Archive for the 'Dripping Springs' Category
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Hiking Dripping Springs - Part 2
Details on hiking to the springs in Dripping Springs Canyon are given here.
Van Patten Mining Camp
The ruins of the Van Patten Mining Camp are a short hike north of the springs. Construction of the Camp began about 1895 and was completed and advertising for business in 1897. The Camp sold itself as a vacation resort in the Organ mountains several thousand feet above the sultry southern New Mexico desert. The resort building was L-shaped. One two-story wing had 14 hotel rooms for customers, and the other wing a large dining hall, a dance hall, a roller skate rink, and living rooms for the operators.
A historical marker at the site provides a photo of what the Camp, also known as the Dripping Springs Resort, looked like in 1900.
The marker provides a few historical details on Van Patten, but does not convey the extent of the accomplishments of this remarkable New Mexico pioneer.
Albert Eugene Van Patten was born November 10, 1839 in Oneida, New York, but many sources give a different, erroneous birth date.
In 1857 when John Butterfield was starting the Overland Mail Company, he hired Van Patten and his three older brothers to help set up the El Paso link of the stagecoach trail. They arrived in El Paso as part of the first Overland work crew on December 23, 1857. Van Patten did all kinds of work for the Company, including driving stages and serving as stationkeeper at the Picacho Station.
On February 9, 1860, Van Patten was the conductor of a stage coach ambushed by Apaches in Cooke’s Canyon on its way from Tucson to Mesilla. After a long standoff in which all of coach’s mules but one were killed, Van Patten, the driver, and the six passengers abandoned the coach and fortified themselves behind rock outcrops. They were rescued eventually by scouts of a merchant party which happened to hear shooting.
When the civil war started he joined the Confederates, even though he was born a Yankee. Following the war, he was a life-long Republican.
In 1865 he married Benita Madrid Vargas, a high ranking Piro Indian. This began a life-long commitment to Indian interests, and he was a major player in the Piros relocating to Tortugas and being granted title to that land by the State of New Mexico in 1914.
He served in many offices, including county sheriff from 1884 to 1888 and deputy U. S. Marshall from 1889 to 1896. He led the posse that tracked the murders of Colonel Albert Fountain and his son Henry, and was a major witness at the trial (the accused were acquitted). Although unable to serve, he helped organize the New Mexico contingent of Roosevelt’s Rough Riders.
In 1917 (not 1915 as given by the historical marker) he sold the Van Patten Mountain Camp to Dr. Nathan Boyd and entered a long period of financial difficulties. When he died on February 28, 1926, he was almost destitute.
The Ruins
The Camp Ruins are extensive, and make stunning photographs. This part of the original structure is in the best condition. Note how the two end windows in the eve match the windows in the old photo.
These ruins are of the other wing.
Picnic Area
Take your lunch, because there is a lovely, shaded picnic space next to the Camp ruins.
Coming Soon:
Part 3 - Boyd’s Sanatorium
Related posts:
Hiking Dripping Springs - Part 1
Dripping Springs - Green, Green, Green!
Sources:
Las Cruces New Mexico, 1849-1999, Gordon Owen, Red Sky Publishing Company, Inc, 1999.
Pioneers of the Mesilla Valley, Paxton P. Price, Yucca Tree Press, 1995
The Butterfield Trail in New Mexico, George Hackler, Yucca Enterprises, 2005
Tags: Las Cruces, Organ Mountains, History, Dripping Springs, Chihuahuan Desert, Eugene Van Patten
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
Hiking Dripping Springs - Part 1
The hike from the Dripping Springs Visitors Center to the springs is about 1-1/2 miles. The hike is considered easy, although it does climb about 1500 feet. It is definitely a good idea to take water.
The Hike
Here’s what the path looks like about five minutes from the departure point:
If you look back, you can see the La Cueva rock formation:
About 1 mile still to go. On your return to this point, you can choose to go directly back to the Visitors Center, or to take one of several longer routes:
There are several places along the trail where you can rest and contemplate the wonderful views. Here’s one under an Alligator Juniper:
This is what you are heading for:
The Livery
Before you reach the springs, you come across the re-located Eugene Van Patten livery buildings:
A historical marker at the site provides the following information about the buildings:
“The wooden structures in this area were constructed in the late 1800’s by Major Eugene Van Patten. These buildings were associated with Van Patten’s Mountain Camp, a historic resort hotel located approximately 1/4 mile further up the canyon. These out buildings served as a livery, mercantile, and chicken coop for the hotel. Wagons were kept under a long barn which has collapsed. The barn was adjacent to the corral.”
“In the late 1800’s a stageline brought guests to the hotel from Las Cruces, a 17 mile trip. The stage would deliver the guests to the front of the hotel and then return to the livery. The wagons and horses for the stagelines, as well as the personal livestock of the guests were kept in this area. A milk cow and garden were also maintained in this area. Fresh vegetables (when available), beef, milk, and eggs were served to the guests at the hotel dining room.”
“The photograph shows a number of guests preparing to leave from the hotel by buggy for a trip to Dona Ana in April of 1897. Local Indian boys worked at the livery, the hotel, and on the road maintenance crew. In the early 1900’s guests began to arrive at the hotel in automobiles as well as horse and wagon. The hotel ceased operations in the 1920’s.”
“The BLM is stabilizing and partially restoring portions of these ruins. Please do not touch or enter the unstabilized ruins as they are extremely fragile.”
The Springs
Approaching the springs:
Getting closer:
And closer:
As you can see, on this date (9/23/08), there was very little water coming from the springs:
Here you can see the rock cistern that was built below the springs to capture water. The cistern is completely filled in today:
Coming Soon:
Part 2 - Van Patten’s Mountain Camp
Part 3 - Boyd’s Sanatorium
Related posts:
Dripping Springs - Green, Green, Green!
Tags: Las Cruces, Dripping Springs, Organ Mountains, Chihuahuan Desert
Saturday, September 20th, 2008
Dripping Springs - Green, Green, Green!
Old timers are saying they’ve never seen the Chihuahuan Desert around Las Cruces as green as it is this year.
Here are a few pictures taken at Dripping Springs last weekend. In spite of the cloud cover at that moment, you can see how green it is.
The rock formation in the foreground in this photo is known as La Cueva, because of the cave at its base. More on this famous cave in a later posting.
A different view of La Cueva.
The cave is located about the middle of the rock formation, at ground level, where you see several trees. There are three small springs nearby that are difficult to locate, particularly when it’s dry.
These were taken as the sun set.
To visit Dripping Springs, take University Avenue/Dripping Springs Road east toward the Organ Mountains. Stay on the road until its end, even after it becomes a dirt road. The last quarter mile before you get to the park is paved.
The park closes at 5 pm. There is a fee for hiking to La Cueva and the other areas of the park, but not for seeing the Visitor’s Center or the always SPECTACULAR VIEWS.
Related Posts:
Hiking Dripping Springs - Part 1
Hiking Dripping Springs - Part 2
Tags: Las Cruces, Dripping Springs, Windmill, Chihuahuan Desert
