Lake Valley, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Lake Valley was a silver-mining town in Sierra County
, New Mexico
, United States
. The town had its heyday from 1881 to 1893. The last resident left in 1994.
Today the town is a completely deserted ghost town
. The townsite is partly privately owned, and partly owned by the US Bureau of Land Management
, which has restricted access to the old buildings to daylight hours, to prevent vandalism. There is a self-guided walking tour.
deposits in Sierra County in 1876. Two years later he sold his claims to an engineer, who began mining. The deposits are bedded manto
-type deposits in Paleozoic
limestone
. The mines produced well for a few years after miners tunneled into a silver-lined cavity they named the “bridal chamber” that alone yielded 2.5 million troy ounce
s (78 tonnes) of silver.
In 1881 the property was sold to mine promoters George D. Roberts and Whitaker Wright
, who split the property among five companies: Sierra Apache Co., Sierra Bella Co., Sierra Grande Co., Sierra Madre Co., and the Sierra Plata Co., and stock was sold widely in the east. Despite the brief wealth of the bridal chamber, shareholders in all five companies lost money.
In 1881, a party of Lake Valley miners formed a posse to pursue a band of Apache
s that had raided the town of Hillsboro
. The Apaches caught them in an ambush in the hills ten miles west of Lake Valley, and many, including the mine superintendent George Daley, were killed.
The bridal chamber was worked out by 1883. Although a railroad line reached Lake Valley in 1884, the mines struggled and were worked only periodically into the 20th century. Total production of the Lake Valley district through 1931 was 5.8 million ounces (180 tonnes) of silver. The mines reopened during World War II
to produce manganese, and continued operating into the 1950s. Lake Valley had a post office from 1882 until 1955.
, and 36 miles west of Hatch
, at 32°43′04"N 107°34′04"W, at an elevation of 5377 feet (1639 m).
Sierra County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*85.6% White*0.4% Black*1.7% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.3% Two or more races*8.6% Other races*28.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town had its heyday from 1881 to 1893. The last resident left in 1994.
Today the town is a completely deserted ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
. The townsite is partly privately owned, and partly owned by the US Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, which has restricted access to the old buildings to daylight hours, to prevent vandalism. There is a self-guided walking tour.
History
A rancher found the Lake Valley silverSilver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
deposits in Sierra County in 1876. Two years later he sold his claims to an engineer, who began mining. The deposits are bedded manto
Manto ore deposits
Manto orebodies are stratabound irregular to rod shaped ore occurrences usually horizontal or near horizontal in attitude.Manto deposits are an important source of copper, forming one of the world major copper resources in Chile and southern North America....
-type deposits in Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
. The mines produced well for a few years after miners tunneled into a silver-lined cavity they named the “bridal chamber” that alone yielded 2.5 million troy ounce
Troy ounce
The troy ounce is a unit of imperial measure. In the present day it is most commonly used to gauge the weight of precious metals. One troy ounce is nowadays defined as exactly 0.0311034768 kg = 31.1034768 g. There are approximately 32.1507466 troy oz in 1 kg...
s (78 tonnes) of silver.
In 1881 the property was sold to mine promoters George D. Roberts and Whitaker Wright
Whitaker Wright
James Whitaker Wright was an exceptionally wealthy English mining company owner. He became infamous when he committed suicide at the Royal Courts of Justice in London immediately following his conviction for fraud....
, who split the property among five companies: Sierra Apache Co., Sierra Bella Co., Sierra Grande Co., Sierra Madre Co., and the Sierra Plata Co., and stock was sold widely in the east. Despite the brief wealth of the bridal chamber, shareholders in all five companies lost money.
In 1881, a party of Lake Valley miners formed a posse to pursue a band of Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
s that had raided the town of Hillsboro
Hillsboro, New Mexico
Hillsboro is a small unincorporated community in Sierra County, New Mexico, United States, located in the southwestern part of the state. It was founded in 1877, following the discovery of gold. The community was the county seat of Sierra County from 1884 until 1936 when Hot Springs became the...
. The Apaches caught them in an ambush in the hills ten miles west of Lake Valley, and many, including the mine superintendent George Daley, were killed.
The bridal chamber was worked out by 1883. Although a railroad line reached Lake Valley in 1884, the mines struggled and were worked only periodically into the 20th century. Total production of the Lake Valley district through 1931 was 5.8 million ounces (180 tonnes) of silver. The mines reopened during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to produce manganese, and continued operating into the 1950s. Lake Valley had a post office from 1882 until 1955.
Geography
The townsite is along New Mexico State Highway 27, 17 miles south of HillsboroHillsboro, New Mexico
Hillsboro is a small unincorporated community in Sierra County, New Mexico, United States, located in the southwestern part of the state. It was founded in 1877, following the discovery of gold. The community was the county seat of Sierra County from 1884 until 1936 when Hot Springs became the...
, and 36 miles west of Hatch
Hatch, New Mexico
Hatch is a village in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,673 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Las Cruces Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is experiencing moderate growth, along with its outliers of Salem, Arrey, Derry, and Rincon...
, at 32°43′04"N 107°34′04"W, at an elevation of 5377 feet (1639 m).
Notable residents and visitors
- "Longhair" Jim CourtrightJim CourtrightTimothy Isaiah "Longhair Jim" or "Big Jim" Courtright was an American lawman, outlaw and gunfighter....
, became town sheriff in 1882 - Benjamin Silliman Jr.Benjamin Silliman Jr.Benjamin Silliman, Jr. was a professor of chemistry at Yale University and instrumental in developing the oil industry....
examined the properties as a mining consultant - Whitaker WrightWhitaker WrightJames Whitaker Wright was an exceptionally wealthy English mining company owner. He became infamous when he committed suicide at the Royal Courts of Justice in London immediately following his conviction for fraud....
visited the properties and organized the mining companies