Editing Cloudcroft, New Mexico (section)

==History==

In the 1890s, the [[El Paso and Northeastern Railroad]], organized by brothers Charles Bishop Eddy and John Arthur Eddy,<ref name="Myrick-73-76">{{cite book|last=Myrick|first=David F.|title=New Mexico's Railroads: a historical survey|publisher=University of New Mexico Press|location=Albuquerque, New Mexico|year=1990|edition=revised|page=73−76|isbn=0-8263-1185-7}}</ref> arrived in the newly founded town of [[Alamogordo, New Mexico|Alamogordo]] intending to continue the rail line north to the mining town of White Oaks and beyond. This required a steady supply of timber. In 1898 the Eddy brothers sent a survey crew into the [[Sacramento Mountains (New Mexico)|Sacramento Mountains]] to determine the feasibility of extending a line up the summit to harvest the forests. The crew reported that not only was it possible, but the area could attract visitors. The name of ''Cloudcroft'' – a pasture for the clouds – was suggested and work on the line soon began.

By the end of the year, the rail line had been extended as far as Toboggan Canyon,<ref name="Myrick-79">{{cite book|last=Myrick|first=David F.|title=New Mexico's Railroads: a historical survey|publisher=University of New Mexico Press|location=Albuquerque, New Mexico|year=1990|edition=revised|page=79|isbn=0-8263-1185-7}}</ref> and construction was started on a pavilion at the summit to provide accommodations for the anticipated tourists. It consisted of a dining room, kitchen, parlor, entertainment hall, and 40 tents set on wooden platforms. In May 1899 the railroad reached Cox Canyon<ref name="Myrick-79" /> and in June 1899, "The Pavilion" was formally opened by John Eddy. The first visitors rode the train as far as Toboggan and finished the journey by stagecoach. Favorable reports in newspapers quickly made Cloudcroft a popular destination. An additional resort, The Lodge, was built as a more upscale alternative to The Pavilion. The rail line arrived in Cloudcroft in early 1900, and in June 1900 the train depot was finished, located just west of The Pavilion. Meeting the trains became a daily activity in the village, with three arriving each day, bringing lumber, mail, and passengers.

In 1909, The Lodge burned down; it was rebuilt at its present location in 1911. The Pavilion also burned twice in the 1920s, but was rebuilt each time to conform to the original plans. The Lodge at Cloudcroft hosted numerous notable guests, and in the 1930s, was managed by [[Conrad Hilton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nightwatchmanchronicles.com/HauntedLocationStory8.htm |date=August 30, 2013 |accessdate=August 30, 2013 |title=Email interview with Marshall Gladstone |archive-date=August 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140818070943/http://www.nightwatchmanchronicles.com/HauntedLocationStory8.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As automobiles grew in popularity, the rail line began to lose money. Passenger service ended in 1938, and the last freight train ran in 1947. The extant [[Mexican Canyon Trestle]] of the now defunct rail line is located near Cloudcroft.

In 2010, fire destroyed two downtown buildings and caused smoke damage to other businesses in downtown Cloudcroft.<ref>[http://www.kfoxtv.com/video/26121709/index.html kfoxtv video] Dead link</ref>