History of the St. James Hotel, Cimarron, NM

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History of the St. James Hotel, Cimarron, NM

A page dedicated the history of the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, NM and the surrounding area. Please feel free to post inform

28/06/2025

The St. James and the Santa Fe Trail

Was the St. James Hotel on the Santa Fe Trail? Actually, the St. James Hotel or in the early 1870’s Lambert’s Inn or Lambert’s Saloon was a famous stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Cimarron, New Mexico was on the Mountain Branch of the Santa Fe Trail which headed west through southern Colorado then south through Raton Pass, Raton, Cimarron, Rayado, Ft. Union and on to Santa Fe.

The St. James Hotel is recognized by the Santa Fe National Trail (National Park Service) and Santa Fe Trail Association as being a significant stop on the trail where Henry Lambert's cooking was well known on the for his Spanish venison and sherry pork tenderloin. Of course, there was also the option to belly up to the bar and interact with some famous Old West characters Like Clay Allison, John Chisum, David Crockett, Thomas Catron, George Curry, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, Charles and Frank Springer, and the Black Jack Ketchum gang…to name a few.
If you have not explored the Santa Fe Trail route…it is a must. Check out the Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway @: https://www.newmexico.org/places-to-visit/scenic-byways/santa-fe-trail-national/

Below is a map clip by Kenyon Riddle who did extensive research in his book, Records and Maps of the Old Santa Fe Trail. If you are going to seriously explore the Santa FE Trail, this book is an essential to have.

23/06/2025

The Balcony

This picture shows the St. James Hotel with a balcony on the second floor. If you look closely, you can see that the railing of the balcony is in poor condition and missing a section or two. This picture is circa 1930’s and the balcony was taken down not long after.
The balcony was erected prior to Henry Lambert’s death in 1913 and most likely around the turn of the century. Personally, I think the balcony gives the hotel a classic old west look.

17/06/2025

Out and about in New Mexico. At the Ship Rock on the Navajo Reservation. What an incredible sight!

09/06/2025

Before moving to Cimarron, Henry Lambert owned a hotel in Elizabethtown, NM. called the “E-Town Hotel.” This is verified through county deeds and records. The picture below is of Elizabethtown in 1943. The stone building in the background is believed to be the old Mutz Hotel. Across from this is a wooden building with “ROOMS” on the marque. Could this have been Henry’s hotel in E-Town? You never know…
Henry leaves E-Town around 1871 and moves to Cimarron, NM., where he establishes the St. James Hotel.

30/05/2025

I would like to take the time to humbly thank everyone for their overwhelming support of the “Ghosts of the St. James Hotel, Cimarron, New Mexico” book. You fans of the St. James, its history and the paranormal activity there, have made this an amazing success and I thank you! Also, thank you for the comments and additional stories.

After researching this book, I have gone from a staunch historian to being much more open minded to the paranormal. After collecting over 100 ghost stories about the hotel and interviewing paranormal investigators, with their own stories…something must be going on here! Let me know your thoughts and your own ghost stories at the St. James in the comments below.

Thanks again everyone, for supporting the book and this FB page…you are truly appreciated!!

24/05/2025

This is an old St. James Hotel newspaper advertisement for the hotel, restaurant, billiard room & bar

In it the St. James Hotel is described as a “OLD AND WELL ESTABLISHED HOUSE,” Henry Lambert proprietor. This was published locally around 1900. The ad goes on to say, “His tables are always supplied with EVERY LUXURY of the season, and the sleeping apartments are always NEAT, CLEAN AND AIRY.”

17/05/2025

1960s picture of the dining room
Below is a picture of the Don Diego Hotel (St. James) believed to be taken in the 1960s. This would be where the wooden bar and dining room are today. The far wall is facing west, notice the two windows in the wall. The original bar and saloon door would be behind the mirror.
The cash register is likely the same one that is in the café today. I love the wallpaper and chandelier. Quite fancy..

04/05/2025

Batwing doors

I have been asked if the bat-wing doors from the lobby to the saloon are original. It is my understanding that they are not. Also, there were no bat-wing doors on the original main outside entrance (west side) to the saloon either. Just a normal sized door which is still there (behind the piano).
So when did the bat-wing doors get there? Honestly, I am not sure, but it seems like I can remember them being there back to 1990. Below is a recent picture of the bat-wing doors. The B&W picture is from 1936 and you can see the doorway in the background where the bat-wing doors are now. This pic was also taken before the safe was put in that hallway. It looks like there is a shadow at the top of the doorway that might be a dormer. This suggests that there was probably a full sized door there originally, like the doorway to the main guestroom hallway, which has a dormer.
But if there are anyone out there that can shed more light on this, let us know in the comments.

26/04/2025

The west was really wild! Insurance Company Losses

In the violent 1870s in Cimarron, insurance companies hedged their losses due to frequent street killings, assassinations, lynching's, and shootings in the St. James Saloon, making the area too risky for them.
Below is a November 1875 newspaper clipping instructing companies not to take risk in that sector. "Cimarron is becoming a decidedly interesting neighborhood and Life Insurance Companies are instructing agents not to take any more risks in that section."

20/04/2025

Dormers (over the doors)
They are the glass framed windows on top of the doors (dormers) in the historic section of the St. James Hotel. And yes, these do serve a purpose and are not just decorative. They allow air flow in and out of the room. Remember back in the 1880’s air conditioning was not a thing. If you open the room window and then the dormer, it would create a cross flow of air and make the room more comfortable.

I believe these dormers in the James are all original. They were initially hand painted but have been re-painted with western scenes over the many years. A legend has it that the dormer over Room #18 (TJ’s room) is open when he is about the hotel and closed when he is in his room. When I stay at the hotel I normally stay on the second floor, and I have to say it is odd how this one dormer seems to move more than normal??

12/04/2025

-Hand painted wood
The Cimarron News & Press newspaper dated August 16, 1881, states: “Mr. Henry Lambert has engaged in painter ‘A. Desmonts’ who is doing some fine ornamental painting on the inside woodwork of the St. James.” This is during the end of the St. James remodel that began in 1880. The reason for the painter was because Henry ordered very plain wood to be used during the construction to save costs. But Henry wanted his hotel to appear luxurious. So, to get that effect, he hired a talented painter to make the plain wood look like expensive wood.

Desmonts hand-painted the wood to look like expensive burl wood and added wood grain to doors and door frames. The artist’s work is so convincing that it resembles real wood unless you know otherwise. This is the only hotel in New Mexico that I know of that has this unique characteristic. What an incredible piece of history!

Unfortunately, most of the first floor doors and doorways have been painted white over the years, but the second floor still has this hand painted wood for all to see. Next time you are at the St. James check it out.

The pictures below are of this wood that is hand painted to look like expensive hard woods.

06/04/2025

Historic Hotels of Northeastern New Mexico – The El Portal Hotel, Raton, New Mexico

In the 1993 edition of Historic Hotel Times...A Cimarron Legend Extra, the St. James Hotel, the Eklund Hotel, the Brown Hotel, and the El Portal in Raton, New Mexico were featured. Unfortunately, the El Portal is the only hotel of these four that no longer stands. The El Portal was established by Hugo Seaburg from a structure that was originally a livery stable built in 1903. Initially known as 'The Seaburg', the hotel had 12 rooms but expanded significantly between 1911 and 1928 through extensive renovation, becoming a 400-room establishment occupying an entire city block in historic downtown Raton (3rd & Park Ave). Mr. Seaburg aimed to create an opulent hotel comparable to those found in large western cities. The grand hall of the hotel was reminiscent of a European cathedral in terms of majesty and size.

Despite its grandeur, The Seaburg Hotel struggled to sustain itself due to unrealized growth expectations and the impact of the Depression in the late 1920s. In 1937, Hugo Seaburg filed for bankruptcy, and the hotel was sold at public auction. From 1937 to the 1990s, the hotel was renamed the ‘El Portal’ and changed ownership multiple times, occasionally sitting empty while its facade slowly withered with time. The last renovation occurred in the 1990s. The El Portal continued operating into the 2000's when it was devastated by fire in 2012. This lead to the collapse of the structure. This incident is reminiscent of other historic hotels in New Mexico that were abandoned and left to their fate. Hotels like the Mutz Hotel in Elizabethtown, the Colfax Hotel in Colfax, the Alvarado Hotel in Albuquerque, and the recently demolished Kuhn Hotel in Belen, a 114-year-old landmark. New Mexico Magazine published an wonderful article titled 'Route 66 Motels Lost to History '(February 21, 2024) showcasing many other lost establishments along the 'mother road.'

Recognition should be given to these private entities that have preserved numerous old hotels like the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, the Eklund Hotel in Clayton, the Castaneda and Palace Hotels in Las Vegas, and the Hotel El Rancho in Gallup. While it is regrettable that some historic hotels cannot be saved, the state's role in identifying and preserving these landmarks should be considered. Though challenging, a conversation about preservation efforts is warranted.

For those historic hotels still operating, visitors are encouraged to explore these old Inns and experience the elegant atmosphere and the rich history they offer, as well as the towns and communities in which they are located..…Safe travels.

Pictures: The first pic is of a postcard of the 'Seaburg European Hotel' (Circa 1930's?). 2nd pic is the 'El Portal Hotel' most likely in the 1940's-50's by the cars. The last is a newspaper ad for the El Portal Hotel.

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