Madrid NM

 Madrid New Mexico  Townsite – Ghost town

Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell 2006

Well the Ball Diamond is still here. The famous baseball teams are long gone. Rumor has it that Madrid had one of the first lighted ball diamonds in the west.  A company coal mining town turned into a artist community. The ball diamond, old church, the hotel / general store / Boarding house are the main features. Several museums to visit along with many arts and crafts store and a B and B.

In the 20’s and 30s’ this town was famous for the Christmas Light Displays.  Beginning in the early 1920’s Madrid miners lit up the winter sky with 150,000 Christmas lights, powered by 500,00 kilowatt hours of electricity.  The power was provided by the company’s own coal fed generators, true to a company town environment.

In 2007 the Movie “Hog Wild” brought a little more fame to the town. It was featured in the film as the town where the good guys met the bad guys for a showdown.