Ghost Ranch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ghost Ranch El Rancho de los Brujos
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Rio Arriba
U.S. National Natural Landmark
Designated:	1975

Ghost Ranch redrock cliffs and clouds

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico

Ghost Ranch is a huge place, about 21,000 acres (85 square kilometers), located in northern New Mexico, USA. It's a special retreat and education center. It's about 62 miles (100 km) north of Albuquerque.

Many years ago, Ghost Ranch was the summer home and art studio of a famous artist named Georgia O'Keeffe. She painted many pictures inspired by the beautiful landscapes here. Ghost Ranch is also a popular spot for making movies! It's owned by the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is managed by The National Ghost Ranch Foundation.

This ranch is super famous for its amazing collection of fossils, especially dinosaur fossils. Scientists have found nearly a thousand skeletons of a small dinosaur called Coelophysis in a quarry at Ghost Ranch.

History of Ghost Ranch

Ghost Ranch is part of a much older land area called Piedra Lumbre, which means "Shining Rock" in Spanish. This land was given out by the King of Spain way back in 1766. A small stream called Rito del Yeso flows through the canyons, providing water even when it's dry. Because of its unique nature, Ghost Ranch was named a National Natural Landmark in 1976.

Early Days and Legends

Long ago, in the 1880s, two brothers named Archuleta lived in the canyon. They were cattle rustlers, meaning they stole cattle. The canyon was perfect for them because it was hidden, and they could see for miles around. They built two homes and would move stolen cattle at night. They even moved cattle through streams so their footprints wouldn't be found.

Stories spread that people who stayed with the Archuleta brothers sometimes disappeared. One day, one brother made a deal without the other. He claimed he buried the gold for safety. The second brother became angry and harmed him. He then held the first brother's wife and daughter until they told him where the gold was. Even though the mother and daughter were scared of the rumored spirits in the canyon, they bravely escaped at night. Later, a group of local men came to the ranch and dealt with the remaining brother and his group.

People who stayed in the small house later said they could hear voices of a man and a woman arguing. A family member of the Archuletas got the land in 1918. He sold the ranch in 1921, and it was sold again in 1928 to a sheep rancher.

Arthur Pack's Influence

In 1928, a guide named Roy Pfaffle won the ranch in a poker game. His wife, Carol Stanley, recorded the deed in her name. She decided to call the property Ghost Ranch because of the old legends about spirits in the area. Carol moved there in 1931 and built guest houses. She created a special "dude ranch" where wealthy and creative people would visit.

One important visitor was Arthur Newton Pack, who wrote for Nature Magazine. His daughter had health problems, so his family moved to a drier climate. Carol Stanley had trouble making money from the ranch, especially after the Great Depression started in 1929. So, she sold the ranch to Arthur Pack in 1935.

As Arthur Pack got older, he worried about the ranch's future. He talked to different groups about taking care of it. Finally, the Presbyterian Church (USA) accepted his offer. In 1955, Pack gave the ranch to the church to be used as an educational center. Today, many groups use the ranch, offering over 300 workshops, classes, outdoor activities, and spiritual retreats every year.

Georgia O'Keeffe's Connection

Georgia O'Keeffe was a famous artist who loved the landscape of New Mexico. She heard Arthur Pack say that the Piedra Lumbre area was "the best place in the world." She visited the ranch and fell in love with its unique geography. Soon, she began splitting her time between New York and New Mexico.

O'Keeffe loved to be alone and often painted the nearby Cerro Pedernal mountain. After she moved to New Mexico full-time, she spent most of the year at her home in Abiquiu. But in the summer, she lived and worked at a villa and studio in the cooler parts of Ghost Ranch.

2015 Flash Flood

On July 7, 2015, a sudden flash flood happened at Ghost Ranch because of severe weather. Several buildings at the ranch were damaged or destroyed. Luckily, no one was hurt or killed in the flood.

Geology and Ancient Life

About 200 million years ago, Ghost Ranch and the American Southwest were much closer to the equator. The climate was warm, with heavy seasonal rains like a monsoon. Ghost Ranch is a famous place for finding fossils of Triassic dinosaurs.

Fossil bones were first found here as early as 1885. In 1947, a scientist named Edwin H. Colbert found over a thousand well-preserved fossil skeletons of a small Triassic dinosaur called Coelophysis in a quarry here.

Later, in 2007, fossil remains of Dromomeron romeri were found in the Hayden Quarry. These animals are part of a group called dinosauromorphs, which are early relatives of dinosaurs. In 2010, a team of scientists found Daemonosaurus chauliodus, another early theropod dinosaur species, at Ghost Ranch. Daemonosaurus lived about 205 million years ago. This was a time when older dinosaurs like Herrerasaurus were changing into more advanced theropod dinosaurs.

Ghost Ranch in Movies

Ghost Ranch's beautiful red rock scenery and 21,000 acres have attracted many filmmakers. Here is a partial list of movies and TV shows filmed at Ghost Ranch:

See also

In Spanish: Ghost Ranch para niños

• Effigia