Roy in Harding County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

Mills Canyon

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

1. Mills Canyon Marker

Inscription. The site of one of New Mexico's most spectacular horticultural enterprises, the Orchard Ranch, established by Melvin W. Mills of Springer and notable for its skillfully engineered irrigation system. The ranch cultivated 12 miles of land along the Canadian River. Vegetable gardens and thousands of fruit trees flourished in the 1880's and later. A destructive flood wiped out orchards, irrigation system, buildings, and other improvements in 1904. They were never replaced.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Horticulture & Forestry • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.

Location. 35° 56.039′ N, 104° 11.478′ W. Marker is in Roy, New Mexico, in Harding County. It is at the intersection of Richelieu Street (State Road 39 at milepost 67) and Floersheim Street, on the right when traveling north on Richelieu Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Roy NM 87743, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Eastern New Mexico.

It is also in the American Southwest,

on the Great Plains,

and specifically

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on the High Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the Dust Bowl,

and the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least one other marker is within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Canadian River Canyon (approx. 9½ miles away).

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

2. Mills Canyon Marker

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

3. Mills Canyon Marker

Back side of the marker

Ruins at Mills Canyon image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

4. Ruins at Mills Canyon

This is a picture of the ruins at Mills Canyon. The turn for the canyon is actually 10 miles north of Roy (location of the marker) off NM 39. You must then drive approximately 9 miles on dirt and gravel roads to get to the campground area where the ruins are located. The last few miles require at least a high clearance vehicle and possibly 4-wheel drive depending on weather.

The Ruins at Mills Canyon. image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

5. The Ruins at Mills Canyon.

Photographed by Wade Carrington, March 12, 2013

6. Mills Canyon Marker

View from Mills Canyon Road.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2013, by Wade Carrington of Colleyville, Texas. This page has been viewed 2,077 times since then and 69 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 17, 2013, by Wade Carrington of Colleyville, Texas. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.