[1] The pass was named after United States Army Major Enoch Steen, who camped nearby in 1856, as he explored the recently acquired Gadsden Purchase.

The town began to prosper when mineral deposits like gold, silver, and copper were discovered in the nearby Peloncillo Mountains.

[1] In 1944, toward the end of World War II, the railway ceased operations at the Steins quarry and gave notice it would no longer subsidize water deliveries.

The post office in the town closed at that time, and eventually Steins was completely abandoned; a later fire destroyed a good majority of what was left behind.

In 1988, Larry and Linda Link purchased the locale and began offering ghost town tours.