About 23 miles North of Carrizozo, New Mexico, is the ghost town of Ancho, a former railroad and ranching community. The settlement was established at the turn of the 20th Century when families settled the fertile valley, followed by several homesteaders who became the area’s first sheep and cattle ranchers. Miners also roamed the area of gypsum hills in search of precious metals.

In 1902, a gypsum deposit was discovered, and the Gypsum Product Company plaster mill was established. That same year, Ancho got a post office with Frank J. Bush as the first postmaster. When a settler named Bosque came to the area from Iowa, he saw an opportunity in the region’s fire clay and established the Ancho Brick Plant in 1905. That same year, the railroad pushed through town, and the depot was built.

In 1906, after the devastating earthquake and fire in San Francisco, Ancho shipped plaster and brick to the ravaged city.

In 1917, the brick plant was sold to the Arizona-based Phelps Dodge Corporation, which built a new 16-kiln plant for $150,000. However, the move proved unprofitable, and the plant went bankrupt in 1921. Though this was a devastating blow to the small community, and several people moved out, the town survived, supported primarily by the railroad and ranching industries.

During the Depression years, Ancho’s population increased as several destitute families moved to make a living mining for gold in the nearby Jicarilla Mountains. However, once the economy improved, people moved out once again.

In 1930, Ancho’s one-room schoolhouse burned down and was replaced by a brick school that still stands today. At its peak, the school had five teachers and 140 students. The town also supported two stores. However, Ancho’s life was in decline. In 1937, though the brick plant had long been closed, the property was sold to Abilene Salvage Company, which dismantled it.

When the new U.S. Highway 54 was paved in 1954 between Carrizozo and Corona, it spelled a death knell for Ancho, as the small community was bypassed by 2 ½ miles. The following year, the school was closed.

The final blow for Ancho was when the railroad discontinued the depot in 1959. The building was sold and, in 1963, became a museum called “My House of Old Things.” That same year, the town’s combination store and gas station closed. The post office also closed five years later, and the town was left with only a few people.

Today, the town appears abandoned, except for a small sign on the side of the school indicating it may still be used as a church. Further indication that the building is still being utilized is its good condition, including replacement windows. Several abandoned buildings continue to stand in various stages of disrepair, including the depot and several homes. A cemetery is located about ½ mile northeast of town.

Ancho is 21 miles north of Carrizozo on U.S. 54, then east on NM 482 for 2 ½ miles. A forest road runs Southeast of Ancho that continues to the ghost towns of Jicarilla and White Oaks before rejoining U.S. 54.

© Kathy Alexander/Legends of America, updated October 2026.

Also See:

Jicarilla – Still Gold in Them Thar Hills

White Oaks – Liveliest Town in the Territory

Ghost Towns of New Mexico

New Mexico Main Page

Ghost Town Photo Galleries

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