New Mexico’s No Scum Allowed Saloon, A Place For Civil Discourse

A tiny New Mexico saloon with an interesting name is becoming known as a place where people with different opinions can sit down and talk. White Oaks, New Mexico is known as a ghost town in the Land of Enchantment, a place where Billie the Kid used to wander the dusty roads during its heyday. While the population of the city sits at an astonishing 9 people, there is one business in town that brings in people from all over to visit. The "No Scum Allowed" saloon is the local watering hole that has become famous for its unique name and its reputation as the Best Cowboy Bar in the West, according to American Cowboy Magazine.

While the location alone is enough of a draw for people driving through the area, owner Karen Haughness says there is something else unique about this frequented haunt in the ghost town. She told the Albuquerque Journal that her saloon is a meeting place of people with various beliefs and backgrounds, where they can talk and discuss rather than argue.

“Look at these people. We are different. We come from different places. We are different politically. We have extreme liberals and extreme conservatives. But we can state opinions without getting into arguments. We have a dialogue.”

The No Scum Allowed saloon is located in White Oaks, New Mexico. White Oaks is 3 miles north of Carrizozo on US Highway 54. Find out more details about the ghost town on the New Mexico website.