Elizabethtown, NM

Monday we explored some more of the immediate area around Eagle Nest. One of these places was the old mining town of Elizabethtown, also known as E-town. There’s an old truck directing visitors to the museum and Joe Penguin and Marty Moose insisted on taking a ride:

In the late 1800’s E-Town was booming with a population of almost 7000, but now all that’s left is a few run-down old buildings, some of which were moved in from surrounding communities. What’s left comprises a private museum containing a multitude of items from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. This is what it looks like now:

In the town’s heyday, the Munz Hotel was the place to stay. But in 1953, after it was closed and vacant, some hikers took refuge from a storm and built a fire inside to get warm. The building went up in flames and destroyed all except a few remaining outside walls. This is all that’s left:

We also stopped at the Elizabethtown Cemetary where we saw graves as old as the 1880's. It was interesting to look at the dates and see how young so many of those buried years ago had been when they died. These hollyhocks and daisies were there and the red hollyhocks that we so seldom see in Arkansas anymore reminded me of my great-grandmother's that she had in her yard when I was very young.

Before returning to our RV park, we drove to the other side of Eagle Nest Lake where we were able to get some photos of where we’re staying. In the second pic you can see the RVs and ours is almost in the middle of the row.

We really enjoy having such a great view and the fact that the park is small enough that the rigs aren't stacked one on top of the other! Plus, Marti the owner and all the other people here are SUPER-NICE! We'll probably stay here until it cools off considerably in Arkansas--or until it snows here, whichever comes first! :)