OLD TRAILS AND GHOSTLY TOWNS

Blog Layout

The Ghost Town of Mollon

When I first visited the Catwalks (with long-time friend, Lee Nuzum), we also drove the harrowing, gravel road — seven-miles up to the small ghost town of Mogollon (properly pronounced moh-goh-Yohn, but pronounced MUGGY-own by the locals). Mogollon sits about 6,500 feet above sea level. I parked my car and started walking down the street toward a mysterious whistle that was emanating out of one of the old buildings along the Main drag. We followed it until we were positive that it was coming from the hotel. Stepping inside, we watched Kathy Knapp working away and whistling up a tune. She stopped to greet us and explained that the “Ghost Town” was just beginning its renovation into a destination for ghost-towners and vacationers. We also found out that she is the famous Pie Lady from Pie Town, which is about two-and-a-half-hours north of Mogollon — 20 minutes east of Quemado on NM-60. It is a town that she and her mother made famous for pies!

This trip, I drove the same harrowing — now paved — road (the Bursum Road or NM-159) to the Mogollon Ghost Town. It was still a little frightening even though it’s paved. Parts of the road are pretty narrow but you can monitor your elevation by the scenic views off to the side if you are brave enough to take your eyes off the road. There are no guard rails and on our departure, we noticed a few corrugated steel reinforcements around some of the curves. Piles of rocks lay scattered across our path reminding us of falling rocks, but for the most part it’s safe if you stay on your side and drive really slow to avert a head-on collision with someone coming from the other direction.

Once we (my friend, Krissie Almour and I) reached the top, I parked my truck in the far parking lot next to the Old Kelly Store — a small gift shop and visitor center. I had read about the cemetery in Mogollon and we needed directions. As it turned out, we had come to the right place. We met Cresta Terrell, the owner of the shop (and incredible artist). She told us how to get to the cemetery and then asked what kind of vehicle we were in. “You’ll need something with high clearance to get there,” she told us.

Mogollon was one of the mines that was inspired by James Cooney. He had prospected around Mineral Creek (north of Mogollon), where he found rich veins of gold and silver. It wasn’t long before other prospectors began surveying the surrounding areas and filing claims and looking to make fortunes.

The mining camp of Mogollon started along Silver Creek Canyon. It included a sawmill and several businesses. A post office, and jail made it official in 1890. Mogollon employed the most people and extracted the most ore. However, there were a high turnovers because of dust in the mines and workers contracted Miner’s Consumption and “black lung.” It was also one of the wildest mining towns in the region with gamblers, stage-coach robbers, claim jumpers, and gunmen.

According to Paul Harden, author of “Murder at Mogollon,” the building, where the Museum is located, is haunted by the ghosts of William Clark and Charles Freeman, both murdered in cold blood on February 19, 1912. The Museum was previously the mercantile building, which stored the payroll for the mine. Juan Gregorio Torrango shot and killed Clark and Freeman and then he and Franciso Granado took off with the $3,710 payroll (worth about $80,000 today). Deputy Cipriano Baca, along with other sheriffs and deputies, caught up with both of them on the border of Mexico. Torrango was shot and killed. Granado was brought back to Santa Fe to stand trial. He was hung at the jailhouse behind the Socorro Courthouse on May 3, 1912. Freeman’s family took his body to California but you can still see Clark’s tombstone in the Mogollon Cemetery.

The majority of the tombstones in the cemetery belong to victims of the 1918 pandemic. In fact, it is said that there is an unmarked mass grave. The Pandemic, which occurred around 1918 thru 1919, killed more people than the four years of casualties during World War I. Victims would get sick in the morning and be dead by sundown. They didn’t know what was killing them, because viruses hadn’t been discovered until 15 to 20 years later. They fought this terrible disease with enemas, whiskey, bloodletting, and masks. In the end, approximately 100 million people died and because of poor record keeping, possibly millions more.

Mogollon was plagued, not only with flu, but with fires and floods. The town was wiped out by a big fire in 1894 and was built back. Then, the town suffered from floods in the years 1896, 1899 and 1914, caused by melting snow and heavy spring rains. There were more fires in 1904, 1910, 1915, and 1942. By 1930, only 200 people remained in the town and in 1942, it was shut down because of the war, and it became a ghost town.

Mogollon Mines produced nearly 20 million in gold and silver. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and today, it has about 15 inhabitants including Kathy Knapp and her partner, Stanley King, who both still own and run the Silver Creek Inn.

The Silver Creek Inn was built in 1885 and started out as the Mogollon House, which sold food and merchandise and rented rooms. In 1914, it was sold to barber, James Holland, from Philadelphia and it became a barbershop, general store, and inn for about 30 years. The Inn was closed this year, so we didn’t get to meet Kathy and talk about pies this time. I did, however, read that it may be haunted, so it will be on my list of places to visit next year.

After our visit to the cemetery, we headed back to the Old Kelly Store to talk to Cresta and to buy a few souvenirs. She creates incredible gourds; some that make the sound of thunder, called storm gourds, some with intricate carving and turquoise decor, and some with beautiful paintings. The shop caters to artisans, but also provides something I thought was imperative to own — a t-shirt, cap, and sticker that proclaims “I Survived the Road to Mogollon.”

If you travel to the enchanted lands of New Mexico to visit the ghostly town of Mogollon, check out the Museum, the Old Kelly Store, and the Purple Onion Cafe. Unfortunately, they are only open until mid-October this year, but you have plenty of time to plan a trip in mid-May, when they open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and holidays. Shops are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Cafe is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Directions from Pinetop, AZ: Take AZ-260 south to Springerville, continue on AZ 191 to Alpine, turn left onto AZ-180 south and follow this highway until you reach State Road 159. Turn left and follow the nine scenic miles to the town of Mogollon. To get to the Catwalks, continue about three miles toward Glenwood until you reach State Road174 and turn left. Follow this road until you reach the Whitewater Picnic Area at the entrance of the Trail. There is a $3 self-pay parking fee.

< Older Post Newer Post >