Lost Padre Mine (Padre LaRue)

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Lost Padre Mine (Padre LaRue)

Lost Treasure NM • Doña Ana County County
Description
Legendary Spanish gold mine worked by Padre LaRue circa 1797–1799 in the San Andres Mountains. Ingots were hidden in a cavern before Mexican soldiers arrived; LaRue died under torture without revealing the location.
Historical Notes
According to legend, Father LaRue led drought-stricken settlers from Chihuahua, Mexico, north to a basin with a spring at the foot of a solitary peak in the San Andres Mountains — matching directions from a dying Spanish soldier. Miners tunneled a rich vein and stacked gold ingots in a natural cavern. When Mexican troops approached, the entrance was sealed. LaRue and followers were tortured and killed; soldiers found no mine. The tale is often linked to Victorio Peak and Spirit Springs in Doña Ana County. Some researchers place the site in the Organ Mountains near Las Cruces; the traditional hiding spot is deep in the San Andres near the Lost Padre / Doc Noss lore.
Status / Verification legend — Legendary or approximate

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