Saturday, February 08, 2014

Troubled Times: Steins, New Mexico



Steins (pronounced STEENS), New Mexico is a ghost town whose recent history is as violent and troubled as its distant past. Philip Varney starts the tale in 1873 with Captain Steens, a member of the US Cavalry, who fought a battle against Apaches in Doubtful Canyon, not far from what's now the NM/AZ border. The canyon’s sobriquet reflected the view of most settlers on their odds of traveling through the place without getting killed. The story goes that Captain Steens couldn’t do it either and the site of his supposed death was later known as Steins (sic) Peak. However, Linda Harris says that MAJOR Enoch Steens merely camped in the area in 1856, rumors of his death being greatly exaggerated as he lived until 1880. I think Ms. Harris has it right.

(Incidentally, Steens is referred to as Samuel Chamberlain's captain--Company E, First U.S. Dragoons--in Chamberlain's somewhat exaggerated autobiography, "My Confession: The Recollections of a Rogue," the main source material for Cormac McCarthy's "Blood Meridian." This would be 1846, a decade before Steens would've camped near Doubtful Canyon.)



In 1880, the Southern Pacific Railroad came through this gap in the Peloncillo Mountains named Steins Pass, misspelled thanks to the Butterfield Overland Mail Route, which had christened their Doubtful Canyon stagecoach stop, about eight miles northwest, Steins Peak Station in 1858. In 1888, a post office was established and, in 1905, about the time the Southern Pacific’s rock crushing operation began, the "Pass" was dropped and the place became simply "Steins," yet still pronounced like the Major’s name.

Varney states that the post office was established at Doubtful Canyon and moved to Steins but, although it was on the mail route, there was never a PO at Doubtful Canyon/Steins Peak Station. Robert Julyan's "The Place Names of New Mexico" does a nice job of clearing up the confusion surrounding Doubtful Canyon/Steins Peak Station, Steins Peak, and Steins Pass/Steins (and Steins Mountain, less than two miles northwest of Steins and thus not where you'd find Steins Peak!).



The town’s population hit 100 and all modern conveniences were available, except water, which came only from Doubtful Canyon or, even more rarely, the sky. There was a dance hall, a two-story hotel, a saloon, and a two-room brothel. That’s one demimondaine for every 50 residents. I honestly don’t know if that’s a better or worse ratio than would be expected.

The Southern Pacific was crushing gravel for 300 miles of rail bed but the Chinese who did the work weren’t allowed to live in Steins; they had to stay out by the quarry itself. The ground of the cemetery, now to the south of Interstate 10, was reportedly so hard that graves had to be blasted out of the earth. Yeah, maybe things were kind of tough. Even now, if you go to Steins in the summer, it can feel like the sun is trying to incinerate you.



The quarry was shuttered in the 1920’s and that would be Steins peak, population 200. (Again, not to be confused with Steins Peak, elevation 5715’.) From there it was downhill, although the railroad station operated until 1950, when it was moved to Cottonwood City, just to the south. The post office had left six years earlier. Then Steins languished for years, many of its buildings burning down in a 1962 fire. Philip Varney’s photo from the 1970’s makes it look like by then hardly anything remained besides some crumbling adobes. For awhile, a mysterious fellow lived there alone, his family having bought the town site for him.

In 1988, Steins was purchased by Larry and Linda Link, who cleaned up the “10-acre junkyard,” restored some buildings, and gathered artifacts out of the piles of debris and from the surrounding community. They then opened Steins as a tourist attraction. At one point the town attracted 90,000 visitors a year. But vandalism and theft had gotten so bad by 2008 that the Links were forced to turn Steins into a bona fide ghost town for the second time.



The following year, when I first saw Steins, the little ghost town was entirely closed-off. Very un-Western semi-trailers were parked around the perimeter, “FUMIGATION” painted in big, red letters on their sides. Signs warning of methyl bromide fumigation hung on the fences. This was interesting as the use of methyl bromide, an ozone-depleting pesticide, was phased out in 2005. It was unclear what was going on, but it seemed that I wouldn’t be seeing Steins up close.

Then, on June 7, 2011, the story took a more tragic turn. Steins is only a few yards from I-10 and very early that morning someone probably exited off the interstate for reasons still unknown. It’s likely that Larry Link, suffering from insomnia, went to have a look. He was shot five times. Presumably the shooter then drove away, leaving an untraceable gun behind. Early reports portrayed Link as a rancher and his assailant as an illegal immigrant coming up from the Mexican border, less than 40 miles away. Such inaccuracy and politicized speculation angered the Link family.



In spring 2013, Linda Link and her granddaughter re-opened Steins, but before I could get down to have a look this December, it was closed again. However, as of summer 2016, the Steins Facebook page would seem to indicate that tours of the town may again be occurring on a semi-regular schedule.

So, what about those fumigation trucks? It seems that at one time the Link family applied pesticide to produce coming through on I-10. Whether they were still using methyl bromide or just got a deal on outdated signs, I can’t say. As for Larry Link’s killer, that mystery has been harder to solve. So far, police have confirmed just a single lead on the case. There have been no arrests.



I dug up various facts and figures on Steins from wherever I could find them. Varney, Harris, and Julyan, of course, but there is also a touching post from Larry and Linda Link's granddaughter at ghosttowns.com. The most comprehensive piece on Larry Link's murder seems to have been "Haunted by a Ghost Town Murder," published at NM Capitol Report in March 2013. However, that page has since been taken down.

We’re only three miles down the tracks from Arizona right now. Might as well go have a look next time.


32 comments:

CoastConFan said...

I have driven by Steins many times in the 1990s and on a couple of occasions stopped in, but it was at times that Steins was closed, so I thank you for the blog post of this oft seen, but seldom visited site along I-10. I’m so sorry to hear of Mr Link’s death and the hard times at Steins. I never got to have a full visit and it looks like I never will. I was unaware of the crusher facility and the Chinese connection.

Dried caliche is indeed like sandstone so the story of blasting out graves doesn’t sound out of true with local conditions. It will also form a bond against water and make huge lakes in the desert after a (rare) rainfall.

CoastConFan said...

I forgot to add there is a pretty good article about LtCol Steen on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enoch_Steen

Also a small one on Doubtful Canyon: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubtful_Canyon and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirmish_in_Doubtful_Canyon

A much larger article on Doubtful Canyon: http://www.wyattearpexplorers.com/doubtful-canyon.html



jmhouse said...

Thanks for your comments and kind words, CoastConFan. Thanks also for the links. The longer piece at wyattearpexplorers.com was particularly intriguing. Since I can't get into Steins, I just might have to go back and take a look AROUND Steins (i.e., Doubtful Canyon).

Best, JM

Unknown said...

I'm investigating the murder of Mr. Larry Link. Would you be so kind as to provide some information? 1. What calibre was the handgun and bullets used to murder Mr. Link? 2. What make and model was the gun? 3. What parts of Mr. Links body were shot? 4. What about the gun makes it untraceable? I believe the police are not doing all that they should be doing to solve Mr. Link's murder. For example, two Vietnam Special Forces Veterans told me that sometimes when they wanted to bring back a Viet Cong or N.V.A. prisoner they would shoot them in the shoulder because they could still walk, but, they wound prevented them from resisting. One of the Vets who lives in Lordsburg said that when they were shot in the shoulder they would spin around before going down. I read somewhere but can't remember where that Mr. Link had bullet wounds consistent with someone shooting him in an arm in an attempt to abduct him rather than murder him. Thank you for any help. My involvement with Mr. Link is cited at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004345784852&sk=photos&collection_token=100004345784852%3A2305272732%3A69&set=a.378866945601495.1073741829.100004345784852&type=3

jmhouse said...

Hi Apache WarDance,

Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I don't have any direct knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Link's murder. Everything I put together for this post was from on-line information, the main source being the NM Capitol Report article, which, based on your Facebook page, I believe you've seen:

http://www.nmcapitolreport.com/2013/03/haunted-by-a-ghost-town-murder.html

However, maybe someone with more knowledge about the case than I will read this and want to contact you. Can they send you a message through the Facebook link you provided above?

Best, JM

ML said...

My father was born here in 1920. My grandfather worked for SP there.

jmhouse said...

Wow, ML, that is something. I can tell you that I don't hear from many people with family members born in Steins, NM. I wish someone knew a way to open the place up again.

Thanks for your comment! JM

Warren said...

First of all, if I'm rude, then I have a great reason to be, and you would be too IF that is you were fair, if you had settled into a place with $9 in your pocket and the clothes on your back, AND THEN made the horrible mistake of selling that property to as ungrateful an asshole as could be found, Larry Link.

I would suggest you do a little more back ground work before you write another story like this because as the person who actually saved Steins, and brought it back to life, I resent especially the one comment "n 1988, Steins was purchased by Larry and Linda Link, who cleaned up the “10-acre junkyard,” restored some buildings, and gathered artifacts out of the piles of debris and from the surrounding community". It is a damn junkyard now but it damn sure was not when I sold it to Link in 88. In fact, I remember a tourist saying to me, "I'm not sure where to step, I might make tracks, you have this place so clean". BUT to see story after story after story and they ONLY get worse as they give Link all credit FOR MY WORK AT STEINS!! It has only been recently that a dude with Legends of America finally got the story correct, and even though it's a small mention of me, still my name finally got out there. So again, do your home work. Larry Link, before his death told stories about the history of Steins that were nothing but pure lies concocted in his mind to make it sound interesting to those who visited. He completely altered history in many ways with some of his outlandish stories. When I was there I NEVER ever ever told the visitors ANYTHING except what those who lived there had shared with me, and they were just anecdotes of how they lived, worked and died. NOTHING MORE.

Warren said...

that's because most of them are dead Mr. House. Even when I went there in 76, there was ONLY a hand full, Jakie McCants, a twin whose brother had been killed when he was about 10 in a horse incident, Jakie was already in his 80's. John Guess whose daughter was extremely generous when she came down to close out her father's ranch a few miles north of me, JOHN had died just a bit earlier that year so I never got to talk with him. Frank Reyes was the last person at Steins. His children came down from Morenci Az in 56 or 57, basically said Dad get some things, you're going home with us. It was his home I was able to fix up and live in, again, something I get no credit for as the Links have made sure of that.

Warren said...

you know Mr. House, a commendable idea to reopen Steins. Personally even though it was the dream of a life time to end up there in 76 as I said with the clothes on my back, a sleeping bag, my little dog Spooky and $9 in my pocket, I've said many times just lately I don't think I'd go back if they offered it to me for $1. There's just been too much damage, more so than when I first went there and treasure hunters had dug up the floors looking for treasure, there were truck loads of garbage left by passer by's, the place had been horribly vandalized but still I took the job on because I had envisioned being there since I was 14, and I was then 33. My philosophy while there was to live old, Mexican, and poor. I had to kind of fake the old part, wasn't quite there yet, and for sure the Mexican part but I had a God given knack for recreating something that I felt people back in the day would have created based on the fact they couldn't get to a hardware store all the time, and if they could, they surely didn't have the money to buy fancy stuff. Actually later on once the town began to thrive, the 14 rooms in the Hotel Steins that were upstairs and lasted until 1964 when vagrants burned it, had a very nice Hardware Store downstairs.

jmhouse said...

Warren, I don't particularly care if you're rude or not. But I wouldn't take the fact that you believe you made a mistake by selling Steins to the Link's out on anyone but yourself. I agree that you get little-to-no credit in the history of Steins. However, that's because there is virtually no mention of you to be found in connection with the town, no matter how much "background work" anyone does. The reference to you in the Legends of America piece can be summarized as, "Warren says he bought Steins in 1976, did some rebuilding, and sold to the Link's in 1988." The research done by Legends of America also turned up descriptions of "a mysterious fellow who lived there alone," which was apparently you. This is hardly sufficient information if you wish to be recognized for your work at Steins. Leaving "rude" comments on a blog post written almost two years ago (well before your name appeared on the Legends of America Steins page, I might add) isn't going to help either.

That said, I found your references to the characters you encountered around Steins to be intriguing and, if you're serious about wanting to have your side of the story known, I'm willing to let you write a piece for City of Dust. That is not an offer I make very often. I'm not interested in any remarks as far as what the Link's did or didn't do after you sold Steins, but, if you wish to write a piece on your time in Steins between 1976 and 1988, including why you were there, the people you met, things that happened, and the various buildings and artifacts still present, here's an opportunity. If you could supply photos from that time that would be fantastic, but not necessary. I'd suggest around 1,000 words because people wander away from their computer screens if they're asked to read anything much longer.

So, if you're interested, please leave another response below and we can get the ball rolling from there. JM

Unknown said...

Greetings. The subject of this article, Stein's s Station was never a Butterfield (or any other) stage station. It was a railroad stop. The stage station is located on the other side of the peak in Doubtful Canyon.It seems the two places will be forever confused with each other. The ruins of the stage station can be found on Google Earth. There was never a post office there and at most, two or three people lived at the station.
Here are the coordinates for the stage station:
Lat 32.030109 Lon 109.030109

jmhouse said...

Thanks for your comment, John Forrey. I did not mean to imply that the town of Steins was a stage stop, only that the misspelling of Captain Steen's name carried over from Steins Peak Station/Doubtful Canyon, where the Butterfield Overland Mail Route came through in 1858. Of course, that was 30 years before the town of Steins (Pass) was even established.

As for a post office, you are surely right that there never was one at Steins Peak Station/Doubtful Canyon. The information I used came from Philip Varney's "New Mexico's Best Ghost Towns," but I see now that Robert Julyan does not mention a post office in the Doubtful Canyon entry in "The Place Names of NM," which is a much more recent publication. Perhaps the confusion arose because Steins Peak Station was on the mail route and thus the presence of a post office was simply assumed. I saw that the remains of the Steins Peak Station stage stop are visible on Google Earth and someone has even helpfully added a photo of the ruins. Pretty cool.

Anyway, thanks again. I've tried to add a few words to the text to clarify these issues. JM

Unknown said...

My name is Michele Chambers my step father was the mysterious man that owned the town Mr. Garrison. I lived there from 1977-1980. With my mother Elizabeth and little sister Daneyell. My bedroom was the Adobe building to the left of the main building with the kitchen and living area. We had no running water electricity or heat. My mom cooked on the old stove on the far left wall. Life there was very hard as a young teen. We hunted our food and raised chickens and produce. I help rebuild with my hands. Wheel barrows filled with wet dirt , rock and straw . My step father would let wonders stay the night for a fee. My memories there are good and painful. We would go into the dessert to hunt jack rabbits to eat and the would sell the feet and pelts to visitors. We would wake in the morning to rattle snakes on the stoop in front of the doors. My step father would kill them , we would eat the meat and sell the skins. When my family divorced my step father become a recluse and would let no one on the property , he would walk the roads for cans to get money. Back then Lordsburg was nothing but a truck stop and a trailer park. Thank you for letting me share. I don't know if he left pictures of us while we lived there on the property or not. I know he was sent to a nursing home years ago.

Unknown said...

I lived there with Mr. Warren as a young teen with mother Elizabeth and sister Daneyell

jmhouse said...

Wow, thank you so much for sharing your story, michele heitman! That is the first documentation I've read of the "mysterious fellow"--who I now know to be Mr. Garrison--and what life was like in Steins during that period. It sounds like things were indeed hard, with memories both good and painful, as is true of so many of life's adventures. Do you know what year your stepfather left Steins?

I have not had any recent contact with the current owners of Steins, and am not even sure of the town's status, but if I ever get a chance to inquire about what might've happened to your stepfather's belongings I will do so and let you know what I learn.

Thanks again! JM

Unknown said...

My mom had told me he left in the mid 90's . He had become a hermit and would collect can on the side of the high way. He would no longer let people in the property and would shoot at them if they tried. The family who bought it removed him and he ended up in a nursing home.
He was a very odd man. He had bright red hair and was small framed man. He had family that would travel around in a RV and he had a Autistic Sister.
There is a picture with a girl on a carriage with long hair. That is myself and I remember it being taken.
Thank you for responding. I have pictures I will look for and post.

Unknown said...

Mr. Warren Garrison is his full name. Mr. Warren has been corrusponding with you sir.

jmhouse said...

Ah, yes, michele heitman, I see I was indeed corresponding with your father! Well, actually, he left some comments and I offered to let him tell his story at City of Dust. Then I never heard another word. I believe that was a couple years ago now. He certainly did seem like a character, but that kind of goes with the ghost town territory. However, I was genuinely intrigued by what he said and would've been happy to have him write something more in-depth about his time at Steins. As I mentioned in my response to his comments, those years are not well-documented in the history of the town.

Anyway, somewhat coincidentally, Steins has just started offering tours again, according to their FACEBOOK PAGE. If the dates correspond I might try to take one next time I'm down that way. Perhaps I will come across something from your time there.

Thanks again for all your memories! JM

Unknown said...

I was there sometime in 2006 or so as I recall. I met Mr and Mrs Link and their daughter. I was told she was compiling a history of the place.I ask about a particular structure and they told me it was used to house orphans. Perhaps that was the brothel. I took many photos. The place seemed reasonably well preserved and there were still many artifacts laying about. I fear I have lost most of the photos on a failed hard disk. Perhaps one day I will spend the money to restore the hard disk. The Links were quite friendly and talkative.

Unknown said...

If Mr. Garrison shot at strangers in the 80s before selling, could it be Mr.Links murderer was a frequent traveler along i-10 and who stopped again after being fired upon thinking Steins was now abandoned. Upon confrontation, he fired fearing it was Mr. Garrison returned.

Eric said...

Thank you for the additional information Warren. I've loved this place since I was a child. You obviously did too.

Warren said...

Well in both recent post, or RANTS as most would call them these days I failed to put my phone number for anyone that might want to see some day pictures that show my progress through the years and what I left Larry Link in August of 88. But anyway, not dead, not in a rest home, not senile and looney even though I would prefer to at some point in time cut Larry Link some slack on how he handled me, our deal, Steins, all that he did to kindle this confusion concerning Steins that in most cases will go down in History as nothing but lies. AND as I think you said Jim, not many people still living who can counter with the truth. Warren Garrison / Marana Az. / 520-302-9049

Anonymous said...

Nov 10,18
Back when we had a motorhome my husband and I stopped to take a look at Steins, NM. Mr Link was there and passed the time with us. He was very friendly and seemed quite nice. He let us wander the "town" on our own. There was still relics in various buildings. It was amazing to get to see how some people lived. Mr Link said he wanted to build a small motel to attract more people into stopping. I think we stopped there again the following year. It had a fence around it there and Mr Link said he either had or was going to hire someone to stay out there of a night because of some problems. He was just as nice the second and last time we stopped. I was telling someone a few years later about the place and that they should stop and visit. Then I went online and read that he had been murdered. that was sad.

Unknown said...

Read Louis L'Amour's biography book, where he talks about spending a cold night there, when he was young, hoping to catch a passing freight train.

jmhouse said...

Wow, that's cool, Unknown! I was not aware that Louis L'Amour spent a rough night in Steins. I'll have to try to track his autobiography down!

Thanks for that tidbit! JM

Eddie A. Morgan said...

I am look up my family tree. Would you know if John Guess was related to David Alexander Morgan?

My father identified the grave site camera in Steins, New Mexico to his second wife as his grandfather’s grave (see video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4p-bH4QgP4)

jmhouse said...

Thanks for your question, Eddie A. Morgan! Unfortunately, I don't have any knowledge of John Guess myself. Perhaps someone will read this and be able to tell you more.

I imagine you read the additional information on the Urban Outdoorsman YouTube channel video you linked to. It provides some good context! I'll paste it below for other folks.

Thanks again, and please let us know if you learn anything! JM

From Urban Outdoorsman: "Henry's wife, Dolcie Wallace Guess, is buried at Hackberry, Arizona near Kingman. Henry and Dolcie's son, John Guess, and wife, Onie Florence (Barrett-Belshe)Guess, are buried at Pinal Cemetery near Miami, AZ. John inherited Henry and Dolcie's ranch. The Guess Ranch was located near the Braidfoot Ranch, north of Steins.

"I was told by family that there is a grandson, infant of John and Onie Florence (Barrett-Belshe) Guess, also buried near his grandfather, Henry, at the Steins cemetery. They were family friends of ours when I was growing up, and long time friends of my grandparents, Hubert and Nora White Brickey, who operated White's Camp Shell Station near Lordsburg."

Eddie A. Morgan said...

According to Alice Morgan Dave a Morgan and her natural dad's name was Ernest Burch. Leroy was pregnant with Dave when he left them and so that is why Dave maybe thought they were not full siblings. LeRoy was the daughter of John Guess and Annarette Mae Nollings (not sure about spelling). She said that "Oni" (not sure about that spelling, either) was LeRoy's stepmom and she was native American, at least partially. But, Alice thinks that her mother was mistaken about being native herself. She said she has done some family tree research and that she has gone back several generations, but she is in the process of moving. So, she said she will send you a copy of what she has when she gets settled into her new place.

jmhouse said...

Wow. There's some real intrigue in that story, Eddie A. Morgan. Things aren't always as they appear. Or how people want them to appear. I suppose 23andMe is proving that to many people these days, as well.

Thanks to you and Alice for passing along the info. Perhaps someone will come out of the woodwork here with some more genealogical evidence. Keep us posted! JM

Anonymous said...

Hi! Have you found any clues? My mother seems to think it was Warren Garrison! Let me know if you find anything!

Anonymous said...

My father Luis Montes Cervantes was born there in 1906.