Red Hill, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Red Hill, New Mexico
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 Red Hill, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
Red Hill, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Catron |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT |
| Area code(s) | 575 |
| GNIS feature ID | 910058 |
Red Hill is a ghost town in Catron County, New Mexico. A ghost town is a place where people used to live, but now almost no one does. Red Hill is located west of a town called Quemado.
Contents
Red Hill's Volcanic History
Red Hill is part of a special area known as the Red Hill volcanic field. This area is also sometimes called the Quemado volcanic field. It is about 24 kilometers (about 15 miles) east of a bigger volcanic area called the Springerville volcanic field. It is also just south of the Zuni Salt Lake field.
What is a Volcanic Field?
A volcanic field is a place where you can find many small volcanoes or volcanic features. The Red Hill area has different types of volcanic hills. These include "scoria cones" and "silicic domes." Scoria cones are usually cone-shaped hills made from volcanic rock pieces. Silicic domes are rounded hills formed by thick, sticky lava.
When Did Red Hill Last Erupt?
The last time a volcano erupted in the Red Hill area was about 23,000 years ago. This means the volcanoes there are now quiet.
The Mystery of Red Hill Gold
There is an old story about gold connected to Red Hill. It dates back to 1836. A man named Adams, who was looking for gold (a "prospector"), arrived in the town of Piños Altos. He was badly hurt with many arrow wounds and was close to dying.
Adams's Gold Story
Adams told people that he had been searching for gold in the north. When they looked in his bag, they found a huge amount of gold! He said he had found a place where gold was "lying everywhere." He could only describe the spot by saying there was a red hill in the distance.
The Lost Gold Field
Sadly, Adams died before he could tell anyone more details about where the gold was. The amazing gold field he described has never been found. It remains a mystery to this day.
