Why take time out of the “big” ticket venues in Santa Fe and drive into the desert to Lamy? There’s not much there except a Saloon and restaurant, and interesting church, and a lot of history. Located in a respective low land area southeast of Santa Fe, Lamy was the mainline stop on the railroad. Trains of the 1800’s had trouble climbing mountain passes and the local terrain was so littered with gullies and mesas, railroad companies decided to make the main stop for Santa Fe here. A spur line was built from Lamy into Santa Fe which was, even in the 1800’s, the economic and social center of Northern New Mexico.
Politicians, tourists, businessmen, families, and a long list of the smartest physicists and engineers in the 20th century arrived in Lamy and transferred to that spur line. Physicists and Engineers? Yes. Santa Fe was the check in place for employees reporting to work on the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos. This makes the tiny outpost of Lamy stop #1 on the “Atomic Trail.” We will discuss the Atomic Trail in its own blog.
Today, Lamy is home to a beautiful vintage western railroad station and the Legal Tender Saloon and Restaurant. The Legal Tender was built as one of the Harvey House lodges. In it’s heyday, the Legal tender greeted weary railroad travellers with a solid meal, a shower, and a bed. Today it sports excellent meals and one of the most beautiful and well stocked bar in all New Mexico. A small history museum educates guests about the railroad, Harvey House, and the local area. If you visit on the right night, you might enjoy a visit by the Lady in White, a ghost who glides through the halls of the building or Ramon, a man who was allegedly shot in the saloon. Intrigued? Here’s a comprehensive story: https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/legal-tender/
Lamy is a must stop for railroad buffs. The station and siding tracks are full of vintage cars you can wander around. Wheels, axles, engine blocks, and an array of spare train parts is strewn around as the local people work to restore these beautiful timepieces. No fences. No security. You can wander right up to the spare parts and gaze in awe at the size and engineering of these vehicles.
You can visit Lamy on your own via car, which I highly recommend. Go late in the afternoon and enjoy the saloon. The late desert shadows cast a beautiful light on the town. Check the Legal Tender for hours as they are not open every night.
Alternately, you can head down to Lamy on a sightseeing train. Check their website for hours and tour types.
Happy Haunting.
