Since the 1920s, Madrid has been known for its yearly Christmas illumination displays. Madrid had the privilege of getting infinite power for lights since the electric plant was owned by a wealthy coal firm. The lighting shows were designed by an owner’s brother, who worked for Walt Disney. If you’re seeking to explore the Santa Fe area, a day trip to Madrid is a great alternative, with lots of cuisine, shopping, and activities to pick from. Eclectic art galleries, interesting boutiques, restaurants, and more can be found in this unique old mining town.
Despite the fact that Madrid still considers itself a ghost town, it is a rare example of rebirth. Madrid’s Christmas lights were as famous as its coal in the 1920s and 1930s, and planes used to reroute flights around the holidays to show customers the sight.
Explore the community of Madrid, which is tucked in a tiny canyon in the Ortiz Mountains, along the magnificent Turquoise Trail. Madrid is currently a creative community with over 40 shops and galleries, many restaurants, a spa, and a museum. It was once a historic coal mining town and ghost town. Cerrillos, a little community a few kilometers north, has a state park with hiking trails and equestrian riding.
If you’re seeking to explore the Santa Fe area, a day trip to Madrid is a great alternative, with lots of cuisine, shopping, and activities to pick from.
Madrid is also known for its spectacular Christmas light displays, which can be seen throughout the weekends running up to Christmas in December. The town is a wonderful area to stroll about, have a bite to eat, and take in the stunning nature of New Mexico.
Madrid was formed in 1895 and began as a coal mining village in the early 1800s. It was a corporate town, with mining cottages and other facilities brought from out of state, owned by a series of various mining firms. Mining activities halted in the early 1900s as demand for coal dropped, and Madrid became an abandoned ghost town.
Madrid was revitalized as an artist colony in the 1970s and 1980s, and it soon gained fresh life as an unusual tourist destination halfway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Much of the town’s old architecture has been preserved and converted into galleries and businesses. Madrid, which has a population of little over 200 people, attracts art lovers and artists who are inspired by the grandeur of the New Mexico terrain.
Edgewood
NestBeyond of Uptown Albuquerque
