White Oaks

White Oaks
In 1879, following the discovery of gold and coal in the Jicarilla Mountains, White Oaks sprang into existence from nothing. It was frequented by notable Old West personalities, including Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and Shotgun John Collins.
The town, at its peak, had a population of 2,000 people, reached by 1890. In 1882, with a population of 500, construction was completed on Starr's Opera House, and the town sported several saloons, general stores, a school, and a town hall. In 1884 Lyman Hood held the first church services in an actual church building, with those meetings taking place previously in the town hall. During this period, the town was frequently a haven for cattle rustlers and other outlaws.
By 1885, White Oaks was beginning to thrive. Several attorneys opened businesses there, and other professionals began to arrive in town, opening businesses. However, its continued existence was dependent on a railroad passing through it. Due to a dispute, this didn't happen, with the railroad instead running twelve miles to the west, through Carrizozo, New Mexico.
By the late 1890s the mines had dried up, and the population dwindled. By the early 1900s the town was a shadow of its previous self. It is now a ghost town, with several of the old buildings still standing today. Now the home to a small group of artists and craftsmen, annual events include the White Oaks Artists Studio Tour and Gold Rush Days, a rowdy celebration of the heritage of this unique community.