Lake Valley, New Mexico, ghost town

Lake Valley

Northwest region of New MexicoLake Valley was a town few people had every heard of until 1878. That was the year a blacksmith named John Leavitt took a lease on a claim and two days later discovered the most fabulous lode of silver the world has ever known. Called the "Bridal Chamber", it was a hollow in the hillside with walls of solid horn silver. Before it was all over, a spur from the railroad was extended into the "Bridal Chamber" and ore deposited directly into the ore cars. Total production from the "Chamber" was close to $2,775,000. Worthy of note is the name of George W. Lufkin who together with a partner owned the claim on which Leavitt later discovered the "Chamber". They sold the claim to the Sierra Grande Mining Company for $100,000 who in turn leased a portion to Leavitt who discovered the "Bridal Chamber". Lufkin, the first discoverer of silver in the area, died penniless and is buried in the Lake Valley cemetery.

Lake Valley, first called Daly, is named for ancient lake beds nearby. It was founded with the discovery of silver n the area in August 1878 by George Ufkin, who sold out to George Daly.

The town moved twice before settling at its present site in 1882 when the Bridal Chamber Mine (in Lufkin's original claim) was discovered by blacksmith John Leavitt. The walls of the subterranean mine were lined with silver so pure it was shipped unsmelted to the mint. The strike produced 2.5 million ounces of silver, including one chunk, featured at the 1882 Denver Exposition, valued at $7,000 (when silver sold for $1.11 an ounce.) The mine manager was killed by Apaches a few days after the discovery.

A stage stop and railhead, Lake Valley grew to 4,000, with 12 saloons, three churches, two newspapers, a school, stores, hotels, stamp mills and smelters. The 1893 silver panic wiped it out and a fire destroyed main street in 1895. The post office closed in 1954 and the last residents left in 1994. The Bureau of Land Management watches over the town-site today and has set up a walking tour. The schoolhouse, built in 1904, is open to the public. A chapel and some old homes and railroad buildings still stand.