Weekend mode

This morning Clay and I discussed the agenda for the day and decided that there was nothing pressing. Clay said he had formulated a plan, but it has since slipped his mind, so we are both in the weekend mode. One thing I do have is a few more pictures left from Chloride to share.

A couple more cabins. 

I'm sure we can all appreciate the reason for keeping THIS  particular gate closed.

More rusty stuff!!! 

Hand cut logs 

with square nails.

 The village welcoming committee.

This building was the military barracks for the soldiers sent here to protect the miners.

The rest of the day will be devoted to enjoying the good life while watching Olympics and baseball.

Inside the Pioneer store.

Imagine stepping back in time to 1923 and making a stop at the local general store. Well that's what going to the Pioneer Store Museum is like. When the store was abandoned in 1923 it was easier to just to board the building up with the merchandise on the shelves than to pack it out of there and that just what was done. Now, thanks to the present owners, Don and Dona Edmund and their daughter Linda,  we have a real glimpse into life at the turn of the 20th century.  Here is some of what is seen in the store and the 16 pictures should save me about 16,000 words.

(double click the pictures to enlarge them)

A baby coffin behind the stove and to the left of the safe.

This 6,000 pound safe traveled 60 miles by wagon from the rail head in Engle to arrive here. Imagine that journey.

The problem I have with seeing these 'antiques' is that I remember many of them being used during my youth. I guess there is a message in all that.

I have enough pictures left to make one more post of odds and ends seen around town tomorrow. For today and in accordance with the laws of decency and public nudity I will be doing laundry and then it on to enjoying the good life.

Chloride day two

Continuing our amble up Wall Street in Chloride we next came to some adobe walls that are in need of a little attention.

Moving on down the street we have the remains of the Chloride Bank, which went broke before it ever opened as a bank, but it still filled a community need when it opened as a saloon.

The bank has been restored and will open this coming Monday as a restaurant.

Across the street is the Pioneer General store and mercantile.

This is the main attraction of the town 

and here is the information about the store.

Meanwhile their was plenty of rusty stuff outside around the store.

The next building encountered is the Monte Cristo Saloon which also served as a schoolhouse and is currently a gift shop and gallery.

This is the Grafton cabin. Originally built about 8 miles from here and it spent several years in a park in Las Cruces before being returned here in 2006.

This is said to be the first building in Chloride. Also know as the Pye cabin.

Not many outhouses have satellite service, but this one does.

The tour continues tomorrow and for today, more Olympics and baseball as we continue to sit on parts watch, but we are still managing to enjoy the good life.

Stepping back in time.

One of my favorite things as a full timer is exploring our history and for the last two days I was able to step back in time a hundred years as I visited Chloride New Mexico. I occupied space #1 at the Pioneer Store RV park at $15.00 per night for full hookups which is hard to beat.

The only drawback is at this location you are pretty well removed from civilization and you can forget cell service and internet access.


The first thing I did was take a walking tour of the 4 blocks the comprise what is left of the town. The first notable landmark is the 'hanging tree', right in the middle of the main street and looking much like it did in pictures from 100 years ago..

There is no record of any one ever being hung from the 'hanging' tree, but apparently a few drunks were tied to the tree overnight before being run out of town.

Starting from the south end of town the first building encountered is the last wall standing of the old blacksmith shop. Adobe doesn't fare too well when not maintained.

Then it was the old fort which was right across the street. You have to remember this was Apache (can you say Geronimo) Country at the time.

Across the street was The Dr. Blinn house.

And next to the fort was a native rock building with an extreme pitched roof to withstand hail storms that the builder was more than concerned about.

A small native stone building originally built as a chicken coop, it has also been used as a school and a home and there were reports of a working still in the basement during the 1930's. 

This large adobe building was originally Judge Edwin Holmes' law office. It later served as a post office, barber shop, church, dance hall and feed storage. The use that blows me away is that in 1914 in this remote location, this was a Harley Davidson dealership.

This was one of Chlorides early saloons and served as post office until 1957 when it closed.

That's about half the building in Chloride and the more interesting ones are yet to come. We'll do that tomorrow. For the rest of the day it will be Olympics and baseball. More ways to enjoy the good life.