Elizabethtown is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in Colfax County,

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

, United States. It is located just off New Mexico State Road 38, between the communities of Eagle Nest and Red River. Elizabethtown is just east of the Carson National Forest. The community is a former mining town, and lies northeast of Scully Mountain, and west of

Baldy Mountain There are a number of peaks named Baldy: Canada *Baldy Mountain (Manitoba), , *Big Baldy Mountain (Vancouver Island, British Columbia) Big Baldy Mountain is a mountain on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, located west of Gold River ...

History

Mostly a ghost town now, Elizabethtown began in 1866 with the founding of area gold mines and the Mystic Copper Mine. It was New Mexico's first incorporated town. Founded by the commander of Fort Union (north of

Las Vegas, New Mexico Las Vegas is a city in and the county seat of San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities (one a city and the other a town), both were named Las Vegas—West Las Vegas ("Old Town") and East Las Vegas ("New Town ...

), Captain William H. Moore, and named for his daughter, Elizabeth Catherine Moore. Nicknamed "E-Town," the town grew to over 7000 residents at its height of prosperity in 1870, and it was designated the first seat of the newly formed Colfax County. In 1872 there were only about 100 residents left as the mines dwindled, and the county seat was moved to Cimarron. The town revived somewhat when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad passed nearby in the early 1890s, making mining feasible once again. The village was also part of the Colfax County War. A fire took most of the town in 1903, and the town mostly died out by 1917 with the decline in the mines. Serial killer Charles Kennedy lived between Elizabethtown and

Taos Taos or TAOS may refer to: Places * Taos, Missouri, a city in Cole County, Missouri, United States * Taos County, New Mexico, United States ** Taos, New Mexico, a city, the county seat of Taos County, New Mexico *** Taos art colony, an art colo ...

, luring weary travelers to dine and stay with him at his cabin; he may have killed 14 or more people.Story of Charles Kennedy
- at Legends of America Kennedy was killed by a group of angry vigilantes, led by the notorious

Clay Allison Robert A. Clay Allison (September 2, 1841 – July 1, 1887) was a cattle rancher, cattle broker, and sometimes gunfighter of the American Old West. He fought for the Confederacy in the Civil War. Allison had a reputation for violence, having s ...

Geography

Location of Elizabethtown is (36.619198, -105.28445). The elevation is 8481 feet (2585 m).

Major highways

New Mexico State Road 38

References

External links

Elizabethtown page @ Legends of America

{{authority control History of Colfax County, New Mexico Unincorporated communities in New Mexico Ghost towns in New Mexico Museums in Colfax County, New Mexico History museums in New Mexico Unincorporated communities in Colfax County, New Mexico Populated places established in 1866 1866 establishments in New Mexico Territory

History

Geography

Major highways

See also

References

External links