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No matter what brings you to New Mexico, weather it’s the authentic food, diverse culture, or even the ghost towns, you will not be dissapointed. Once the interstate was constructed, it led people right through the town leaving the town simply empty. It benefited from its locations as it ran along Route 66. Cuervo was one of the many railroad towns. The city almost feels like it is ready to be used again but no one is showing up to stay long term. Known as one of the largest ghost towns in New Mexico, this city has many remains, yet all people are gone. Cuervo Photo Credit: urwah26 via Instagram Some of the stone walls surrounding the site date back to the 1700s. Only a handful of houses and barns remained intact. Eventually, the entire settlement disappeared. With the arrival of railroads, the number of settlers decreased significantly. Settled in 1850, the village thrived until about 1900. Located near the Rio Grande River, Lake Valley was originally called “Rio de los Peces”. Nowadays, visitors can explore the remnants of the town including homes, schools, cemeteries, and even the church! Lake Valley Photo Credit: via Instagram Like many others before them, the mines dried up and the town faded away. But, just like Elizabethtown, the boom ended abruptly. Unfortunately, the discovery of gold caused many miners to flock into the area. Gold was discovered here in 1848 and within 10 years, the population increased from 100 to 2,000. One of the oldest communities in New Mexico, Golden was settled in 1776. Golden Photo Credit: archiministry via Instagram You will be amazed by the size and beauty of the ruins. Most of the original structures remain standing today. The post office closed in 1927, but the school continued operating until 1943. During World War I, the mines shut down and the town’s economy collapsed. One of these businesses was the Madera Mine, which operated between 19. At its peak, Madrid boasted three hotels, two churches, four saloons, six general stores, five blacksmith shops, ten restaurants, and several other small businesses. The town grew rapidly during the late 19th century. In 1871, Madrid was established as a stop along the Santa Fe Trail. Madrid Photo Credit: whiteroyhibbert via Instagram Visit this community or lack of, to see the remains of what once was a booming area. There is now little evidence remaining of this once thriving community. A fire destroyed much of the town in 1912. However, after the Panic of 1893 hit, the mine closed down and never reopened again. By 1880, the population reached 1,500 residents. The company eventually became one of the largest producers of both metals in the world. The Cerrillos Mining Company began operations in 1870. Cerrillos Photo Credit: twisty1965 via Instagram After the last resident died, the town slowly fell apart until today you can still visit some of the buildings. When the trains went by, business dropped off dramatically. Also, when the railroad came through in 1881, the train tracks ran right next to the main street where most businesses were located. It has been said that the reason the town died out so quickly was because they were not able to keep their water supply running due to lack of funds. The first building was built on top of an old Indian mound which is why it got its name. Cline who moved his family from Missouri around 1851-1852. Elizabethtown Photo Credit: newmexicotrue via Instagram Here are a few of the must see Ghost Towns in New Mexico. Many only have a few foundations and occasionally a piece of equipment left behind. Today, there are over 400 ghost towns in the state. Over the years many people have come up with theories of how this happened, and what exactly happened. Not only did the towns up and die, the straight up vanished.
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Longing to find treasures like silvers and golds, this state also has many farming communities that seem to fall silent all at once with no explanation.
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Known for the desirable mining towns, in the early 1800’s New Mexico had families flocking to this new state.