History always seems to have a way of surprising us with interesting facts about New Mexico that are often easily forgotten. Here’s a look at 5 little towns in the Land of Enchantment where some incredible and tragic events took place.

1. Capitan
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
U.S. Department of Agriculture/Flickr
First on our list is the little village Capitan, which currently has a population of about 1,500 residents and is the home of the real life Smokey Bear. In 1950, a wildfire burned through the area and a tiny black bear cub was rescued from the flames. The cub was originally named Hotfoot Teddy but later renamed Smokey in honor of the Forest Service mascot and he quickly became a living symbol of fire prevention.
2. Dawson
Albert Mock/Flickr
Dawson is a ghost town and you won’t find much evidence of the town these days other than a large cemetery. Many of the grave markers are of miners who died during one of the largest coal mining disasters in the country, which took place October 22, 1913. The disaster resulted from a dynamite charge during general mining operations, which set all the coal dust wafting through the mine ablaze. It resulted in the deaths of 286 men, with only 23 survivors.

You can read more about the disaster in our article about the incident.
3. Fort Sumner
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
This small village is located on the east side of New Mexico and most people know it for being the death site and burial location for the outlaw William H. Bonney, otherwise known as Billy the Kid. Bonney was killed by lawman Pat Garrett on July 14, 1881 after escaping just months earlier from jail, where he was serving time for murder.

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Phil Konstantin/Flickr
The village and the military fort it was named for are also known for being the location for internment of Indigenous peoples between 1863 and 1868. During those years, approximately 9,000 Navajo and Mescalero Apache peoples were forced from their homelands to the Bosque Redondo reservation near town. The reservation was considered a failure and the people were eventually allowed to return to their homelands following treaty negotiations.
4. Golden
Jenni Konrad/Flickr
Most people associate the gold rush with California in 1848, but did you know an earlier one took place in New Mexico? Gold was discovered in the area in 1825 and the first gold rush west of the Mississippi took place here. Golden was a centrally-located town that came up in the midst of all the gold mining, although the town wasn’t officially formed until 1879.
5. Mesilla
Jasperdo/Flickr
Carl Schuchard/Wikimedia Commons
Did you know that battles during the Civil War took place as far west as Arizona? That’s right - and at the time, present-day New Mexico and Arizona were territories of the United States. The little town of Mesilla briefly served as the Capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona from 1861 to 1862 and two battles took place in town between Confederate and Union forces.

Want to find more interesting tidbits of New Mexico’s history? If you love combining a history lesson with food, then you’re going to love visiting some of our fantastic historic restaurants. Read more in These 10 Amazing New Mexico Restaurants Are Loaded With Local History.

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Interesting Facts About New Mexico

Leah | August 13, 2020

What are the best little known facts about New Mexico?

New Mexico has a long history, quirky places, and some tall tales - some of which are actually true. Impress your peers with some NM trivia, like the fact that the state has nearly the area of the entire state of West Virginia in forestland. That's about 16.7 million acres of trees! Did you know that there are more UNESCO World Heritage Sites in this state than in any other? New Mexico is also home to the longest aerial tramway in the United States, the Sandia Peak Tramway. It spans nearly 3 miles long from the base to the top of Sandia Peak.

What are the most unique towns in New Mexico?

There are many unique small towns in New Mexico that truly shine despite their size. Cloudcroft is the highest town in the state, with an elevation of over 9,000 feet. There's no other town besides Hatch that can call themself the Chile Capital of the World. You won't have trouble finding chile there, for sale on the side of the road, or perfectly made into meals at the local restaurants. Magdalena, New Mexico has less than 1,000 residents but it's worth visiting for the art galleries, natural scenery, and the local rodeo.

What is the most interesting place in New Mexico?

Visit some of the most interesting places in New Mexico and you'll certainly go home with lifelong memories. One of the most fascinating spots in the entire state would be the Bisti Badlands/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. This place has the most intriguing geological formations, like colorfully banded hills and "hoodoos," or naturally formed rock pillars. The vivid colors of it all will almost make you feel like you've stepped onto another planet, far from earth. There are numerous trails through the park and ways to see this unique spot for yourself.

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Featured Addresses
Capitan, NM 88316, USA
Dawson, NM 87740, USA
Fort Sumner, NM 88119, USA
Golden, NM 87047, USA
Mesilla, NM, USA