Hickman - New Mexico Ghost Town

HICKMAN

NAME: Hickman
COUNTY: Catron
ROADS: 2WD
GRID #(see map): 4
CLIMATE: Snow can sometimes be a problem.
BEST TIME TO VISIT: Most anytime.

COMMENTS: At Pie Town, New Mexico on US # 60. Just at the west edge of town, you must turn north on a State road that is not even numbered on my map. Get some directions in Pie Town and then go about 30 miles towards Grants, NM. All of the local folks will be able to direct you there. Hickman, NM had its beginning in the 1920's and was housed in a log cabin, together with a general store for a ranching area north of Pie Town NM and Grants, NM. The mail was delivered weekly for the benefit of local ranches, sawmills, etc.
AThe Hickman postoffice ceased to exist in its original location in 1942 and was moved about 10 miles south to the general store and gas station belonging to Teat Lehew. Area ranchers receiving mail in 1946 would be John Lehew, Ellis McPhaul, Dr. Bumpass (a dentist for the whole world out there), Ab Bonine, Earl Bonine, Carl Kothman, B. C. Ringer, Sam McWhorter, Arnold Rainey, Jay McPhaul, Loy Cox and a lot of people whose names I have forgotten.In 1946 the old postoffice and store building still remained in pretty good condition. It was being used as feed storage by Kothman & Ringer Co.
REMAINS: I will bet that the old store and postoffice is still standing. I am going to make a trip down that way this summer and will give a full report.

The number of residents in the area who utilized the Post Office was between 50 and 100. The people who received their mail there resided from 5 to 50 miles away. This post office was an example of the effort of the postal department to get mail delivered regardless of the circumstances. Sometimes the snow would be 2 or 3 feet deep and sometimes the mud would be just as deep. The roads were terrible to say the least. In 1946 the mail hack ran through a herd of cattle I was driving from the C-N Ranch at Datil to Putney Mesa. I was riding out on the point and heard him comming like a bat out of hell. He had delivered the mail to Hickman and was on his way back to Pie Town. He ran into the leaders of that herd and killed and broke a leg on at least 10 big steers ! What a wreck ! Tore mail hack to pieces. The mail was late that day ! Submitted by: Samuel W McWhorter UPDATE: Visit on 3-15-08. I visited this page some time ago and bookmarked it, then made a return visit today. I live about 2 miles from the old Hickman site. (New Mexico, Catron County, 28 miles NE ofPie Town, NM). Nothing is standing. In fact, about the only things left are a few rusty cans. If you look hard, you can find something of a foundation. But there is almost no other evidence of any buildings that I can find. The only thing marking the site now are the mailboxes of a few folks who live out here. The stone building at Lehew is still standing, though without much left of the roof. Today, everyone living in this area has a Pie Town mailing address. Of all the little communities that existed out here during the homesteading era, Pie Town is about the only survivor. Nonetheless, the history from Mr. McWhorter is interesting to the few of us newcomers who have moved out here to retire. And, yes, we still have snowstorms and lots of mud despite the fact that our average rainfall is on the order of 12 inches per year (which is why homesteading was pretty fruitless.) Even ranching is a pretty tough proposition given that it takes as much as 160 acres to support one cow and a calf. Submitted by Doyne Loyd.	AB Bonine Ranch Bonine Homestead

The number of residents in the area who utilized the Post Office was between 50 and 100. The people who received their mail there resided from 5 to 50 miles away. This post office was an example of the effort of the postal department to get mail delivered regardless of the circumstances. Sometimes the snow would be 2 or 3 feet deep and sometimes the mud would be just as deep. The roads were terrible to say the least. In 1946 the mail hack ran through a herd of cattle I was driving from the C-N Ranch at Datil to Putney Mesa. I was riding out on the point and heard him comming like a bat out of hell. He had delivered the mail to Hickman and was on his way back to Pie Town. He ran into the leaders of that herd and killed and broke a leg on at least 10 big steers ! What a wreck ! Tore mail hack to pieces. The mail was late that day !

Submitted by: Samuel W McWhorter

UPDATE: Visit on 3-15-08. I visited this page some time ago and bookmarked it, then made a return visit today. I live about 2 miles from the old Hickman site. (New Mexico, Catron County, 28 miles NE ofPie Town, NM). Nothing is standing. In fact, about the only things left are a few rusty cans. If you look hard, you can find something of a foundation. But there is almost no other evidence of any buildings that I can find. The only thing marking the site now are the mailboxes of a few folks who live out here.

The stone building at Lehew is still standing, though without much left of the roof. Today, everyone living in this area has a Pie Town mailing address. Of all the little communities that existed out here during the homesteading era, Pie Town is about the only survivor.

Nonetheless, the history from Mr. McWhorter is interesting to the few of us newcomers who have moved out here to retire. And, yes, we still have snowstorms and lots of mud despite the fact that our average rainfall is on the order of 12 inches per year (which is why homesteading was pretty fruitless.) Even ranching is a pretty tough proposition given that it takes as much as 160 acres to support one cow and a calf. Submitted by Doyne Loyd.

AB Bonine Ranch
Bonine Homestead

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