Silver City Shines

This rural community in the Land of Enchantment is rich with history and diverse with a series of attractions.

by

Words by Dennis Begin

New Mexico is known as ‘The Land of Enchantment’ with most people applying the phrase to Santa Fe or Albuquerque, but rarely to Silver City. This small community consists of just 11,000 people and is located 72 km (45 mi) north of Lordsburg in the Mogollon Mountains, and the question still remains why venture off I-10 to visit an old mining town?

Well, the answer to this question is first realized at the Silver City Visitor Center. Pick up a copy of The Source, a booklet detailing where to stay, eat, places to visit and maps. At the south end of the parking lot is a log cabin, the former home of the famous outlaw, Billy the Kid (William Bonney) and his mother Catherine McCarty Antrim.

The original cabin is long gone, but the replica of the cabin was used in the 2003 movie ‘The Missing.’ Director Ron Howard donated the cabin to the town when the movie was completed. As for Billy the Kid, he went on to an infamous career of crime, while his mother never lived to know of his notoriety. She is buried in the Memory Lane Cemetery.

Mining

The area around Silver City was originally mined for its turquoise and copper by the Mimbres and Apache Indians. Beginning in 1805, the Spanish mined copper, followed by the American discovery of gold in 1859. When Captain John Bullard discovered silver near his farm at Chloride Flats in 1870, a town quickly emerged. Miners, merchants, saloons and brothels soon lined Broadway and Bullard Streets.

The original town was named ‘St. Vincent of the Marsh’, but Silver City seemed more appropriate. The original silver mine is located along the Chloride Flat Road near the Grant County Courthouse on West Broadway Street. Although shaft mining developed in districts such as Pinos Altos, Chloride Flats and Burro Mountains, this consisted of open pit mining that accelerated the growth of mining and the city.

Starting in 1910, John Sully changed mining by using large steam shovels, steam locomotives and churn drills, creating a massive hole in the ground. The mine is located 24 km (15 mi) northeast on US-152, with the Observation Point just past Hanover. Santa Rita remains the third oldest active open pit mine in the world. There are only two mines still operating in Silver City, the Santa Rita and Tyrone Mines, both owned by Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Company.

Fort Bayard

Since the Apache Indians were a threat to miners and settlers, the American Government established Fort Bayard in 1866 to protect the people of Silver City. The fort was also home to the Colored Buffalo Soldiers of Company B and the 9th Cavalry Regiment. These soldiers distinguished themselves in the Indian Wars against Geronimo (1849-1886). The ‘Buffalo’ term came from the Apache Indians, as the black faces of the soldiers resembled the face of a buffalo.

The original buildings of the fort still exist, although they are deteriorating and no longer functional. Visitors are encouraged to walk the grounds or take a guided tour of this National Historic Landmark. The fort was de-commissioned in 1900, but over the years it served as a German prison camp during World War Two, a tuberculosis hospital and today, a medical clinic for veterans. At the entrance to the fort, there’s a National Cemetery/Veterans Memorial honoring those who have served their country.

Wild West

Silver City was a typical Wild West town in the 1880s. Even Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch spent time in the local saloons and brothels. This pattern of development was no different from other mining towns such as Tombstone or Holbrook, Arizona. Sheriff Harvey Whitehall and Deputy Dangerous Dan Tucker finally brought law and order to the city, one shot at a time. Once law and order was established, a new chapter in the history of Silver City began to unfold.

Evolution of Silver City

As the mining industry began to fade in the 1950’s, Silver City had to diversify or become a ghost town. Instead of catering to miners, a large artistic community gradually emerged with 30 galleries and studios. The red/black ART sign in storefront windows indicates the type of artistic contributions.

Western New Mexico University [WNMU] also added to its cultural flavor. There are really two Silver Cities. The first city follows US-90/180, which consists of the usual motels, car dealerships and fast food restaurants (that’s no different than any American city). The second is the Downtown Historical District (DHD), which was the core of the original city.

Silver City MainStreet Project

The Silver City MainStreet Project (SCMSP) has played a vital role in the revitalization of the Downtown Historical District since its inception in 1985. The objective is to develop a vibrant downtown core that supports economic vitality and attract people back to the downtown business district.

The old core of the downtown is only six by ten blocks in size, easy to walk and could aptly be described as ‘eclectic’. Two historical hotels, the Palace (1900) and the Murray Hotel (1938), along with the Silco Theater (1923), are still prominent and functioning buildings.

Many of the brick buildings have been restored by the owners, using brightly covered paint combined with wall murals depicting local history. The mural designs are the work of local school children combined with a local artist. Older brick buildings are now used as coffee shops, craft breweries, funky boutiques, antique stores and one-of-a-kind businesses.

For tourists, the downtown buildings resemble Old Sacramento in California or Gastown in Vancouver, B.C. Executive Director Charmeine Wait pointed out that MainStreet is an arts and cultural district that hosts community social events and builds a creative diverse economy.

There is plenty to see in Silver City and the surrounding area, including The Continental Divide Trail, The Mimbres Culture Heritage Site, The City of Rocks State Park and The Catwalk Whitewater Canyon. Spend a day in Silver City and a week will pass quickly.