With Its Crazy History, How Is This Tiny New Mexico Town Still Alive?

Despite a history of pretty much every thing that could go wrong, going wrong; this tiny New Mexico town is still hanging in there. You won't believe what its been through.

An absolutely unbelievable history of goof ups, illegal acts, stupid city council decisions and natural disasters make the existence of this town nothing short of miraculous.

Hopeless might have been a better name for Hope, New Mexico but ... somehow ... there does still seem to be some hope for Hope yet.

The village of Hope, New Mexico website claims a population of 157 and a negative .16% population growth rate. It also shows 42 households in 57 houses, a median household income of $0 and an average commute time of 0 minutes.

According to Yahoo, there are only 84 active water connections, the last school closed in the '70's and its only cafe, (along with the gas station), closed 6 years ago.

There are no businesses operating in Hope despite it being right on the edge of one of the nations most productive oil basins, the Permian basin, which supplies about 1/3 of the nations crude oil and natural gas. Meanwhile, nearby Artesia, New Mexico is doing great and slowly expanding closer and closer to Hope.

What Happened To Hope, New Mexico?

A series of unbelievable setbacks have kept the town struggling from era to era. Honestly, you can't make this stuff up ...

• An investor set to sink millions into Hope's railroad sank himself ... aboard the Titanic.
• The town banker took all the towns money and escaped to Mexico.
• An overnight freeze took out almost all the orchards that kept Hope alive. Apple, pear and apricot trees literally shattered.
• The river that ran through town vanished underground.

The towns biggest claim to fame? A not so flattering article printed by Life magazine in the 50's about the towns female mayor and all female city council dubbed the "petticoat council".

“As soon as the women (aged 56, 54, 45, 32 and 28) took over, they acted up,” Life reported. “The town had no taxes and thus no money, so on May 13 the women threw a big barn dance and raised 800 whole dollars. This money will lie around, worrying people’s minds, until it is squandered on some civic improvement. - Yahoo

It also felt the need to note that no previous male council ever did "such a thing".