One of a number of coal mining towns in New Mexico, Koehler became a ghost town along with its neighbors when railroads converted to diesel fuel to power locomotives. Koehler had its beginning in the early 1900s when coal was the dominant solid fuel. At its peak, the town had a population of around 1200, mostly miners and their families. The population was a mixture of a dozen different languages with the exception of Japanese. Koehler became a ghost town in 1924 when the mines were closed. It remained that way for twelve years when the mines were reopened on a limited basis but then subsequently closed again. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

UPDATE: Koehler, New Mexico Ther are several of the houses left at Koehler on the main street of what was a paved road, unfortunately it is part of the Vermijo Ranch (now owned by Ted Turner) and gaining access is very difficult. Doug