Friday, February 21, 2025

Ghost Town Visit

We drove 1½ hours northwest of Las Cruces to Lake Valley Historical Site to view the remnants of a boom town which flourished in the early 1880's when a silver vein was discovered here by a prospector. Stories abounded from the caretaker couple who manned the site during operating hours. One of the stories was of a great grandfather working the mine who forgot his pick when leaving home but had his lunchbox. He was able to scoop the pure silver with his hands, store it in his lunchbox, and take it back home. It was that soft.

Two buildings were intact: the old schoolhouse and the church. The rest of the ghost town was just that—a ghost of a town. One adobe building which was off limits to visitors was the town's refuge during Geronimo's raids. Everyone ran for it because it was the only building with thick walls. When the townspeople saw the Indians coming, a message would be sent via a mirror on a hillock to the calvary, who once notified, would send a regiment that might get to the town's aid in about 2 hours or so.

Twelve of us reunited to make the visit. We saw the remnants of a railroad line in town in addition to the refurbished church and schoolhouse (which was used as a dance hall on weekends).

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