monte cristo
10-05-2008, 11:07 AM
The Doodledum in Chloride
<center><img src="http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Doodledum_web.jpg" border="1" align="center" alt="The Ghost Town of Chloride celebrates the resurrection of the Doodledum"><br /><font face="Arial Narrow" size=3><b>The Ghost Town of Chloride celebrates the resurrection of the Doodledum</b></font></center>
The newest of the historic buildings in the ghost town of Chloride is an unusual structure called the Doodledum (NM Registered Cultural Property #1688). It is a stone building built as a house by Austin Crawford about 1920. Austin was a stone mason who arrived in Chloride in 1880 and built a number of the stone buildings in town, including his original home and his Monte Cristo Saloon & Dance Hall. Both of these buildings are also still standing today. Austin was an elderly man when he built the Doodledum. The old-timers of Chloride, who had watched him build it, said he carried every rock up out of the creek and placed them into the walls himself, no easy feat as it is a two-story structure. So far this may not sound so unusual, but the architectural style and the reason it was built will likely change your mind.
The Doodledum originally had four ground level rooms (three of which are still intact). The main room is quite large and this section has a second floor which is accessed by a very narrow, steep stairway. The main room has a walkout basement which can also be accessed via an indoor stairway (also very narrow and steep). The roofs of both sections are very steeply pitched, not at all typical of construction in the area. None of the ground level rooms can be accessed from one another, you have to go outside to go from room to room (remember this is a family home). A few years ago it was discovered that each of the smaller rooms has its own separate basement. Why would Austin have built such a strange structure to house his family?
In his younger years Austin had been involved with not only the Monte Cristo Saloon, but also gambling dens and mining scams. In later life Austin found religion and he joined a cult of some sort. He had a vision that God was going to send a terrible hail storm to kill all the bad people in Chloride. Austin had built this house to protect himself and his family. It had the very steep roof to shed the rain and hail. The hail was to pile up four feet deep. Each room had its own access to the outside so that no one would be trapped inside. Most people believe their faith will protect them, so why didn’t Austin? When asked this question, a descendant of Austin’s thought for a moment and then replied, "Uncle Austin had been quite a rascal in his younger years, he wasn’t taking any chances." Years later the building was given its name, the Doodledum, by longtime resident Cassie Hobbs, who used the place as a workshop for her painting and furniture building. But that is a story for another time.
The Doodledum is just one of many buildings visitors to Chloride can see on the ‘walking tour’ of town. A map of the town is available at the Pioneer Store Museum. Both the Museum and the Monte Cristo Gift Shop & Gallery are open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. Chloride is located northwest of Truth or Consequences via Hwy 52 (take Exit 83 or 89 from I-25). For more information contact 575-743-2736, montecristogallery@windstream.net (montecristogallery@windstream.net) or visit www.pioneerstoremuseum.com (http://www.pioneerstoremuseum.com)
<center><img src="http://steppinoutnewmexico.com/images/Doodledum_web.jpg" border="1" align="center" alt="The Ghost Town of Chloride celebrates the resurrection of the Doodledum"><br /><font face="Arial Narrow" size=3><b>The Ghost Town of Chloride celebrates the resurrection of the Doodledum</b></font></center>
The newest of the historic buildings in the ghost town of Chloride is an unusual structure called the Doodledum (NM Registered Cultural Property #1688). It is a stone building built as a house by Austin Crawford about 1920. Austin was a stone mason who arrived in Chloride in 1880 and built a number of the stone buildings in town, including his original home and his Monte Cristo Saloon & Dance Hall. Both of these buildings are also still standing today. Austin was an elderly man when he built the Doodledum. The old-timers of Chloride, who had watched him build it, said he carried every rock up out of the creek and placed them into the walls himself, no easy feat as it is a two-story structure. So far this may not sound so unusual, but the architectural style and the reason it was built will likely change your mind.
The Doodledum originally had four ground level rooms (three of which are still intact). The main room is quite large and this section has a second floor which is accessed by a very narrow, steep stairway. The main room has a walkout basement which can also be accessed via an indoor stairway (also very narrow and steep). The roofs of both sections are very steeply pitched, not at all typical of construction in the area. None of the ground level rooms can be accessed from one another, you have to go outside to go from room to room (remember this is a family home). A few years ago it was discovered that each of the smaller rooms has its own separate basement. Why would Austin have built such a strange structure to house his family?
In his younger years Austin had been involved with not only the Monte Cristo Saloon, but also gambling dens and mining scams. In later life Austin found religion and he joined a cult of some sort. He had a vision that God was going to send a terrible hail storm to kill all the bad people in Chloride. Austin had built this house to protect himself and his family. It had the very steep roof to shed the rain and hail. The hail was to pile up four feet deep. Each room had its own access to the outside so that no one would be trapped inside. Most people believe their faith will protect them, so why didn’t Austin? When asked this question, a descendant of Austin’s thought for a moment and then replied, "Uncle Austin had been quite a rascal in his younger years, he wasn’t taking any chances." Years later the building was given its name, the Doodledum, by longtime resident Cassie Hobbs, who used the place as a workshop for her painting and furniture building. But that is a story for another time.
The Doodledum is just one of many buildings visitors to Chloride can see on the ‘walking tour’ of town. A map of the town is available at the Pioneer Store Museum. Both the Museum and the Monte Cristo Gift Shop & Gallery are open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM. Chloride is located northwest of Truth or Consequences via Hwy 52 (take Exit 83 or 89 from I-25). For more information contact 575-743-2736, montecristogallery@windstream.net (montecristogallery@windstream.net) or visit www.pioneerstoremuseum.com (http://www.pioneerstoremuseum.com)