Shakespeare, Ghost town and historic district in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, United States

Shakespeare is a ghost town in Hidalgo County in southwestern New Mexico, now located on a private ranch that welcomes visitors for tours. The site contains several surviving buildings from the mining era, including a hotel, saloon, and blacksmith shop, which reflect the town's past as an active settlement.

Founded as a stagecoach rest stop called Mexican Springs, the settlement was renamed Grant after the Civil War in honour of General U. S. Grant. When silver was found nearby it became the mining town Ralston City, named for financier William Chapman Ralston, and was finally renamed Shakespeare. It was abandoned when the mines closed in 1929. The whole community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The name Shakespeare was chosen in 1879 during a mining boom and reflects the hopes investors had for prosperity in the area. The surviving buildings show how miners and merchants organized daily life, with saloons, hotels, and workshops arranged to serve the community's practical needs.

The site is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, though it is best to call ahead to arrange a guided tour. The cemetery is also open to visitors, and several times each year living history events are held to show what life was like during the mining era.

On November 9, 1881, the cattle rustlers "Russian Bill" Tattenbaum and Sandy King were lynched in Shakespeare by order of the town marshal, gunman "Dangerous Dan" Tucker. Their bodies were left hanging for several days as a warning against lawlessness.