the lost adams diggings - El Camino Real International Heritage ...

Photo by Paul HardenThe Magee Ranch headquarters at Adams Diggings, NMwas homesteaded by Guy Magee in 1916.Photo by Paul HardenThe old general store and Post Office at AdamsDiggings, NM, as it appears today. The post officeoperated from 1930–1946.flow. Of course, nearby ranchers received their mail atAdams Diggings as well.This wave of prospectors came to an end with the onsetof World War II. The Magee’s closed the post office in1946, the mail being transferred to Pie Town.Bob Magee remembers prospectors arriving at theranch after the war until his retirement from the ranch afew years ago. “I don’t think there’s any gold out thereto be found,” he’ll tell you, adding, “at least I neverheard of anyone finding it.”Even though the post office closed in 1946, effectivelyending the existence of Adams Diggings as a town, it isstill shown on present day highway maps. Perhaps it iscloser to the gold than most people realize.THE LOCATIONI was first introduced to the Lost Adams Diggings in theearly 1980’s by Fred Martin, Jr. The Martin Ranch islocated west of the Alamo Navajo Indian Reservation,south of the Rio Salado. Martin told me the story ofAdam’s gold and how to find the area – though told me“don’t expect to find any gold” (he, and his father FredMartin Sr., had already searched for it over manyyears). Several trips later, driving along the Alamocitaarroyo, getting stuck, and climbing up canyons, I foundthe Zig-zag Canyon and most of the other landmarks inthe Adams story. Everything, except the gold!This part of the country is made up of rockoutcroppings, sandstone cliffs, dozen of volcanicmesas and a maze of sandy arroyos. This is not the typeof geology where gold or silver would be found.However, my interests were historical, not hopeful offinding treasure. Although, had gold nuggets the size ofacorns been laying along the stream bed, I probablywould have picked up one or two! If this, indeed, is thesite of the Lost Adams Diggings, it sprawls over severalsquare miles and over two different ranches.In preparing this article for the El Defensor Chieftain, Iwanted to revisit the area after 20 years and take somephotographs. Where Socorro County roads onceallowed access to near the Zig-zag Canyon, these roadsare now closed to the public.I contacted the ranch owners, who are fully aware of thehistorical importance of what is located on their land.They agreed to escort me to the area, allowing me totake a few photographs, provided I did not identify theexact location. Their concern is very legitimate, forwhich I will respect. The site is located miles inside ofPhoto by Paul HardenThe “pumpkin patch.” The entrance to the Zig-zagcanyon is hidden behind the line of piñon trees.