Las Vegas, NM to Stinnett Tx, via Route 66 and the Old West

Dilia Church

Wrapping up in the Las Vegas, New Mexico area, we headed south on I-25 for just a few miles, then picked up Highway 84 to just west of  Santa Rosa. This is a stretch of Pre-1937 Route 66 in New Mexico before it was straightened out, cutting off this northern loop that used to go through Santa Fe.

Along the way to Santa Rosa you'll pass through a couple of spots in the road. Like Apache Springs with just a few scattered houses and some ruins off the side of the road, and Dilia which shows a little more life, but still a small ranching/farming community.  We experienced beautiful landscapes as we continued down in elevation, full of "nothingness" but gorgeous at the same time.

After a small jaunt on I-40, we veered back onto the Mother Road at Santa Rosa,

Sun N Sand in Santa Rosa

the City of Natural Lakes. Founded in 1865, the town began as nothing more than a large Spanish Rancho, and was called Aqua Negro Chiquita. Sometime around 1890, it took a new name honoring a chapel built by Don Celso Baco who named it for his wife and Saint Rose of Lima, the first canonized Saint of the "New World." Today, this popular town along America's Mother Road still provides area attractions through nearby lakes and streams, as well as plenty of photo ops through town of some of it's decades old and still operating Route 66 Icons.

Old Motor Court in Newkirk

Between  Santa Rosa and Tucumcari is what we refer to as a ghost town stretch of Route 66 that includes Cuervo, Newkirk and Montoya.  These small towns got their start from Ranching and Railroad and for a time they were bustling with activity from the many travelers of Route 66.  Today they are a shell of their former self with very few residents.  The buildings tell of a time before the interstate when these small communities were important stops. Read more about this stretch HERE.

Blue Swallow Motel 

After the ghost town stretch you'll find plenty more photo ops and some tasty choices in Tucumcari. Heading east into town you will first come to the New Mexico Route 66 Museum, dedicated to exploring the states 604 miles of original Mother Road.  Up and down 66 through town you'll find icon after icon, like the famous Blue Swallow Motel, or Del's Restaurant (mighty tasty mexican food by the way..loved our lunch here). Once nicknamed "Six Shooter Siding", this town started around 1901 with the railroad and quickly became a bit rowdy with saloons, gamblers, dance hall girls and the like. Today travelers can get a great feel for the 1940's and 50's era of the Mother Road as many of the businesses have done a great job keeping up the Neon, and others have been painted with Route 66 themes.

This would be all of the Mother Road on this segment of the trip though, as we cut north on Highway 54 for an overnight stay in Logan, just outside of Utte State Park, on our way to more old west history in the Texas Panhandle.  (Stayed at Arrowhead RV Park on the east edge of town.  Under new ownership for about a month, this was an alright stop for the night with full hookups, but was mostly long term campers working in the area. A little TLC, which the owner is in the process of giving, will go a long way here. Paid $15 (tax included) with our Passport membership). 

Logan to Stinnett and Hutchinson County History

At one time this bar was a bank

Not too far down the road from Logan on Highway 54 we came into Nara Visa, a ghost town lovers delight. This early 1900's town was built on the railroad, and started off as Narvaez, but English speaking settlers managed to mangle the name until it became Nara Visa. What is now just a small town with an open post office and Motel on the western end used to be home to several churches, eight saloons, dance halls, stores, and more.  What used to be the bank, turned into a bar and looks like something we've seen in a movie, but couldn't find anything in our immediate research.

This was a gem of photo ops for Kathy and I, but unfortunately for "me", my camera decided it was time to

There were quite a few old vehicles on
property along the highway in Nara Visa.

retire, so Kathy got all the fun.  We also heard from a reader on our Facebook page that the bank (now closed bar), which was the First National Bank of Nara Visa, was at one time the most robbed bank in the United States, including, according to our reader, by the Pretty Boy Floyd gang.

After some quality time in Nara Visa, we pushed onto the Texas Panhandle for Cal Farley's Boys Ranch, which used to be the Old West town of Tascosa.  This was once a rival to Dodge City for cattle markets, and was the capital of 10 counties. The post office was established in 1878, and by the 1880's it was already a rough town, famously known for a gun fight in 1886 at the Jenkins Saloon between two panhandle ranch factions that left four dead.  You can visit their graves at the Boot Hill cemetery on the way into town.

Once in Cal Farley's Boys Ranch you need to check into the main office, then walk across the street to the Julian Bivins Museum, housed in the original courthouse.  It, and the old school house are the only two original structures remaining from Tascosa, which died as a town after the railroad built 50 miles north of town.  By the 1930's the town was dead and Cal Farley's Boys Ranch was built on the site in 1938.

From Cal Farley's we headed onto our destination for the next couple of days, Hutchinson County seat Stinnett Texas.

For Legends' 10th Anniversary, Kathy wanted to pay tribute to her roots in the Texas Panhandle, as it was her Grandmother Irene Foster which gave her the "history bug" as a child.  Hutchinson county has a pretty interesting history, especially with the oil industry.  Like the wild and wooley town of Borger just a few miles down the road from Stinnett that was once so corrupt that the Governor of Texas had to send in the Texas Rangers. You can read our full story on Borger HERE.

Stinnett wasn't always the county seat. The extinct town of Plemons held that honor for several years after getting it's start in the late 1800's.  Hutchinson county is also home to Adobe Walls, the first trading post in this region established back in 1843.  Just a marker in a field now, Adobe Walls also has the grave of William Billy Dixon, famous scout, buffalo hunter and Indian Fighter.  Dixon was involved with the second "Battle of Adobe Walls", and is credited with being a hero two days into the battle, when a bullet from his Sharps buffalo rifle knocked an Indian off his horse nearly a mile away (perhaps exaggerated. Dixon himself never claimed credit for his "long shot."

Irene Womble Foster, the
inspiration for Legends Of America.

Kathy's great grandfather William Carson Womble settled in the area around 1902 and was good friends with Dixon up until Dixon's death in 1915.  Womble would go on to become a county commissioner and played an important role in building the new county courthouse in Stinnett in the 1930's, which has his name engraved in the cornerstone of the building.  Later, Kathy's grandfather Ben Foster (who married Irene Womble whom Kathy dedicates Legends Of America too) became the mechanical engineer for the courthouse.  He and Irene would live in the basement apartment at the building for years, raising their children there.  We took a tour of the courthouse so Kathy could relive childhood memories of playing in the halls.  Heard a lot of "tales" from her on this trip about life at the courthouse, from sneaking into the library, to her mom, Wanda, climbing out on the upper floors ledge as a child and actually walking around the building.

Kathy's written extensive history on Hutchinson County, it's towns and people which you can see HERE. Be sure to visit the link for Extinct Towns, Ghost Towns and Company Camps to see more about Plemons and other places that used to be part of the rich history here.

You can see our trip in photos via our Facebook photo album HERE.

(We stayed a couple of nights by the city park in Stinnett in a small (3 or 4 space) RV parking area.  Full hookups, and it was "Free" for 3 nights, then $10 per night after [no long term campers].  We think it's great promotion for a city to do this, and loved the fact we could take advantage of it.  The only thing we would suggest is that the city perform the same care with the RV area that they do with the park, as it was full of good ol' Texas stickers and hardly any grass)

Shakespeare and the New Mexico Border

We're nearing the end of the trip and plan to see what we can of another great old ghost town - Shakespeare, before making our way back eastward along the New Mexico border to El Paso.

We head southwest from Silver City, knowing that we won't be able to tour Shakespeare, as they are only open designated weekends and by appointment. We, of course, didn't make an appointment, because we never know exactly where we're going to be at any given time. But, I had read that this privately owned ghost town could be seen from the road and was determined to at least get a glimpse of it. As we drive up to the gate we see the expected sign designating that it is closed and giving more information on visiting. However, there is also a very nice lady going into the gate that we get to visiting with. Helen Foster is writing a book about Janaloo Hill, the owner of Shakespeare before she died a short time ago. Her husband, Manny Hough, continues to preserve the Shakespeare and runs a working ranch. A very nice lady, I asked if it was ok to walk along the fence line and take some photos of the old place. When she indicated that would be ok, I headed up the hill for a better view and some photo opportunities. Next thing we know, she's running up from the house, waving her arms. Manny has decided we can visit after all. What a great surprise. We were not only given the opportunity to visit with Manny and find out more of Helen's work as a writer, but were also allowed to tour all of the buildings. There is just nothing better than having a ghost town to yourself. No waiting for people to get out of the way for pictures, lots of answers to questions, and an all around great time!!

That was a wonderful opportunity and we are so grateful to Manny and Helen for providing this wonderful opportunity. See more about Shakespeare HERE!

Next we head west to Steins, New Mexico, another preserved ghost town. Though it appears that this place may be "open" sometimes, it was shut down hard on our visit. Fenced in and filled with weeds and old vehicles, even its sign was fading. Perhaps it's no longer open at all. It was very hard to tell, but at any rate, got off some photos and we were on the road again. Heading due south along the Arizona border, we then turn eastward on New Mexico Highway 9 to make our way to El Paso. A very lonely stretch of road.

We soon run into another ghost town, this one very sad and lonely -- Hachita. An old railroad town that supported some of the nearby mines, it was once in the midst of Pancho Villa territory. Today, there are a few remaining residents, lots of abandoned buildings, and no open businesses.

As we continue on, it is apparent that we are close to the border, as the only vehicles we pass on this lonely road are Border Patrol SUV's and every few miles or so, we spy tall extended things with little platforms at the top, that apparently allow them to see the area around the border. For a while, we chase the white dot in the sky, as Dave has decided it is most certainly a UFO. Later, he finds out it some type of "super-sonic" surveillance system utilized by the border patrol.

We eventually wind up at Pancho Villa State Park and the site of U.S. Military post, Camp Furlong in Columbus, New Mexico.

Done for the day, we head on into El Paso and hotel. Tomorrow, it's back to Kansas City and the cold, cold, cold.

Silver City Mining Adventures

Next day, we decide to take it a little easy - not covering hundreds of miles and numerous ghost towns -- just two, Mogollon and Pinos Altos, both easy drives from Silver City. In fact we weren't even sure we would be traveling as the weather said Silver City was supposed to get 6-8" of snow. It didn't. Getting around slowly though, we finally head out to Mogollon, one of New Mexico’s premier ghost towns. It's just about 70 miles northwest of Silver City, the sun is shining bright, and it should be an easy trip. Right?

Well, not when ole' Kathy is around - always got to have at least one adventure on my trips to tell you about. Actually, it was easy for the first hour, I'm driving, good roads, breeze through Glenwood looking for our turn to take us into the Mogollon Mountains. Still easy for a couple of miles, then we start to climb. And, viola, we find snow and ice, especially on the shady side of the mountain. Hmmm, guess there was something to those signs we ignored that said "steep grade," "sharp turns," and "night travel discouraged." Never one to back off a steep road or a little snow, especially when navigating in an SUV, forward we go. The road rises some 2,500 feet, before dropping back down about 1,200 feet to Mogollon, all in the space of nine miles. It is narrow and twisting, with solid rock straight up one side for hundreds of feet and straight down an equal or greater distance on the other side.

Though poor Dave is clinging to console and his backside is puckering (his words,) I'm ok. Well, at least until I meet someone coming down that road on an extremely narrow stretch of gravel. Hmmm, what is that rule when you meet someone on a narrow mountain road -- is it the person going up or the person coming down that's supposed to back up. Totally escapes me. Maybe that's why those people were glaring at me when they stopped and I passed them on the side. Backing up is just simply not an option for me. I have trouble with that in my driveway. Ok, now, I am scared as I know my wheels are just inches from the dropping cliff to the left, and my right rear view mirror narrowly misses colliding with theirs. Suffering more dirty looks, we’re off again. No harm done, right? Shake it off - there's some beautiful views! Dave is as white as a sheet.

Now, it's a February weekday. There is absolutely no one else going up to this remote ghost town and only 15 residents who live there, so what are the odds, that five minutes later, we meet another vehicle coming down the mountain. Still can't remember that rule, but this time, I see opportunity, pull off, wait and wave as the car passes on down the mountain.

When we finally reach Mogollon, it is everything they said it would be -- filled with historic buildings and most of the snow has melted. The one good thing about ghost towning in the winter, is there aren't a bunch of people standing in front of the buildings I want to take pictures of. Didn't see nary a soul except for one stray dog and a lonely carpenter working on a house.

It was great, at least until, I wanted to make another steep trek up a two mile stretch to the cemetery. After about five minutes of rocking and bumping around, Dave wasn't having any more of that, so we turned around.

Going down was easy, of course. Back to Silver City, we then make our way to Pinos Altos. Another historic mining town, it still provides a number of historic buildings to look at, but this is no ghost town anymore. Just six miles north of Silver City, it appears to be more of a quaint little suburb, as new construction, luxury cabins, and resorts dot the terrain.

That's all - easy peasy day. Next mission, the best steakhouse in Silver City. Oops, me thinks we missed that opportunity back in Texas.

Ghost Towns and the Wild Wild West

Ahh, the day I have been anxiously awaiting - a visit to Lincoln, New Mexico, with all its history of the Lincoln County War, Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and more. We take off from Ruidoso - it's a cold and windy morning, not exactly what I was hoping for in southern New Mexico, but that's not about to stop us. Put on the coat, pull on the gloves, get out the camera and we're off. Whatever it is, it's still better than Kansas City, where the weather is so bad, the airport is shut down.

A walk down Lincoln, New Mexico's Main Street is a step back into the Wild Wild West. It was here that such men as Billy the Kid escaped from jail, killing two deputies, after Pat Garrett had captured him; here, that Indians, Mexican American settlers, gunfighters and corrupt politicians made themselves known; it was in this small settlement that the violent Lincoln County War erupted, which resulted in the deaths of 19 men and made Billy the Kid a legend.

From Lincoln, we head on down the road to Fort Stanton, one more of the many forts established to fight the fierce Apache Indians. From here, that Kit Carson was tasked with rounding up both the Apache and the Navajo Indians and forcing them on to the reservation at the Bosque Redondo Reservation at Fort Sumner. Over the years, the fort underwent a number of uses after it was decommissioned in 1896, becoming a tuberculosis hospital, a minimum security corrections facility, and today, a drug rehabilitation center. Today, the old fort grounds display a number of buildings; however, most are in serious disrepair. Much of the area is off-limits to the public and there are no buildings that can be toured. There is; however, a museum and visitor's center, but the hours are irregular.

Rolling on, we pass by the Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan, New New Mexico. Did you know that Smokey Bear was a real bear? In 1950 a real baby bear became the live “Smokey” when he was rescued from certain death by firefighters in a devastating blaze in New Mexico's Lincoln National Forest. It was this tiny bear that spawned the Smokey Bear Campaign, the longest running public service campaign in U.S. history.

But, we are destined for ghost towns in the Jicarilla Mountains northwest of Carrizozo. First stop -- White Oaks, a town that became known as the liveliest town in New Mexico Territory after gold was discovered here in 1879. In no time, the population boomed as miners crawled the hills and businessmen established saloons, stores, and offices. Billy Wilson, one of Billy the Kid's buddies lived here for a time and it was here that Pat Garrett was when the "Kid" escaped from the Lincoln County Jail, leaving behind two dead deputies. Today, this formerly thriving town is but a shell of its former self, providing a vivid peek at its past through its numerous old buildings.

The pavement ends as we head northeast out of White Oaks in search of another old settlement called Jicarilla. This very small town has been called home to miners for more than 150 years. Though its few buildings are now abandoned, there is still said to be plenty of gold in the area.

Next, this unpaved road takes us to the old railroad and ranching community of Ancho. This once bustling town has been reduced to a number of tumbling homes and businesses after being bypassed by the highway. Great stop and lots of photo opportunities.
And, we're not done yet! Returning south to Carrizozo, we then head westward through the lava fields, to Socorro County and the old mining towns of Kelly and Magdalena. Of Kelly, there is very little left and Magdalena is not a ghost town, but it was still a fun drive.

As you can imagine, by this time, we're beat and head to a hotel in Socorro, resting up for yet another day on the road.

Aliens and Outlaws

Day 2 we head north once again determined to see an alien in Roswell and hopefully "bump" into the ghost of Billy the Kid at Fort Sumner. Well, all kinds of "alien" type items we did see in Roswell, especially at the UFO Museum and Research Center. Got the whole history, lots of pictures, and displays. Very interesting stuff. Plus, Dave was determined to bring home an "alien" so we poked our heads into several of the touristy souvenir shops finding just the right one. Now, those places I can only describe as "quirky," but alien in hand, we set out on a more familiar trail -- that of the Old West.

We roll through the next 84 miles barely seeing a soul through the desert plains, our only company, a few scattered cows and a brief peek at a few fleeing antelope. One lonely adobe house sits abandoned on these quiet plains. How long has it been since this quiet little place heard laughter and voices within its walls? Finally, we reach the village of Fort Sumner, population of about 1250 - friendly folks and a great hamburger at Fred's Lounge.

At a visit to the Billy the Kid Museum, history comes to life with displays of Billy the Kid's rifle, chaps, spurs and original Wanted Poster, as well as military displays, saddles, vintage photographs, antique furnishings, and old Model-T's.

Now, on to Billy the Kid's gravesite and the Fort Sumner State Monument. At the old cemetery, we see Billy's grave, along with his pals Tom O'Folliard and Charlie Bowdre. Poor Billy's original grave stone has been stolen twice, so the gravesite sits behind an iron cage. Who would do that? Steal a grave marker? But, they got it back and the original marker is also in the "cage," further imprisoned within yet more iron.

Of the Fort Sumner State Monument, we learn more of the Navajo's Long Walk to the Bosque Redondo Reservation. It was to "guard" these Indians, that Fort Sumner was built in 1862. However, the reservation was soon hailed as a miserable failure --the victim of poor planning, disease, crop infestation, and poor conditions for agriculture. The Navajo were finally acknowledged sovereignty in the historic Treaty of 1868 and allowed to returned to their land along the Arizona-New Mexico border.

In 1870, the old Fort Sumner buildings were sold to Lucien B. Maxwell, the former owner of the largest land grant in U.S. History. Maxwell relocated his family from northeast New Mexico and refurbished the buildings into proper housing. Lucien Maxwell soon turned over his affairs to his son Peter and passed away a few years later. When Billy the Kid arrived on the scene, Peter Maxwell and Billy became friends. On July 14, 1881, Sheriff Pat Garrett found Billy the Kid in a bedroom of the Maxwell home and ended the life of the teenage outlaw.

Though all of the original buildings of the fort, as well as Maxwell's home, are long since gone, the site provides a museum and an interpretive trail which provide information about the tragic history of the site.

We're off again, destined for Ruidosa. Along the way, I am pleasantly surprised when we run into the ghost town of Yeso that I was unaware was on our route. Though we saw not a single soul, amazingly, there is still an operating post office in this abandoned agricultural community. Here, there are numerous homes and businesses standing in various stages of collapse.

As our journey turns southward, we bump into yet another ghost town -- Duran. Though this small village continues to be called home to several residents, it's obviously seen better days, as every business is closed and numerous homes are abandoned.

Finally, we reach Ruiodosa and our hotel. Another delightful day!