Abandoned America: Cuervo, NM

The town of Cuervo, New Mexico, began in 1901 when the railroad came thorough. The town started to grow when the surrounding land was opened to cattle ranching in 1910. Then Route 66 came, and the town's population peaked in the 1940s at over 300.

And then the Interstate literally came through town: right through the middle of it, ripping up roads and tearing down houses. Cuervo couldn't survive that. It's a ghost town now; a few people still live here, though it's not clear why.

If you like ghost towns at all, Cuervo is a must-stop. It's right off I-40, no side trip necessary. The “living” side of the town, if you could call it that, is on the north side of the Interstate, and on the south side is a massive photo op. There are a few people still living here in trailers, but most of the town is very old buildings in various states of decay. The dirt roads are fine for normal cars, and whatever people are about don't seem to mind you exploring. (I avoided photographing the inhabited trailers. There's no reason for that, so respect the residents' privacy if you want them to respect your privilege to explore. It is technically private property, so don't be a jerk.)

You'll find a church, a school, and many houses. You'll find an outhouse, a basketball court, and some old cars. It's possible that this is the best ghost town in the country that is both genuine and easily accessible. It's a treasure. If you mess anything up, I will personally hunt you down and kick your ass.

Googling for information about Cuervo is amusing: the search spammers provide results promising real estate agents, restaurants, shopping, clubs, banks, kitchen remodeling, lodging, and even jobs. “Community Calendar for all happenings in and around Cuervo, New Mexico!” Uh-huh. This could be used as a hint of which sites to ignore in any search results. My favorite is “Trash Dumpster rentals in Cuervo, NM.”

I have some more pictures from Cuervo on Flickr.

Comments

[Kerry Shrode]

2/26/12
My life partner and I stopped by there today. I have driven past it several times over the years but never stopped, though I was fascinated by it. She REALLY wanted to see the actual Route 66 so I took here there today.
Yes, it is ghostly, and only a few people seem to still live there, but there are some newer buildings in the area set up for current living, and a construction company seems to have set up shop there too.
The older adobe buildings are classic. The old individual water towers are wonderful. There is one 'home' that appears to be an old wooden railway car.
The church, built in 1915, seems to be cared for still. It was locked tight.
The picture you have showing the 1952-3 rusted out Ford, is right there for all to see. There is also a 1966 Chevelle a block over. We thought the area might have finally bit the dust in the 70s. There appears to be minor activity still on the north side of town, but we saw no one around when we pulled through.
This is DEFINITIVELY worth a stop for either ghost town enthusiasts or Route 66 fans. It's the real deal with no touristy anything to cheapen it. Wear good boots in bad weather. The adobe can get very heavy and gooey.

[Larry]

I've been crossing I 40 since the 70s and around 1979 the population there was 28 and the kids were bused to Grants to school! At the exit on the North side was a gas station, a Bar w/package goods and I believe a small tire shop! As I pass there now days even those places appear to be closed or gone!!

[Larry]

Replying to myself a correction! The kids went to school in Santa Rosa not Grants Ooops!!!

[Dan Gauss]

Spent almost an hour there a couple days ago.. just concentrating on the roadside buildings, and the large "District No. 6" building set back from the road.. which I assume is either a school, a library, or municipal bldg of some kind. Have been by frequently, but this was my first stop. Most ghost towns down our way, (Deming NM) have fees, so this was a treat. Going to Shakespeare in 2 weekends. I'm posting a series of Cuervo photos here: facebook.com/shotonsite

[Mlawson447]

Been here twice. It is a fascinating place. See it before it's gone.

[Andy Chambers]

Stopped there in 2007, enroute to Dallas, and decided to look around. The church was still very sweet, intact and being cared for. Went exploring in an abandoned house, next door, and almost got bit by what seemed to be the largest rattlesnake in the world. Anyway, made it out the door. Fascinating place.

[Manda]

Can anyone advise on whether stopping here at night is a good idea? Haha... I'm driving to California from Oklahoma next week and we'll be passing through there around midnight. I love 'ghostly' stuff so I thought it would be cool to stop then, but if there are still residents here, what are the chances of me being shanked? Heh.

[Jeremy]

I think it'll be fine. There are only a couple residents and they are probably used to it, though they may at worst be concerned that you're damaging something.