SHAKESPEARE, NEW MEXICO
Off the beaten track and privately owned, Shakespeare first began when samples of silver ore were found in the nearby hills. Prospectors flocked to town and it grew quickly with miners trying to get in on the action, but the silver was mined out very quickly. Then a rumor began to circulate that diamonds had been discovered and the town boomed until it was revealed as a hoax and people split town. Now privately owned, it can only be toured one weekend each month or by appointment.
Settled: 1870
Abandoned: 1893
Current Status: National Historic Site/privately owned
