Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Approximate area. The map shows only a rough area for this place, not an exact location.
Real history
Coal was found on John Barkley Dawson's land in 1895; Phelps Dodge took over the mines and built homes, a hospital, a theater and a golf course, and the town reached 6,000 in 1913. An explosion at Stag Canyon Mine No. 2 on Oct. 22, 1913, killed 263, and another at Mine No. 1 on Feb. 8, 1923, killed 123. Phelps Dodge closed the mines in 1950, the town was sold or razed, and the last residents left by 1954. The Dawson Cemetery is on the National Register (Wikipedia). Sources differ on the Phelps Dodge date: The New York Times reported the deal in July 1905 (New York Times, 1905), while later accounts give 1906 (New Mexico Nomad).
Ghost stories
We found no well-sourced ghost legends for this place. It is listed for its abandoned history.
Then and now
Public access
Access unverified No official access page was found. The map pin is approximate. Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Dawson and New Mexico
- More haunted & abandoned ghost towns
- More haunted & abandoned cemeteries
- Nearby: St. James Hotel (Cimarron, NM), Elizabethtown (Elizabethtown, NM), Ludlow (Ludlow, CO), Hotel Eklund (Clayton, NM)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
Not yet accepting submissions. Reader stories are coming later; this form is switched off and sends nothing. All stories are moderated before they appear. Posts describing trespassing, break-ins or how to get into closed areas are removed.