Shakespeare, New Mexico – Born Again and Again

Nestled in the southwestern reaches of New Mexico’s Hidalgo County, lies Shakespeare, New Mexico, a ghost town steeped in history and legend. This spectral settlement, a testament to the boom-and-bust cycles of the Old West, stands as a poignant reminder of a bygone era. Today, Shakespeare, New Mexico is a part of a privately owned ranch, occasionally opening its weathered doors to tourists eager to glimpse into the past. Recognized for its historical significance, the entire community earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, solidifying its importance as a preserved fragment of American history.

The story of Shakespeare, New Mexico, is a complex tapestry woven with threads of Native American presence, military activity, mining booms, and the relentless pursuit of fortune. Its identity has morphed over time, reflected in the various names it has borne. Some accounts suggest its origins as a simple rest stop known as Mexican Spring, a name derived from a small but reliable spring nestled in an arroyo just west of the town’s current location. This unassuming water source proved to be a vital resource in the arid landscape.

Around 1856, the U.S. Army recognized the strategic importance of Mexican Spring, constructing a building that served as a relay station along the Army Mail line. This vital communication route connected Fort Thorn, situated along the Rio Grande, with Fort Buchanan in Arizona. As the Civil War erupted and swept across the nation, Mexican Spring became an increasingly important stopover for soldiers traversing the vast southwestern territories. The need for shelter and supplies spurred further construction, with soldiers erecting one or two additional buildings, the most notable being the "old stone fort," a sturdy structure offering protection and respite in the harsh environment. Following the cessation of hostilities, the site was renamed Grant, in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant, a celebrated figure of the Union Army and later President of the United States.

The fortunes of the settlement took a dramatic turn around 1870 with the discovery of rich silver ore deposits in the surrounding area. News of this mineral wealth spread quickly, attracting a wave of prospectors eager to strike it rich. Among them were a couple of astute individuals who recognized the potential of the find and sought financial backing to develop the mines. Their search led them to William Ralston, a prominent San Francisco businessman and financier who had co-founded the Bank of California just six years prior. Ralston, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and willingness to take risks, saw the potential in the silver mines and agreed to provide the necessary capital. In recognition of his crucial support, the burgeoning settlement was christened Ralston in his honor.

With Ralston’s financial backing secured, the New Mexico Mining Company was established, initiating a full-scale mining operation. A town quickly sprang up, initially consisting of tents and hastily constructed dwellings, housing a population of around 200 people. News of the rich silver finds traveled far and wide, carried by newspapers as far away as San Diego and San Francisco. This widespread publicity triggered a massive influx of miners and fortune seekers, causing the town’s population to explode, some estimates placing it at around 3,000 people.

However, the initial excitement and prosperity were short-lived. While the New Mexico Mining Company managed to unearth a few isolated pockets of silver ore, the overall yield proved to be less substantial than initially anticipated. Furthermore, William Ralston’s reputation suffered a severe blow due to his involvement in several questionable financial schemes, most notably the Great Diamond Hoax of 1871, a notorious scam that shook the financial world. As Ralston’s credibility plummeted, so did the value of his stock, leading to a mass exodus from the newly formed camp. By 1873, the once-booming town of Ralston had dwindled to a mere handful of residents. Ralston himself faced financial ruin as his Bank of California collapsed during the depression of 1875. Tragically, later that same year, on August 27th, he reportedly drowned in San Francisco Bay under mysterious circumstances.

Despite the near-extinction of Ralston, the lure of mineral wealth persisted. In 1879, Colonel Boyle, an investor from St. Louis, Missouri, recognized the potential of the area and staked a number of claims under the name of the Shakespeare Mining Company. He then boldly renamed the settlement Shakespeare. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in the town’s history, with renewed mining activity centered around Boyle’s Shakespeare Gold and Silver Mining and Milling Company, as well as other mines such as the Atwood and Miners Chest. Colonel Boyle also acquired an adobe building and transformed it into the Stratford Hotel, providing lodging for the influx of miners and other newcomers. The town experienced another period of growth, this time characterized by the construction of more permanent adobe structures.

A description of Shakespeare from the 1883 publication Congressional Series of the United States Public Documents, Volume 2113, provides a glimpse into the realities of life in the frontier town:

"Like most towns which are built in a country infested with Indians, as this has been in the not remote past, Shakespeare is built of adobe, as affording best means of defense as well as furnishing the greatest amount of comfort attainable in a frontier residence.

It is not a large town, although it would seem to have elements about it to have made it so ere this. The Atwood mine.. is on its outskirts; the Superior.. is but a mile away; the Jerry Boyle, an immense copper vein, immediately adjoins the Atwood; the Miner’s Chest, less than 2 miles away, and upwards of a hundred other good claims in more or less advanced stages of development within a radius of less than 3 miles, is enough to furnish employment for thousands of miners. Not only in the number of claims but in the great diversity of ores, generally carrying both silver and gold, although other veins show excellent galena ores carrying largely of silver."

While Shakespeare shared many characteristics with other mining towns of the era, including its share of rowdy miners and lawlessness, it never gained the notoriety of more decadent mining camps like Leadville, Colorado, or Deadwood, South Dakota. In Shakespeare, men began to bring their families and settle down, seeking to establish a more stable community. However, the town never developed to the point of having a school, a church, or a newspaper.

Law enforcement in Shakespeare was primarily handled by the citizens themselves, although a County Deputy Sheriff oversaw the settlement as early as 1870. Some offenders were even summarily punished by hanging them from the timbers of the Grant House dining room, a stark reminder of the harsh realities of frontier justice.

One notable incident involved a well-known outlaw named Sandy King, who was residing in Shakespeare. After an argument with a storekeeper, King shot off the man’s index finger, leading to his arrest by Deputy Sheriff Dan Tucker. At the same time, King’s friend, William Tattenbaum, better known as "Russian Bill," was apprehended for cattle rustling. Before the night was over, both outlaws were dragged from the jail by vigilantes and taken to the Grant House. There, they were found guilty of being a general nuisance, along with their other crimes, and promptly lynched. Their bodies were left hanging for days as a grim warning to others who might consider disrupting the peace in Shakespeare.

Adding to the challenges faced by the residents of Shakespeare was the constant threat posed by the Apache Indians, who fiercely resisted the encroachment of white settlers onto their ancestral lands. In response, approximately seventy area citizens formed the Shakespeare Guard in the 1880s to protect the settlement from attacks, although their efforts were not always successful.

The fate of Shakespeare was further sealed in the early 1880s when the railroad bypassed the town by three miles, choosing to route through Lordsburg instead. This decision proved devastating, as most of Shakespeare’s businesses relocated to Lordsburg to take advantage of the railroad’s transportation network. Simultaneously, the United States adopted the gold standard, rendering silver mines unprofitable and forcing many of Shakespeare’s residents to abandon the town, taking any salvageable materials with them.

In 1907, a new copper mine was constructed about a mile south of Shakespeare, leading to a brief resurgence as miners rented many of the buildings in the old town. However, this revival was short-lived and insufficient to permanently revitalize the community.

In 1935, Frank and Rita Hill purchased the town and its buildings, transforming it into a working ranch. They dedicated themselves to maintaining and preserving one of the most intact ghost towns of the Old West. In 1970, the entire town was declared a National Historic Site, recognizing its exceptional historical value. That same year, Frank Hill passed away, but his wife, Rita, and daughter, Janaloo, continued to manage and preserve the site. In 1984, Janaloo married Manny Hough, and the following year, her mother, Rita, passed away.

In 1997, a devastating fire destroyed the General Merchandise Store in Shakespeare, which also served as the home of Manny and Janaloo. The fire resulted in the loss of much of Janaloo’s hard-earned research material, including photographs and unpublished manuscripts.

Despite this setback, Janaloo and Manny continued to maintain the ranch and the town. Janaloo, a prolific writer, was determined to keep Shakespeare’s history alive. She researched the ranch and its history, collected numerous photographs, and published a number of books until her untimely death in 2005.

Manny honored his wife and her family by continuing to preserve the ghost town and their legacy until his death in 2018.

Today, Shakespeare continues to be preserved, although some of its history may be embellished through tales passed down by old-timers. Several buildings remain, including the Grant House, a saloon, the Stratford Hotel, a blacksmith shop, powder magazine, and the assay office. The Shakespeare Cemetery also beckons visitors to pay their respects to some of the ghost town’s most colorful residents.

The ghost town was passed down to Manny’s daughter Gina and her husband, Dave. The town is now open daily from 10 to 5 and you can get a tour by calling from the gate or calling 505-542-9034 ahead of time. Several times a year, living history re-enactments are held at the historic site, bringing the past to life for visitors.

Shakespeare is located about three miles south of Lordsburg, New Mexico, offering a tangible link to the past for those who seek to explore its weathered walls and whispered stories.