The Assay Office
by Priscilla Burgers
Title
The Assay Office
Artist
Priscilla Burgers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
This assay office in the ghost town of Shakespeare, New Mexico looks as it may have looked when the last assayer worked there, except for the dust. Shakespeare is in Hidalgo County, near Lordsburg. In the late 1850's, the Butterfield Overland Stage Company established an alternate route south of its main line that passed the town of Shakespeare, at that time known as Mexican Springs. Because good water was abundant at Mexican Springs, the National Mail and Transportation Company established a mail stop at the site and renamed it Grant after Ulysses S. Grant of Civil War fame. Soon thereafter, William C. Ralston, founder of the Bank of California, became interested in the property and formed the New Mexico Mining Company to mine silver that had been discovered a short time before. The Ralston mining venture was short lived as claims had been hastily staked and improperly recorded. During the late 1870s, the Shakespeare Mining Company staked some silver claims and decided to change the name of the town from Ralston to Shakespeare. Mining operations continued until the depression of 1929 when mining operations ceased. It is currently part of a privately owned ranch, open for tours at scheduled times. The entire community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
OFFICE SPACE - THE AMERICAN DREAM Contest - 1/8/2015
SECOND PLACE
FAA Featured Photo:
Southwest Decor Prints Group-02/21/2014
FAA Featured Photos:
Out West Group-02/23/2014
FAA Featured Photo:
Enchanted New Mexico Group-02/24/2014
FAA Featured Photo:
Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery Group - 1/13/2018
Uploaded
February 20th, 2014
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Viewed 1,106 Times - Last Visitor from Fairfield, CT on 04/24/2024 at 6:13 AM
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Comments (55)
Jeannie Rhode
Priscilla, Sharing my Congratulations on your Feature in Wisconsin Flowers And Scenery !
Randy Rosenberger
Your excellence in your submission of this work is worthy of special recognition, and I am seeing to it, that this happens in the WFS group. I am so happy to have you as an active member of our family of friends and fine artists, who support one another by comments, likes, faves, sharing, etc. Thanks for all your efforts to make our group so special by having a fine artist like yourself among many other fine artists that make our group so special.
Sethu Madhavan
The color tones and the effects are boost up the subject of your capture..wonderful job!
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