The Ortiz Mountains northeast of Albuquerque have held
fabulous mineral riches since the world evolved. Geologists say
the oldest lode in America lies in this locality. Far three centuries
the variety of minerals here has brought Indians, Spanish,
Mexicans and Americans. Each sought wealth in turquoise, gold.
silver, lead, copper or coal. Their mines mothered Cerrillos,
Madrid, Golden and San Pedro--all ghost towns now.
To reach them, turn east off U. S. 85 nine miles south of
Santa Fe, onto State 10. Fifteen miles on is Cerrillos. A movie
company found Cerrillos a perfect setting for an Elfego Baca
picture. Copper, lead, gold, zinc and coal made Cerrillos big
enough once for 14 saloons and four hotels. They're not here
now, but a few dozen families still cling to Cerrillos. The Santa Fe
Railroad streamliner still speeds through, snatching a mail bag
from a steel arm as it goes.
Coal made Madrid, just south of Cerrillos. Along your route
hundreds of dwellings line Madrid's one long canyon street, but
now they sag and totter in as dismal a ghost town death as any
earlier town ever experienced.
Moving on southward, you find Golden dead on a wide
sparsely- cedared slope. Just a few houses are left standing but
the vanishing foundations of hundreds of structure show you
where new houses once stood thick and hopeful. As late as 1900
some 3000 people were jamming all available houses and tents
along this sun-blessed slope. They were trying to get at the gold
which Spanish legend says is rich here in a vein the Spaniards
hid too well when Indians drove them out. For a time placering
yielded gold dust and nuggets enough. Then the end.
A mile from Golden turn up a side canyon and rediscover San
Pedro. Here are the ruins of an old copper smelter, and the
nothingness of hopeful dreams of riches. You see only houseless
terraces, decaying walls and low hummocks covering old
foundations. But no people.