Some Magdalena area attractions
The Lady on the Mountain
"Mary Magdalene," with her rock-formation profile, gazes down from
Magdalena Peak today as she has for centuries. She saw the mining town
of Kelly spring up from the mountain side, then later die. She has seen
another town grow up beneath her, its dusty streets trampled by the hooves
of thousands of cattle. For her name was given to the town below her when
Magdalena was incorporated in 1884.
The Old Kelly Mine
Historians, students of Americana or geology, rockhounds and all other
find the Old Kelly Mine, three miles south of Magdalena, unforgettable.
There's the silhouette of the old Kelly headframe built in the 1800's,
the view of distant mountains and plains, the mine dumps with specimens
of azurite, barite, quartz, or smithsonite. The Kelly Mine is open May
to October from 10am to 4pm, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The Box Car Museum
Railroad buffs will be interested in the Box Car Museum located on Main
Street at the turn-of-the-century Santa Fe Railroad Station, home now to
the Magdalena town offices and the public library.
Ghost Towns
The old communities of Rosedale or Riley offer a feel of how things
were when these towns were active.
The Very Large Array
The Very Large Array (VLA) radio telescope facility is located 23 miles
west of Magdalena on the Plains of San Augustin. Much of the information we
know about distant galaxies is gathered here. There is a visitor center open
daily from 8 am to dusk for self-guided tours.
