Dawson and Dawson Cemetery
Historical marker location:<h5>Side 1</h5>Dawson was established by the Phelps Dodge Corporation in 1901 to develop the region’s vast coal deposits. In its heyday, it was the largest company mining town in New Mexico, with many modern amenities, and a population of more than 6000. Named after John Dawson, who owned part of the historic Beaubien – Miranda land grant on which it is located, the town was abandoned when the mines closed in 1950. <h5>Side 2</h5>This was the cemetery for the coal mining town of Dawson. Its grave markers reflect the diverse immigrant populations which came to this country seeking a better life, and which fueled America’s industrial development. Hundreds of identical crosses, which mark the graves of miners killed in mine accidents in 1913 and 1923, demonstrate the great sacrifices of these pioneers.
The first European to visit what is now New Mexico was likely Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish explorer who traveled through the region in the early 16th century. However, it was not until the arrival of Juan de Oñate in 1598 that the Spanish established a permanent settlement in the area.