List of ghost towns in New Mexico

This is a partial list of ghost towns in New Mexico in the United States of America.

Conditions

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Ghost towns can include sites in various states of disrepair and abandonment. Some sites no longer have any trace of buildings or civilization and have reverted to empty land. Other sites are unpopulated but still have standing buildings. Still others may support full-time residents, though usually far less than at their historical peak, while others may now be museums or historical sites.

For ease of reference, the sites listed have been placed into one of the following general categories.

Barren site
  • Site is no longer in existence
  • Site has been destroyed, covered with water, or reverted to empty land
  • May have a few difficult to find foundations/footings at most
Neglected site
  • Little more than rubble remains at the site
  • Dilapidated, often roofless buildings remain at the site
Abandoned site
  • Building or houses still standing, but all or almost all are abandoned
  • No population, with the possible exception of a caretaker
  • Site no longer in use, except for one or two buildings
Semi-abandoned site
  • Buildings or houses still standing, but most are abandoned
  • A few residents may remain
Historic site
  • Buildings or houses still standing
  • Site has been converted to a historical site, museum, or tourist attraction
  • Still a busy community, but population is smaller than its peak years

Ghost towns

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Town name  Other name(s)  County  LocationSettled  Abandoned  Current status  Remarks   
AlamocitaNew AlamosaSierra18671880SubmergedTown was abandoned in 1880, due to change in the course of the Rio Grande, some ranches remained. Site was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
AlemanAleman RanchSierra18681875Historic siteBuildings on the Bar Cross Ranch
Anaconda-Cibola19521982Barren siteA former mining town that also once contained the only medical facility between Albuquerque and Gallup.
Baldy TownBaldy Mining CampColfax18881940Historic siteThe site is part of the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch. It has stone ruins, mill foundations, a chimney, mine tailings, and a smelter slag pile.[1]
Bard-Quay--Abandoned site-
Blackdom-Chaves1901---
Bland-Sandoval35°45'31.29"N 106°28'2.08"W1893early 1900sBarren siteDestroyed in the 2011 Las Conchas Fire, some foundations remain.[2][3]
Bonanza City-Santa Fe1880early 1900sBarren site-
Bramlett-Hidalgo----
Cabezon-Sandoval---Private property. Several structures remain.
Cambray-Luna1892-Neglected sitePrivate property. Structures remain in various states of disrepair.
Canta Recio-Socorro18751920Barren siteSite was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
Carpenter-Grant----
ChiseChizSierra---Populated Place.
Chloride-Sierra18811956Historic siteAn unincorporated community [4]
Clairmont-Catron----
Cloverdale-Hidalgo----
Cooney-Catron----
CuchilloCuchillo NegroSierra1867-1871-Historic siteAn unincorporated community. Name change came after the 1900 Census, it was recorded under its present name in the 1910 Census.
Cuervo-Guadalupe1901-Abandoned site-
Dawson-Colfax19011950Abandoned SiteOnce Large City, suffered two major mining incidents totaling some 400 casualties, Phelps Dodge Company cleared the town of relics and infrastructure
El Ojo Del Padre------
Elephant Butte-Sierra----
Elizabethtown-Colfax18661917Abandoned SiteOnce largest town in New Mexico.[5] Ruins of one stone structure is all that remains, most wooden structures lost in 1903 fire.
Endee-Quayc.1885-Abandoned siteFounded as a supply center for ranches in the area.[6]
Folsom-Union County----
Gary-Hidalgo----
GlenrioRock IslandQuay (partially in Deaf Smith County, Texas)----
Hagan-Sandoval--Neglected site-
Hermosa-Sierra---Mostly private property, but several structures remain. Ranch is owned by Ted Turner.
JicarillaLincoln18921942Abandoned siteHalf a dozen structures remain at the site, including both former schoolhouses.
Gage-Luna----
Gobernador-Rio Arriba----
Gran Quivira-----(now part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument)
Kelly-Socorro----
La BelleLabelleTaos18941910Barren siteThe town was founded as a result of a gold mine and ceased when the mining ended.
Lake Valley-Sierra--Historic site-
Lanark-Doña Ana----
Mentmore-McKinley---(still has post office and zip code 87319) [7]
Montoya-Quay1902-Abandoned siteOriginally founded as a railroad stop in 1902. A Sinclair gasoline station operated from 1925 to the mid-1970s.[8]
Mogollon-Catron----
Mowry City-Doña Ana----
NewkirkConant (formerly)Guadalupec. 1900-1910-Semi-abandoned siteIn the 2010 census, Newkirk had a population of 7.
Old Hachita-Grant---Several structures remain, including mine headframes.
Paraje-Socorro18571942Barren siteSite was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir. Later exposed, some ruins and artifacts can be seen.
Pinos Altos (High Pines)-Grant1860-Historic siteStill has some people there, located near Silver City
Pittsburg-Colfax----
Red Hill-Catron----
Road Fork-Hidalgo----
Santa BarbaraHatchDoña Ana1851, 18531851, 1860Historic siteThe village was abandoned in 1851 because of Apache raids and in 1860 by a Navajo raid. It was not re-occupied until 1875 and was renamed as Hatch.
San Albino-Sierra18691914Barren siteSite was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
San José-Sierra18691916Barren siteSite was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
San Marcial-Socorro1854, 18661866,1929Neglected siteDestroyed by flood 1866, rebuilt on opposite bank of the Rio Grande, destroyed by flood in 1929 and abandoned.
San Ygnacio de la AlamosaAlamosa, Cañada AlamosaSierra18591867Barren siteAbandoned after destruction by flooding in 1867. Site was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.
Santa RitaSanta Rita del CobreGrant1801, 18731838, 1967Barren siteTown site swallowed up by the open pit copper mine several times.
Shakespeare(Mexican Springs, Grant, Ralston City)Hidalgo18621929Historic siteCurrently part of a privately owned ranch, sometimes open to tourists.
SteinsStein's PassHidalgo18801944--
Tejon------
Twining-Taos---(site of Taos Ski Valley)
Tyrone-Grant----
Valedon-Hidalgo----
Vinegaroon-Otero---(east of La Luz, New Mexico; at the mouth of La Borcita)
White OaksLincoln1879Early 1900sHistoric site
ZapataZapatoSierra18691908Abandoned siteSite was submerged by the Elephant Butte Reservoir.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Baldy Mining Camp, Colfax County, New Mexico Genealogy from familysearch.org accessed March 10, 2019
  2. ^ "Bland, New Mexico - General Information". University of New Mexico Digital Repository. July 3, 2019.
  3. ^ Library, Jemez Springs Public (June 29, 2015). "Bland – Jemez Valley History". Retrieved May 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Chloride
  5. ^ Murphy, Lawrence (1965). "Boom and Bust on Baldy Mountain, New Mexico, 1864-1942" (PDF). University of Arizona.
  6. ^ Hinkley, Jim (2011). Ghost Towns of Route 66. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press. pp. 94–95. ISBN 978-0-7603-3843-8.
  7. ^ Mentmore, NM
  8. ^ Hinkley, Jim (2011). Ghost Towns of Route 66. Minneapolis: Voyageur Press. pp. 100–101. ISBN 978-0-7603-3843-8.