Discover This Must-See Magnificent Castle Found in New Mexico

Although it shares the same name as Arizona’s National Monument of ancient dwellings of the Sinagua people, Montezuma Castle in New Mexico is actually an opulent castle. Constructed in 1881 as a luxury resort, the property has a fascinating background (it burnt down twice and was rebuilt both times).

What’s the history of this must-see castle, and can guests tour it today? Read on to find out all about Montezuma Castle in New Mexico. 

About the Montezuma Castle in New Mexico

About an hour east of Santa Fe, NM, is a 90,000 square-foot, 400-room, stunningly magnificent castle. Nestled among forested foothills on one side and the Gallinas River on the other, the castle is tucked away in an out-of-way location near the quiet town of Montezuma.

Today, the castle is a world-renowned international boarding school called the United World College. But how did it get from a luxury resort to become a school? It’s an interesting story that begins with the hot springs located just outside of Las Vegas, NM.

Where is the Montezuma Castle Located on the Map?

The castle, which today is the United World College, is in the town of Montezuma, NM, in San Miguel County. It’s located about five miles north of Las Vegas, NM, along Gallinas Creek. It’s on the edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and only a few miles from Hermit’s Peak.

History of New Mexico’s Montezuma Castle

The story begins in 1881 when businessman Fred Harvey built a luxury hotel on the site of the world-famous Montezuma hot springs. However, the area had been in use long before that. In fact, Native Americans used the hot springs for healing, rituals, and ceremonies dating as far back as 800 AD.

The First Montezuma Hotel

In 1882, Harvey’s hotel, which he named the Montezuma Hotel, opened to the public. It was the first building in the American Southwest to have an elevator and electric lighting. Additionally, the Queen Anne-style building was three stories high and contained 270 steam-heated rooms. It also featured all of the modern conveniences of the time. 

The resort attracted visitors worldwide, looking for a luxury spa trip and hoping to find healing properties in the hotel’s mineral springs. Furthermore, the Santa Fe Railroad constructed a track leading to the hotel, where guests could travel to the hotel on extravagant Pullman cars. However, tragedy struck in 1884 when the hotel burnt to the ground due to a clogged gas line.

The Second Montezuma Hotel

The investors in the Montezuma Hotel had such success, that they immediately went to work on rebuilding. Chicago architects Burnham and Root designed an even grander resort, and it was erected in 1885. The new building featured billiards and ballrooms, and was said to be “fireproof.” Sadly, it wasn’t fireproof at all, and the new building burnt down only four months after opening. Only the stone walls of the two lower floors remained. 

The Third Montezuma Hotel: The Castle

Harvey was undeterred, and the third hotel, and the one that still stands, was built on the same site. Opening in 1886, Harvey originally named the property, “The Phoenix”, but soon resorted back to its original name of the Montezuma.

The new grounds offered access to the healing hot springs, along with beautifully landscaped gardens, rare flowers, a fountain, tennis courts, archery grounds, grassy fields for croquet, and even an exotic-animal zoo.

For about a decade, the hotel experienced prosperity and a variety of high-profile guests. Some of the names included former presidents, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Rutherford B. Hayes, and Ulysses S. Grant. It’s even rumored that notorious outlaw, Jesse James, enjoyed a soak in the springs after a game of cards.

In the 1890s, the hotel suffered from an economic downturn, and the popularity of the resort began to fade. In 1903, the hotel closed its doors, this time, for good.

The Castle Had a Variety of Owners

Until purchased by Armand Hammer in 1981 to be the site of the campus for the United World College, the castle went through a variety of owners. 

• 1886: The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) purchased the hotel for $1.
• 1922: The YMCA sold the castle to the Southern Baptist Church. It served as a college until 1931
• 1937: The Southern Baptist Church sold the Montezuma to the Catholic Church. The Catholics used the property as a seminary for Mexican Jesuits until 1972.
• 1978: The Jesuits rented the castle to production companies and the building served as a location for several films, including the low-budget horror movie, The Evil.
• 1981: Armand Hammer purchased the property with the intent of making it the new campus of the United World College.

Montezuma Castle in New Mexico Today: United World College

After the school purchased the castle, the building was placed on America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1997. Subsequently, the property and building had fallen into disrepair over the years. However, in 2001, with the help of philanthropist Shelby Davis, the magnificent castle was restored to its former glory. Today, the castle houses the school’s dormitories, classrooms, dining room, student center, and administrative offices.

Can the Public Visit Montezuma Castle and the Nearby Hot Springs?

The castle is not open to the public. However, guests are occasionally invited to walk through the building on student-led tours held at various times throughout the year.

The school has opened the nearby hot springs to the public for free. The bubbling springs emerge from fractured rocks where the river crosses the Montezuma Fault, and the water contains high levels of sulfate and bicarbonate. The pools are captured in open-air cement pools which the college keeps maintained and clean. 

The springs are in a picturesque location with the Gallinas River nearby, and several historic buildings as a backdrop. The temperature of the pools ranges from warm to very hot. The hottest pool, named the “Lobster Pot,” reaches a steamy 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Wildlife near the Montezuma Castle

Near the castle lives a diverse amount of wildlife. Between the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the prairie grasslands, Gallinas Creek, and nearby Storrie Lake, a wide variety of habitats are home to many different species.

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains. Living in the mountains you may encounter a wide variety of species including:

• Black bears
• Mule deer
• Bighorn sheep
• Boreal owls
• Pikas
• Rocky Mountain elk
• Beavers
• Bluebirds
• Salamanders
• Wild turkeys

A variety of fish can be found swimming in the Gallinas Creek. Some of these are cold-water fish such as rainbow trout, brown trout, and creek chub. It’s also been designated a critical habitat for the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, a threatened species.

In the nearby grasslands live prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, eagles, hawks, and badgers. Swimming in Storrie Lake, you will most likely find rainbow trout, channel catfish, common carp, white crappie, and bullheads. There are also a variety of birds including common loon, spotted sandpiper, bald eagle, and Clark’s Grebe.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Nancie Lee/Shutterstock.com