You’ll find Mentmore ghost town four miles west of Gallup, New Mexico, where it once thrived as a coal mining settlement established by the Direct Coal Company in 1913. Originally named Dilco, the town peaked with 500 residents living in company-owned houses with modern amenities before its closure in 1952. Today, about ten frame houses remain alongside scattered mining artifacts, offering glimpses into this well-preserved piece of McKinley County’s industrial past.
Key Takeaways
- Mentmore began as a coal mining town in 1913, reaching a peak population of 500 before becoming a ghost town after mine closure in 1952.
- Located four miles west of Gallup, New Mexico, along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line.
- The Direct Coal Company built and operated all town facilities, including houses with electricity, plumbing, and a company store.
- Only about ten original frame houses remained by the 1970s, with mining artifacts scattered across the former townsite.
- The abandoned site shows visible mine pits and natural reclamation, serving as a testament to New Mexico’s coal mining heritage.
The Birth of a Coal Mining Town
When the Direct Coal Company established the Dilco Coal Mine in 1913, a modest settlement emerged that would soon become Mentmore, New Mexico.
You’ll find this strategic location just four miles west of Gallup, positioned perfectly along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line for efficient coal transport.
Initially named Dilco, the settlement adopted the name Mentmore after establishing its post office.
The town quickly developed into a bustling coal mining camp, with company-built structures centered around coal extraction and worker housing.
The mine’s primary output was bituminous coal, typical of the Gallup region, serving both railroad and local industrial needs.
Early labor relations set the stage for future tensions, as the town grew into a self-contained community where miners and their families forged a new life on the frontier.
The town gained unexpected attention when Desert Song was filmed there in 1943.
Operations continued until mine closure in 1952, marking the end of Mentmore’s active mining era.
From Dilco to Mentmore: A Name Change
The transformation from Dilco to Mentmore marked a significant point in the town’s early development. Originally named after the Dilco Coal Mine established in 1913, the settlement’s identity shifted when postal services arrived around 1916. The town provided company-owned homes for its workers.
You’ll find the Dilco origins tied directly to the Direct Coal Company’s mining operations, while the Mentmore significance emerged as the town evolved beyond a mere mining camp. During its peak, the town boasted 500 total residents before its eventual closure in 1952.
The new name, though not definitively traced, shared its roots with a parish in Buckinghamshire, England, meaning “Menta’s Moor.” This change reflected the community’s growth into a more established settlement, complete with postal services just four miles west of Gallup.
The shift symbolized the town’s progression from a basic mining operation to a structured community with expanding infrastructure and services.
Daily Life in a Company Settlement
Life in Mentmore revolved entirely around the Direct Coal Company‘s tight control over daily operations and community infrastructure.
You’d find yourself living in a small company-owned house with basic amenities like electricity and running water, shopping at the company store for necessities, and sending your children to the company-run school.
Daily routines centered on the coal mine’s schedule, with workers heading to the Dilco mine while their children attended the eight-grade school or caught the free bus to Gallup for high school.
Like many mining settlements that would become ghost towns, Mentmore’s fate was tied directly to the success of its natural resources.
Community interactions occurred mainly through shared spaces like the post office and company store, though recreational options were limited compared to other mining camps.
The company’s influence extended into every aspect of your existence – from where you lived to how you spent your paycheck, creating a dependent but stable community until the mine’s closure in 1952.
The settlement included a power plant that provided electricity to support mining operations and residential needs.
The Dilco Mine’s Economic Impact
You’ll find that the Dilco Mine served as Mentmore’s primary economic engine from 1913 to 1952, providing both direct mining jobs and supporting ancillary businesses in the community.
The mine’s operations included underground coal extraction and surface activities, with workers benefiting from company-provided housing and infrastructure as part of their employment. The company used a 40-inch narrow gauge railroad to transport coal from two mines to the tipple at Mentmore.
The town’s complete dependence on mining became starkly apparent when the mine’s closure in 1952 led to Mentmore’s rapid depopulation and eventual abandonment.
Employment and Worker Benefits
From 1913 until its closure in 1952, Dilco Mine served as Mentmore’s economic backbone, employing workers primarily in underground coal mining operations. You’d find miners, laborers, and railroad workers managing narrow gauge locomotives, with job stability largely dependent on coal demand and seasonal patterns.
While worker wages weren’t documented in detail, the Direct Coal Company and later Defiance Coal Company provided basic amenities typical of early 20th-century mining towns. You’d get company-supplied frame housing and access to company stores, though modern benefits were conspicuously absent.
The working conditions you’d face were harsh – underground hazards included toxic gases and flooding risks, with minimal safety protocols in place. When the mine closed in 1952, workers received no pensions or unemployment assistance, forcing them to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Mine Operations and Revenue
The Dilco Mine’s financial footprint shaped Mentmore’s economic landscape for nearly four decades, beginning with its 1913 establishment by the Direct Coal Company.
After George Kaseman’s purchase in 1918, the mine’s profitability grew through strategic consolidation with the Morris Mine under the Defiance Coal Company banner.
Consider these key operational highlights:
- A sophisticated 40-inch narrow gauge railroad system maximized coal logistics efficiency
- Two locomotives transported up to 40 pit cars each across 20 miles of track
- A central coal tipple facilitated processing and regional distribution
The mine’s revenue streams supported not just local commerce but broader regional industries including railroads and power generation.
This economic engine ran continuously until March 1952, when operations ceased and Mentmore’s bustling economy went silent, marking the end of a prosperous mining era.
Community Economic Dependencies
Mentmore’s economic importance hinged directly on the Dilco Mine‘s vast operational network, creating a web of interdependencies that shaped the town’s financial landscape.
You’d find local businesses thriving from mine workers’ spending, while service providers and equipment suppliers built their economic sustainability around the mine’s procurement needs.
The mine’s influence extended beyond direct employment, fostering community resilience through secondary job creation in retail, hospitality, and transportation sectors.
Tax revenues and royalties funded vital infrastructure and public services, strengthening the town’s social fabric.
However, this deep-rooted dependency also exposed Mentmore to vulnerability – when mine activity fluctuated, it triggered ripple effects across the entire community, affecting everything from household incomes to municipal budgets and local business revenues.
Community Infrastructure and Services
As you’d expect in a company mining town, Mentmore’s residential infrastructure centered on company-owned frame houses equipped with modern amenities like electricity and running water.
Like the mining boom towns of the late 1800s, these operations required significant infrastructure and planning. The coal company constructed and maintained these two-to-four room dwellings specifically for mine employees and their families, creating a cohesive community designed to support mining operations. Similar to how Henderson’s store operated in Golden, Mentmore’s company store served as a vital hub for the mining community.
Beyond housing, you’ll find the town developed essential services including a company store, trading post, and an eight-grade school system with free bus transportation to Gallup for high school students.
Company Housing Development
During its operational years, Mentmore offered extensive company housing and infrastructure that reflected standard practices of early 20th-century mining towns. Similar to mining camp housing in Lake Valley, these residential developments were crucial for sustaining worker populations.
As a company town, Mentmore’s residential areas consisted of frame houses built specifically for miners and their families by Direct Coal Company. You’d find these homes equipped with modern amenities for the time, including electricity and running water.
Key features of Mentmore’s housing development included:
- Two to four-room frame houses designed for family living
- Universal access to electricity from the town’s power plant
- Indoor plumbing with running water
These housing conditions were comparable to other regional coal camps like Navajo and Gamerco, where similar company-owned residences helped maintain a stable workforce near the mines.
This standardized approach to worker housing proved essential for sustaining the mining community‘s operations.
Essential Town Services
Beyond the residential framework, the community infrastructure of Mentmore supported daily life through an array of services and facilities.
You’d find essential community connections through the post office, which served as a central hub until the 1970s. The town maintained its own power plant, providing electricity and running water to company houses, while a local school educated children through eighth grade, with free bus service to Gallup for high school students.
The company store‘s historical significance extended beyond retail, functioning as both a commercial and social center.
Even after the mine’s closure in 1952, some services persisted, with a combination store operating into 1975. Today, the former trading post building stands repurposed as a church, marking the evolution of this once-bustling mining community.
Notable Buildings and Structures
While Mentmore’s buildings have largely vanished, several significant structures defined this New Mexico mining town during its heyday.
The architectural features of company-owned frame houses showcased surprising modernity, equipped with electricity and running water when such amenities were rare in early 20th-century mining communities.
Modern amenities like electricity and running water set Mentmore’s company houses apart from typical early 1900s mining town dwellings.
The historical significance of the Company Store and Trading Post can’t be understated, as it served as the town’s commercial hub before being converted into a church.
- A power plant that supplied electricity to both mining operations and residential areas
- An eight-grade schoolhouse that connected local children to education in nearby Gallup
- The central Company Store and Trading Post, which also functioned as the town’s post office until 1975
The Great Decline of 1952
As Mentmore’s coal mines shuttered in 1952, the town experienced an unprecedented economic collapse that would seal its fate as a ghost town. Without alternative industries to provide economic resilience, the population plummeted from 500 to nearly zero as families were forced to seek employment elsewhere.
You’ll find that the town’s community identity dissolved rapidly as social infrastructure crumbled. The school lost its students, while the post office and company stores closed their doors.
By 1975, only about ten households remained, and the once-bustling mining town had transformed into a shell of its former self. Most company-owned houses fell into disrepair, with only foundations remaining today.
The trading post’s conversion into a church stands as one of the few surviving remnants of Mentmore’s mining era.
Neighboring Mining Communities
When you look at Mentmore’s place in New Mexico’s mining landscape, you’ll find it was part of an interconnected network that included the neighboring communities of Navajo and Gamerco.
While Navajo operated briefly in the early 1920s with company-provided housing and a store, its miners later shifted to work at the newer Gamerco mine just a mile away.
This regional connection exemplifies how these mining communities shared economic dependencies, with workers often moving between operations as mines opened and closed.
Regional Mining Network Connections
Through a series of strategic mine acquisitions and expansions, Mentmore became part of an interconnected network of coal mining communities west of Gallup, New Mexico in the early 1900s.
When George Kaseman purchased both Dilco and Morris mines in 1918, he strengthened the region’s mining heritage by uniting operations under Defiance Coal Company.
You’ll find evidence of community resilience in how these mining towns supported each other through shared infrastructure and workforce mobility.
Key aspects of this regional network included:
- A 40-inch narrow gauge railroad system spanning 20 miles that connected mines to coal tipples
- Coordinated company housing and stores serving multiple mining camps
- Worker migration patterns that allowed miners to live in one town while working in another, preserving established communities
Despite operating as distinct settlements, Mentmore and its neighboring mining communities formed a tightly interwoven economic ecosystem during the early to mid-1900s.
You’ll find evidence of this economic interdependence in the way workers freely moved between camps like Navajo and Gamerco when local mines closed, ensuring continued employment and operational stability across the region.
The towns’ shared infrastructure reinforced these connections, with company-provided housing, stores, and utilities serving multiple communities simultaneously.
When you examine the labor migration patterns, you’ll notice how population shifts followed new mine openings, while shared services like schools and transportation networks cemented these regional bonds.
This interconnectedness meant that each town’s economic fate was inexorably linked to its neighbors, ultimately leading to their collective decline when regional mining operations ceased.
What Remains Today
The ghost town of Mentmore stands today as a skeletal reminder of its mining past, with only a handful of surviving structures dotting the privately owned landscape.
You’ll find archaeological significance in the numerous building foundations that reveal the town’s original layout, while the old trading post, now converted to a church, represents the sole intact commercial building.
The site’s historic preservation remains minimal, with natural vegetation reclaiming much of the area.
Time and nature steadily erase Mentmore’s human imprint as wild plants gradually consume the forgotten mining town’s remains.
- About ten frame houses survive in good repair from the mid-1970s assessment
- Mining artifacts like helmets and glass bottles scatter the grounds
- Large mine pits visible from the townsite serve as stark reminders of the area’s industrial heritage
The limited public access and lack of formal preservation efforts mean you’ll encounter a raw, unrestored glimpse into New Mexico’s mining history.
Legacy in McKinley County
While Mentmore’s physical remains have largely faded into McKinley County’s landscape, its impact on the region’s industrial development remains significant.
You’ll find the town’s influence woven into the county’s industrial heritage through its role in early 20th-century coal production and economic growth. As part of the Defiance Coal Company’s operations, Mentmore contributed to broader consolidation trends that shaped the region’s mining sector.
The town’s legacy extends beyond its economic footprint – it’s preserved in cultural memory through its company town model, educational initiatives, and community infrastructure.
Today, Mentmore serves as a compelling case study of boom-and-bust cycles in extractive industries, while its remnants offer valuable insights into McKinley County’s social and environmental transformation following industrial decline.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Was the Average Salary of Coal Miners in Mentmore?
You won’t find exact average wages documented, but miners likely earned $3-7 daily under tough miner conditions, with salaries varying based on labor disputes and company policies during 1913-1952.
Were There Any Major Mining Accidents or Disasters at Dilco Mine?
Based on available historical records, you won’t find any major mining accidents or disasters at Dilco Mine. The operation’s safety record doesn’t show catastrophic incidents during its active years from 1913-1952.
How Many People Lived in Mentmore During Its Peak Population?
You’ll find peak demographics show a population of around 500 residents during the community growth period from 1913-1952, when coal mining operations supported workers and their families.
What Native American Tribes Lived Near or Worked in Mentmore?
You’ll find strong Navajo heritage in the area, with many Navajo miners working the coal mines. The Zuni influence was also present, while Hopi and ancestral Puebloan peoples inhabited the region historically.
Did Any Significant Historical Figures or Events Originate From Mentmore?
While many mining towns produced famous pioneers and notable events, you won’t find significant historical figures or major events originating from Mentmore’s brief industrial existence as a coal mining camp.
References
- https://compaslife.com/blogs/journal/abandoned-enchantment-ghost-towns-of-new-mexico-1
- https://www.visitgallup.com/blog/carbon-citys-coal-mining-legacy/
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-mckinleycounty/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_1iT_a-Wzw
- https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/ghost-towns/
- http://www.miningartifacts.org/New-Mexico-Mines.html
- https://www.theroute-66.com/defiance.html
- https://gallupnm.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4557/andrew-butler
- https://www.emnrd.nm.gov/mmd/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Navajo-EA_wApp_Final_Optimized_signed-1.pdf
- https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/nm/mentmore.html
