The mine owes its name to a large hackberry, a tree growing near a spring. It was a small community of ranch owners, miners and their families. The railroad arrived in 1882, carrying cattle from the ranches and ore from the silver mine. Hackberry was the site of many gunfires, fights and faro; it was a sort of transitory town. The mining operations stopped in 1919, after having collected 3 million dollars in silver and gold. Back then, Hackberry offered services to its residents like an elementary school, a post office and two brothels. When Route 66 was built, Hackberry somewhat became a tourist town, but today, since the Route 66 is bypassed, so is Hackberry.
The first weekend of May brings a lot of recreation vehicles during the Route 66 Fun Run. Hackberry is one of the official rest stops and hundreds of vintage and modern cars can be seen during this lively weekend.
Photo: Slideshow Bruce