If you’ve read some of my previous posts about trips out West, you’ll know that I love ghost towns. There’s something about the isolation, the history, the sense of what was but is no more. They are magical. I imagine the sun going down and the ghosts of residents past bringing the town to life again in the moonlight.
I used to think that it would be wonderful to live in one of these small settlements that are now abandoned. If not that, then one with just a handful of residents. I’m no longer sure that would suit me, but when we arrived in Chloride, New Mexico, I did find myself imagining what it would be like.
It was long, winding drive with very few signs of life along the way. I don’t remember what made us turn off the interstate to head to this tiny town. We were on our way from Albuquerque to Truth or Consequences. Was it a road sign? I think it was my interest in the Gila National Forest. Either way, we never made it to the forest. We made it to Chloride.
Population (at the time of our visit): 12.
The Rise and Fall of Chloride, New Mexico
Chloride was once a thriving silver-mining town with a population of 3,000. In 1879, a prospector by the name of Harry Pye came across silver chloride (hence the name) ore in the area. Although he was killed before he could stake his claim, others heard about it and the town grew up almost overnight. Other settlements also popped up throughout the valley. With the prospectors came churches, schools, hotels, and all the businesses you would expect to find in a small but prosperous town. According to records, Chloride had 42 working mines.
And then the good times ended. President McKinley adopted the gold standard in 1896. The price of silver crashed. Over the next decade or so, some mines closed while others tried to hang on but eventually met the same fate. The town store managed to stay in business until 1923. Then, the owner decided enough was enough and walked away, leaving everything behind.
A Town Rediscovered
Amazingly, a few residents stayed. They were able to tell retired USAF officer Don Edmund the story of Chloride when he came across what was left of the town in 1977. After the Air Force, Wisconsinite Don worked on national defense projects with IBM, which is how he ended up in New Mexico. A wrong turn on a weekend drive in 1977 led him to Chloride where he happened to start chatting with a few residents and bought a property, there and then.
Nine or so years later, when he retired, he and his wife Dona moved to the town to make it their home. In the meantime, they continued to buy buildings as they became available and set about restoring them. Although Dona has since passed away, Don and his daughter Linda continue to restore the town. As a result, Chloride now has a museum, an art gallery, and several cabins available for rent. A few of the buildings have been placed on the State Register of Cultural Places. Incredibly, they have done all of this without any exterior funding, save any donations that visitors make.
Sadly, Don passed away in April of this year, leaving Linda to manage the continued restorations and the museum.
The Pioneer Store Museum
When we reached Chloride we wandered around to stretch our legs. After a few minutes, Linda came along the road to greet us and offered to show us around the Pioneer Store Museum. It’s a true treasure.
As mentioned, the owner of the store locked up in 1923, leaving absolutely everything in place. In 1988, Don and Dona were finally able to buy the store from the owner’s descendants, who now lived in California. Inside was a treasure trove, a moment frozen in time, albeit under about two inches of bat droppings. In addition to the store’s contents, they found 35 boxes of town records. As people had left, they had packed everything up and taken it to the store for safekeeping. Incredibly, the papers had survived in excellent condition. More records had survived in the large safe. Browsing the store offers an incredible insight into life in the town 100 years ago.
Nearby is the Grafton Cabin. Originally erected in Las Cruces, it was relocated here in 2012 to be used as a replica miner’s cabin.
Next to the museum is a small art gallery and gift shop selling items made by local artists. Be sure to stop by and purchase something. You are helping to support the artists and continue Don’s legacy.
Visiting Chloride
To reach Chloride, you will need a car. If travelling from Albuquerque or Truth and Consequences, take I-25. Take Exit 89 and get on NM-181S until you reach the junction with NM-52N. Follow 52N for another 47 miles or so, through Cuchillo and to Chloride.
As mentioned, several rental cabins are available. There is also a small RV park with 5 spaces.
A map showing points of interest in Chloride and detailing much of the town’s history was compiled by Don Edmunds and is still available to view here.
