Lake Valley, Sierra County, New Mexico facts for kids
.jpg)
Lake Valley was once a busy town in Sierra County, New Mexico, known for its silver mines.
The town was most active between 1881 and 1893. After its mining days ended, people gradually moved away. The very last person left in 1994. Today, Lake Valley is a ghost town, meaning it's completely empty and deserted.
Contents
Visiting Lake Valley
The old town of Lake Valley is partly owned by private people and partly by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM is a government agency that manages public lands.
To protect the old buildings from damage, you can only visit them during daylight hours. There's a special walking tour you can follow to explore the town. Just remember, Lake Valley is closed to visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
History of Lake Valley
The story of Lake Valley began in 1876 when a rancher discovered shiny silver deposits in the area. Two years later, he sold his discovery to an engineer who started digging for the silver.
The silver was found in a type of rock called Lake Valley Limestone, which formed a very long time ago. For a few years, the mines produced a lot of silver. Miners even found a huge cave filled with silver, which they called the "bridal chamber." This one spot alone produced an amazing 2.5 million troy ounces (about 78 tonnes) of silver!
In 1881, the mining property was sold to two promoters, George D. Roberts and Whitaker Wright. They divided the property into five different companies and sold shares to many people. Even with the "bridal chamber" producing so much silver, most of the people who bought shares in these companies ended up losing money.
Also in 1881, a group of miners from Lake Valley formed a posse to chase after some Apaches who had raided the nearby town of Hillsboro. However, the Apaches surprised them in an ambush.
By 1883, the "bridal chamber" had been completely mined out. Even though a railroad line reached Lake Valley in 1884, the mines struggled. They were only worked now and then into the 20th century. By 1931, the Lake Valley area had produced a total of 5.8 million ounces (about 180 tonnes) of silver.
The mines reopened during World War II to dig for another important mineral called manganese. They continued to operate into the 1950s. Lake Valley had its own post office from 1882 until 1955.
Where is Lake Valley?
The town of Lake Valley is located along NM 27. It's about 17 miles (27 km) south of Hillsboro and 36 miles (58 km) west of Hatch. The town sits at an elevation of about 5,377 feet (1,639 meters) above sea level in Sierra County.
Geology of the Area
Lake Valley is in an area where the ground has been pushed up by fault blocks. The rocks underneath are mostly sedimentary rocks that formed from the Ordovician to the Pennsylvanian periods. The valuable ore deposits are found in the Lake Valley Limestone carbonate rocks. The main geological features in this area are the Lake Valley and Berrenda faults.
Famous People Connected to Lake Valley
- "Longhair" Jim Courtright became the town sheriff in 1882.
- Benjamin Silliman Jr. was a mining expert who looked at the properties.
- Whitaker Wright visited the mines and helped set up the mining companies.
See also
In Spanish: Lake Valley (Nuevo México) para niños
