One of the remaining ghost towns at Vermejo Park Ranch is an old coal mining town called Koehler.
Koehler was a booming coal mining town, tapping the massive coal deposits underneath large portions of Vermejo. The town operated off and on from 1907 to 1957, and now lies abandoned – decaying slowly.
Parts of Koehler remain standing today. Some buildings and facilities are impressively massive, and others oddly beautiful. One of my favorites are a row of old houses for plant workers painted in bright yet faded colors. Light streams in through peeled roofs and open doors and windows to lovely, surreal effect.
Abandoned house, Koehler Coal Mining Town, Vermejo Park Ranch, New Mexico, USA. Canon 1Dx. 24mm. ISO 200. 10 sec. at f.22.EV +1/3.
I was born in Koehler and attended elementary school there. Everyone desperately poor but we survived severe winters and much snow.
What years were you there?
I have gone there 6 or 7 times since 2014. Like all old sites, the decay is constant, but slow, given the dryness. It would have been fascinating to have seen it at its peak. Now you can only stand there and imagine all the hustle and bustle from that era.It is shame that some of the big old buildings did not survive, but the few that did still tell quite a story.
I have heard from a couple of folks who lived at Koehler. I’d love to hear more. It is an interesting place now, but I am sure it was a tough place to live and work.
My grandfather was born there in a shack just like the one you photographed in 1921 (100 years to the day!) to Italian coal miners. Thanks for sharing the pics.
This is interesting. My uncle was given to an Italian couple at Koehler in 1921 when my grandmother died. They went back to Italy soon after. Their name was Marianni.
Wow.The Dawson Cemetery just southwest of Koehleris open to the public and has the graves of many Italian miners and their families from Koehler and other nearby mines, including Dawson.
That is interesting. It is just a fascinating place. You can almost feel the presence of all those who used to live there. So much color in those walls!