Organ
County: Dona Ana
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Year Established: Organ was started as a mining camp prior to the American Civil War. However, it was not officially established as a community until 1883
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Year Abandoned: Semi Ghost Town
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Population: 242 as of 2020
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Location: On U.S. Highway 70 14.5 miles NE of Las Cruces
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About: Organ, like many ghost towns in New Mexico had a second life, but this was different. First inhabited in the 1840's, Organ soon became a mining camp prior to the Civil War. It was not until 1883 when the town was officially established.
Mining operations near Organ produced gold, lead, iron, silver and other minerals. Actual mining in the Organ town site was prohibited.
Organ originally had its own school, constable's office, community center, town square, post office, hotel, business district and cemetery. In 1885 Organ's population was over 1,500 people.
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In the 1930s the mines in the area became inundated with water and were no longer feasible for use, and with the onset of the Great Depression, mining operations ceased. However, with the opening of White Sands Missile Range and the testing of the nuclear weapons in 1945, Organ began to thrive again as a community providing homes and leisure services to military personnel and government contractors only a short distance from the main military post.
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Remains: Still a small community with a couple of historic buildings.
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Abandoned Garage
Historic Organ Schoolhouse
