Historic Buildings of White Oaks, NM: A Journey Through Time

Historic Buildings in White Oaks New Mexico

 

Construction Trends and Key Dates

• In 1892, Frank Sanger built the last brick mansion in the town, costing $5,000. That same year, the Hoyle House was completed for $40,000.
• The last commercial buildings made of non-wood materials were the Exchange Bank, completed in June 1892.
• After a devastating railroad meeting in November 1892 and the death of Gould, no further non-wood structures were built. The town’s citizens felt the future was bleak, and construction slowed.
• Two exceptions were the schoolhouse (completed in July 1894) and the Gumm House (finished in 1895). The schoolhouse was likely funded through municipal bonds, and its construction couldn’t be halted. However, the school was shut down by 1905 due to lack of funds.

The Gumms owned the sawmill and used their own wood to build a duplicate of Hoyle s house in 1895 shortly they ran afoul of the forest service and left town. Since nothing of note was built after Nov 1892 (HIGH WATER MARK) it is obvious that the population knew what would happen shortly. The authors do not believe they could possibly imagine just how horrible it would be nor the speed of how it happened

 

Churches

• • White Oaks Methodist Church 1888
  • Congregational Church1890
  • White Oaks Baptist Church 1900

Town Hall/ Societies, Organizations And Clubs

• • Town Hall 1884
  • Hewitt Hall 1895
  • Library Hall 1883
  • Billiard Hall 1883
  • Homestake Billiard Hall 1884
  • Grand Army, Kearney Post No. 10 Hall
  • Taliaferro Hall
  • Athletic Hall
  • Post Office Hall (upstairs for Baptist Church)
  • Golden Rule Lodge
  • Masonic Lodge AF & AM #20
  • Castle Hall
  • Bonnell Hall
  •  White Oaks Brass Band
  • White Oaks Dancing Club
  • Young Men’s Benevolent Association
  • Woman’s Relief Corp 

Mayor, Councilman and City Offices

• • Redman Mayor
  • William Hudgens City Council
  • Jimmy Dolan City Council
  • John Hudgens City Council
  • Alexander Lane City Treasurer

 

Newspapers

• • Lincoln County leader 1882 – 1893
  • White Oaks Golden Era 1880 – 1884
    • Jones and M.S. Taliaferro Publishers 1880
  • White Oaks Eagle 1895 – 1905

 

Post Office

• • U. S. Post Office White Oaks 1880

Bank

                              * Exchange Bank 1892

 

Medical Doctors & Dentists

 

Doctors

• • James A. Tomlinson. M. D 
  • Carl Hagen M.D. 1892
  • Lane Alexander G.
  • Paden G. Melvin M.D.

Dentists

• • W.T. Bishop 1896
  • Dr. Bearup
  • Dr. Barrett 1890
  • Dr Hendrix

 

Law Offices

• • Chandler E. H 1883
  • L. B. Beard 1891
  • Frank H Richmond
  • Hewitt
  • Helphingstine  John A.
  •  Watson-Lund Law Office
  • Timoney McB. E. 1887
  • Jewett D.J M. A 1890
  • Judge Lecompton
  • Wharton J. E. 1895
  • Samuel D, LeCompte 1883
  • Dye B. H. 1895

 

School House

• • White Oaks First Class taught from tent. Ref: Birdsong Prior to 1885
  • White Oaks Academy Association  Aug 1887
  • White Oaks Public School July 1894

 

Opera House

• • Starr’s Opera House completed in 1882

 

Saloons

• • Pioneer Saloon 1883
  • Saloon and Billiard Hall 1883
  • Little Casino Saloon
  • Anderson & Fredericks Saloon 1883
  • Central Saloon 1883
  • Black brothers Star Saloon 1884
  • Gold Bar Saloon 1891
  • HeadLight Saloon 1892
  • Palace Saloon 1899

 

Hotels

• • Palace Hotel replaced by the Wilson House 1895
  • Ivey House
  • Burks Hotel 
  • Ivey House
  • White Oaks Hotel Collier 1880
  • Windsor Hotel 1886-1887
  • Carizo Hotel 1890
  • Brothers Hotel  Prior to 1887
  • Ozanne Hotel Prior to 1901 Baxter Hotel
  • Southwestern Hotel 1887
  • Central Hotel B. W. Chick proprietor 1887
• For further information, please see White Oaks Hotel History and timeline(work in progress July-2019)

 

Boarding Houses

• • Ah Nue Restaurant and Boarding Hotel
  • Transient House
  • List here

 

Merchants

• • Barber Shop Reynolds
  • Barber Shop W L Hughes 1890
  • Biggs Joseph Blacksmith 1883
  • Billiard Hall 1883
  • Book Store
  • Bond and Stewart
  • Brown Store
  •  Chop House
  • City Meat Market Davidson 1883
  • Contractor: B.B. Adams 1890
  • Contractor J. S. Redman 1884
  • Dress Maker
  • Drug Store Reid & Co.   1885
  • Drug Store J. A. Tomlinson 1884
  • Drug Store J. T. Butler & Co. 1890
  • Dunning and Miller Gen merchandise 1883
  • Furniture store E.H. Chew 1888
  • Hardware Store Pearman 1890
  • James Bruce Dining Hall 1883
  • Mose Burke and Chas Star  Restaurant 1883
  • Livery Stable 1882
  • Lumber Yard Ed Bonnell 1888
  • Real estate and Mining Agent Ed Bonnell 1885
  • Real Estate and mining Agent Heman 1886
  • Tailor Chs. Pfeiffer 1887
  • Tin and Sheet iron Shop Pearman and McCourt 1887
  • Shoemaker  joseph Capuano 1895
  •  Undertaker John Slack
  • White Oaks Building and Lumber Co.

Museum

• • White Oaks Miner’s Home Museum 1880

 

 

Hogtown

• • A place of  debauchery, women, dance, drink, gambling & guns

 

 

Business Directory of 1882

Press this link  see detailed ownership of above directory

 

 

NOTES BELOW

 

 

Timeline of Buildings built

• May 8, 1880  Whiteman builds Store house
• Nov 8, 1880 White Oaks Hotel opens J. B. Collier
• U. S. Post Office White Oaks 1880
• Starr’s Opera House completed in 1882
• Pioneer Saloon 1883
• Feb 09, 1884: Dedication of the new Town Hall
• 1885 Brown Store 
• Jan 1, 1887: John A. Brown opens establishment
• Aug 1887 White Oaks Academy Association incorporates
• March 23, 1888: E. H. Chew constructs furniture store on corner of Livingston and Pinon Sts
• June 2nd, 1888, Methodist Church under contract to erect
• June 23, 1888: Carrizo Hotel in operation
• March 7, 1890: Congregational Church is receiving the finishing touches this week
• 1893 Hewitt Exchange bank Opened 
• 1893 Hoyle Mansion, constructed
• July 1894: White Oaks School almost completed
• Feb 7, 1895: Gumm Mansion almost completed

Groceries
Ridgeways Groceries are all first class Fresh and cheap as the cheapest and he pays the highest market price for eggs, potatoes, and other saleable country produce. Call and see him at the place formerly occupied by McCourt’s hardware.
compiled by Michelle White

New Mexico Interpreter
White Oaks NM
March 7, 1890
PAGE 4
Good stock
Ridgeway, the grocer has moved and is snug in his new quarters in the Whitman building opposite Bond and Stewarts. Where he as a good fresh stock of everything in the grocery and supply line and will be pleased to see his numerous customers.
compiled by Michelle White

New Mexico Interpreter
White Oaks NM
March 7, 1890
PAGE 4

Dentistry
Dr. Bearop appears to be doing a prosperous business in the dentistry line. His headquarters are at Dr. Paden’s Drug Store. The Dr. will remain in town some days longer. Most merchants are selling goods a little higher than they did last year, but at Young & Taliaferro’s you only pay the same amount of money for a dollars worth of goods that you did in 1890.
compiled by Michelle White

New Mexico Interpreter
White Oaks NM
Jan 9, 1891

tailor

lawyer: 3
Realtor: 1
Merchant: 5
Wagon maker: 2
Assayer: 2
Blacksmith: 6
Doctor:2
Butcher: 2
Clerk in store: 2
Laundress: 1
Cook: 1
Baker:1
Barber: 1
Notary: 1
Actor/actress: 2
Postmaster:1
Druggist: 1
Livery stable: 2
Bartender:1
Constable: 1

Hotels