Est. 1849 · Gadsden Purchase Site · Historic Old Mesilla · New Mexico Territorial Architecture
The adobe building at 2355 Calle de Guadalupe occupies one of the most historically significant positions in the Mesilla Valley. Old Mesilla Plaza is where, in 1853, the Gadsden Purchase transfer was formalized — the diplomatic transaction by which 29,670 square miles of northern Mexico became southern Arizona and New Mexico. The building itself predates that event, constructed during the commercial expansion of Mesilla in the 1840s when the town served as a regional hub on the Camino Real.
The Double Eagle Restaurant identifies the building as the oldest in Historic Old Mesilla. The Maes family, who relocated from Santa Fe after the Mexican-American War of 1846–1848, occupied the structure as a family residence in the mid-19th century. The restaurant takes its name from the double eagle currency imagery associated with the period; the adjacent Peppers Restaurant operates in a connected portion of the building.
The Double Eagle has operated as a fine dining steakhouse for over 50 years. It celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022, per Las Cruces Bulletin coverage, alongside nearly 175 years of documented Mesilla history connected to the property. The building was featured in Ghost Adventures Season 9 (2017, Episode 'Double Eagle Restaurant'), which brought the property to a national audience interested in the paranormal.
Sources
- https://www.doubleeagleonline.com/ghosts-read-more/
- https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/13277
- https://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/stories/the-double-eagle-celebrates-50th-anniversary-almost-175-years-of-mesilla-history-lore,54139
- https://www.visitlascruces.com/things-to-do/museums-history/haunted-historic/
ApparitionsPhantom smellsObject movementPhantom voices
The Double Eagle's ghost story centers on two people: Armando, eldest son of the wealthy Maes family, and Inez, a teenage servant described as having long black hair. According to the legend reconstructed by the restaurant from multiple source accounts, Armando and Inez fell in love and met secretly in what was then Armando's bedroom — the room now designated the Carlotta Salon, named for Empress Carlotta of Mexico.
Armando's mother discovered the relationship. In the account documented on the restaurant's own website, the discovery led to a violent confrontation: she seized sewing shears from a basket and stabbed Inez, then drove the shears into Armando's back. Both died in the room. The restaurant notes that the account was 'pieced together' from various sources, and the pipeline data flags discrepancies in the details of Inez's death across different versions of the legend.
The two chairs in the Carlotta Salon are described as showing distinctive wear patterns — shapes consistent with being repeatedly sat in — that are attributed to Armando and Inez. The restaurant's website documents additional phenomena: furniture found repositioned overnight, wine glasses broken without triggering motion detectors, whispered names and the scent of perfume in the salon area.
The Double Eagle's ghost story was featured in Ghost Adventures Season 9, Episode 'Double Eagle Restaurant' (2017, IMDb rating 7.8). The episode brought the paranormal accounts to a national audience and introduced the location to the broader paranormal investigation community.
Notable Entities
Armando (Maes family)Inez
Media Appearances
- Ghost Adventures S9 Double Eagle Restaurant (2017)
