Madrid, New Mexico--Recovering Ghost Town

Madrid was a coal-mining town owned and operated by the Albuquerque and Cerrillos Coal Company. Electricity was unavailable to homes as late as 1913. Generated in a company powerhouse, electricity was limited to company uses only. After Oscar Huber acquired the company, he paved the streets, built new homes on lots made vacant by fires, constructed a six room hospital and made arrangements for unlimited use of electricity and much, much more. Its Christmas display of the nativity and other lighted Biblical scenes created a display the like of which had never before been seen in New Mexico. Thousands of visitors from all parts of the state came each year to view the magnificent pageant through 1941 when the lights were turned on for the last time.

Madrid is now a creative community with over 40 shops and galleries, several restaurants, a spa and museum. Madrid (local pronunciation of the name emphasizes the first syllable: MAD-rid) has become an artists community with galleries lining Route 14. It still has remnants of its past with the Mineshaft Tavern and the Coal Mine Museum. The ending of the 2007 film Wild Hogs was set and filmed in the town. The novel The Witch Narratives Reincarnation is set in Madrid during the 1920's and 1930's when Madrid was a company-owned coal-mining town.

The high altitude along with the cold and the snow still on the ground in spots provided an inspiring setting for soaking up the moment.  Luckily the general store was open and through the creaky door was tremendous warmth and the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee.  Not sure how life could have been much better at that moment.  Stepping back out onto the porch with a hot cup of coffee to enjoy as the morning sun poured down at a steep angle…yeah, it doesn’t getting any better than this.  Another fellow was out on the porch enjoying the same moment.  After chatting for a while, he agreed to let me take his photograph.  Madrid is a must see, must stop location…wish we had had the entire day to spend there, but there was much more back country to explore within the limited time available for our photo shoot.

The charm, and enchantment of New Mexico is ever present along the Turquoise Trail.  You can see more at my website gallery at:  http://www.costamesaphotography.com/Arizona-New-Mexico/Turquoise-Trail