An aerial view of Mt. Chachihuitl and the Cash Entry Mine
North is at the top.
Practically all of the land in this view is in private hands.
Mt. Chalchihuitl -- the name comes from Tlasclalan Indians who accompanied the
Spanish of 1598 and who recognized the mineral turquoise here, and used their own
word for it -- occupies most of the upper-left quadrant of this image. This area
was mined both prehistorically (for turquoise) and historically (for investor
dollars -- see below). The larger west pit is nearly outlined by a black (shadow)
line at the upper left. The east pit is the white area at the lower right.
Major D.C. Hyde dug shafts (which have collapsed) and adits in and on Mount
Chalchihuitl, probably all of them in 1880-81.
(Hyde's shaft) Major Hyde's only interest
in turquoise was the claim that gold was found with it. One of Hyde's promotional
efforts was a museum of Indian artifacts at the mine for visitors (and for
potential stock purchasers). The mine was promoted as one that could not be
appreciated unless you visited it. In 1880 and 1881, New Mexico turquoise was
almost worthless and could only be sold as trinkets or curiosities.
In the U.S., from 1884 to 1886, jewelry made from turquoise approximately equaled
the value of jewelry made from anthracite coal! Around 1889 turquoise started to
become much more fashionable, desirable, and valuable.
Below Mt. Chalchihuitl you can see the remains -- a black area of coal and slag,
and a white area of tailings -- of the Grand Central and Enterprise Mines, and to
the right the remains of the larger Cash Entry Mine complex. All mined galena and
obtained lead, zinc, and silver, and some operations continued well into the
twentieth century.
This website is maintained by the Cerrillos
Hills Park Coalition
and is dedicated to the creation, enhancement and stewardship
of an historical, recreational, and cultural open space in
the
Cerrillos Hills, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, USA
