Holy Cross Sanatorium, Boiler Room Building

USA / New Mexico / Deming /
 ruins, boiler house
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This is the only structure that has remained intact after the 1939 fire destroyed the rest of the complex, leaving only gutted, cement foundations, basements and tunnels. The boiler room is constructed of brick and concrete, and still has a charred, black coating (inside and out). There is an extensive ground level with numerous rooms (all graffiti filled) and some truly creepy spots (like the "altar," a cement feature that many Deming kids have incorporated to ghostly stories of human sacrifice).

In the main entrance, there is a narrow, dark stairway that leads to the subterranean level. The stairway is dangerous, as it has no railings, and no protection for unsuspecting explorers unaware of its presence from the surface. (The stairs appear in a literal hole in the floor.) The first subsurface room is small and quite dark, and is no larger than a master bedroom. Exiting this room, one enters the grandest of chambers, which is essentially a room that opens up to the upper level ceiling. On the northwest corner is a small (bathroom-sized) room that, even in the daytime, is dark and supremely creepy. On the west side, the main chamber is divided by a wall with numerous doorways leading to a similar, but smaller chamber filled with bricks and trash.

The boiler room building is covered in graffiti, both old and new, and has some "gems" that are well-known by people who grew up in the area, such as "stairway to hell" which is scrawled on the stairs leading to the entrance.

NOTE: This building has been the scene of several murders over the past decade, and it is not recommended that visitors go alone. Additionally, access is restricted to the complex, as it is not on public land (though there are no fences), so enter at your own risk.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   32°16'31"N   107°48'35"W

Comments

  • This place is definitely one that I will never visit again. Although I didn't see anything, I did feel very threatened for no reason. This place ran me off with nothing more than an eerie feeling and a dark presence. For pictures follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mescalito99/2207381408/
This article was last modified 16 years ago