Springer, N.M. – Springer was founded in 1877 by Melvin Whitson Mills, carved from the Maxwell Land Grant and deeded to Mills in order for him to “sell, locate, survey, map and plat, and lay out a town site, not exceeding three hundred and twenty acres”. The location was chosen due to anticipation of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway coming and as it was halfway between the Mountain Branch and Cimarron Cutoff of the Santa Fe Trail. Springer serves as an anchor to many sprawling ranches nestled into rich, the northeastern New Mexico grasslands.
