The natural beauty, history, and culture of New Mexico are abundant. However, it also includes a fair proportion of deserted locations, such as ghost towns, mining towns, and military forts, that nonetheless hold historical significance.
While exploring these locations is intriguing, it also serves as a reminder of how fleeting human accomplishments are. These five deserted locations in New Mexico are worth a visit, if you’re brave enough:
The Perfect Man Shrine
Deep in the New Mexico desert, three miles from the Mexican border, lies a smaller replica of the Tomb of Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual guru who spearheaded a major spiritual movement in the 20th century.
In the early 1960s, Miami native Earl Starcher quit his career as an air traffic controller after discovering Mehar Baba’s creations. His goal was to construct a replica of Baba’s mausoleum.
Before the shrine was completed, Starcher passed away in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 1994. The pillars around the tomb were intended to be a section of an unbuilt wall.
A sign welcoming visitors to “The Shrine to the Perfect Man” is almost completely obscured, with text in both Spanish and English.
The Tomb of Meher Baba shrine is unquestionably one of the most unusual abandoned locations in New Mexico.
Read More: Haunted Histories: A Deep Dive into Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum Adventure in Vegas
Fort Bayard
Originally built to fend off Apache raids, this fort was used by the Buffalo army to defend early settlers. Later on, it served as a mental health center, a detention for German prisoners of war during World War II, and a tuberculosis sanatorium. The Buffalo Soldiers based here also engaged in combat with the Apaches.
This is now an empty place. Driving about, you’ll observe structures that, while seemingly intact and useful from a distance, are obviously suffering from neglect and the passage of time. Fortunately, work to maintain the fort has started, and it is open for tours.
Read More: Ghostly Grounds: Georgia’s Most Haunted – Mount Hope Cemetery’s Spooky Tale
Dawson Ghost Town
There is only one road leading into and out of Dawson, a coal town from the early 1900s that was abandoned after two devastating mining explosions claimed hundreds of lives. The little dirt road leads to the cemetery, which is the only surviving artifact in the village.
This beautiful resting place is home to the victims of the mining disasters in 1913 and 1923, many of them were young immigrants hoping for a brighter life in the United States.
The ground at the foot of different buttes is covered in hundreds of twisted white crosses and rusting iron gates.
The air moving through the overgrown grass is probably the only sound you’ll hear. It’s remarkably serene, silent, and unsettling. If you’re quiet and focused, you might see antelope and other huge species meandering in the distance.
Read More: Haunted Routes: Dead Woman’s Crossing and the Ghostly Road of Oklahoma
Budville Trading Post
In his hometown of Budville, New Mexico, a little town situated on a serene section of Route 66 46 miles west of Albuquerque, Howard Neal “Bud” Rice had a captivating personality.
Two years after Route 66 was added to the US Highways System, in 1928, Rice and his wife Flossie started building and running a number of businesses serving motorists along the route.
But Rice’s dubious actions soon came to an end. One quiet evening in November 1967, a stranger entered the trade post and shot Rice, killing him.
After his death, Rice’s widow managed the trading station and other family businesses for an additional 12 years until her passing in 1979.
Because of its dubious past, the building is possibly one of the most photographed spots along the famous Route 66 in New Mexico.
Read More: Forgotten Oasis: Haunting Beauty of These 5 Abandoned Places in Arizona
De Anza Motor Lodge
The De Anza was constructed in 1939 by Charles Wallace, who had previously managed a trading post in Zuni village in the 1920s.
A dilapidated and burned-out motel, the De Anza Motor Lodge on Route 66 would have been long since demolished were it not for the spectacular Native American treasures hidden away in the basement.
Renowned for its linoleum floor inlaid with thousands of turquoise shards, the “Turquoise Room” was a bistro. It is widely recognized for serving as the setting for a Breaking Bad scene.
It is currently a dilapidated old building that was about to be torn down to create space for a supermarket.
Read More: Ghostly Remnants: A Tour of 5 Abandoned Places in the Heart of Alabama
To Conclude
From ancient trade routes to abandoned military forts, New Mexico’s derelict places provide an insight into the state’s rich and varied history.
These locations serve as a potent reminder of the transience of human pursuits and the constantly shifting American West landscape, even though some people may find them scary or unsettling.
New Mexico’s abandoned sites provide an exceptional and remarkable experience, regardless of your interests in history, adventure, or just learning about the past.
