Carpenter, Grant County, New Mexico facts for kids

Carpenter was once a small settlement, or town, in New Mexico. It was located in Grant County, near the Mimbres Mountains. Today, no one knows exactly where it was. Carpenter was a mining camp that started around 1882. People came there to mine for lead.

Carpenter: A Lost Mining Town

Carpenter was a small mining settlement. It was founded in the year 1882. People came to this remote spot hoping to find valuable lead ore. The town was built on the west side of the Mimbres Mountains. It was a busy place for a while, even though it was small.

Why Was It Called Carpenter?

The name "Carpenter" is quite interesting. Many of the first people who came to this mining camp were not miners by trade. They were carpenters! These skilled builders decided to try their luck at mining. So, the settlement was named after their original profession. This shows how people often changed jobs to seek new opportunities in the American West.

Where Was Carpenter Located?

Carpenter was located in Grant County, New Mexico. It was on the western slopes of the Mimbres Mountains. However, over time, the exact spot of the settlement has been lost. This is common for many old mining camps. Once the mines closed, people moved away. Nature then slowly reclaimed the land. Today, Carpenter is considered a "ghost town" because it no longer exists. Its story is now part of New Mexico's rich history.