historian. Filmmaker. Winner 2015 Pasajero Del Camino Real Award for Vols. 1 and 2 of the Mesilla Valley History Series "in which the life and times of La Posta (1) and Giovanni Maria de Agostini (2) emerge in rich detail." Winner 2017 Pasajero Del Camino Real Award for Screen With A Voice, "A significant, comprehensive account bringing 110 years of theater to life."