Las Cruces, Spanish for "city of crosses," is located in the Mesilla Valley, a wonderfully varied area of forests, river valley, and vast desert. The seat of Dona Ana County, the city is near White Sands Missile Range, where the first atomic bomb was tested. The city's spectacular setting boasts the Organ Mountains to the east and the surrounding Chihuahua Desert, with the Rio Grande running through the middle. Since the end of the nineteenth century, the city has been the political, social, and business hub for southern New Mexico. The Forbes/Milken Institute named Las Cruces among the top three small metro areas for business and careers in 2002, 2003, and 2004, and Money magazine placed it in the top eight places to retire, based on factors such as weather, crime, and economy.