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Silver City, New Mexico

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The Town/City of Silver City, New Mexico
Town
Official seal of The Town/City of Silver City, New Mexico
Seal
Location in the State of New Mexico
Location in the State of New Mexico
CountryUnited States
StateNew Mexico
CountyGrant
Founded1878
Government
 • MayorJames R. Marshall
Area
 • Total10.1 sq mi (26.3 km2)
 • Land10.1 sq mi (26.3 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation
5,895 ft (1,797 m)
Population
 (2000)
 • Total10,545
 • Density1,040.1/sq mi (401.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes
88061-88062
Area code575
FIPS code35-73260
GNIS feature ID0920706
Websitehttp://www.townofsilvercity.org/

Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 10,545. It is the county seat of Grant CountyTemplate:GR. The city is the home of Western New Mexico University.

History

The site of Silver City was originally known as San Vicente de la Ciénega (St. Vincent of the Marsh), and prior to Anglo settlement, the valley served as an Apache campsite. With the arrival of a wave of American prospectors in the 1860s, however, the face of the valley soon changed.

Silver City was founded in the summer of 1870, shortly after the discovery of silver ore deposits by Captain John M. Bullard at Chloride Flats, located on the hill just west of the farm of Captain Bullard and his brother James. Following the silver strike, Captain Bullard laid out the streets of the new Silver City on the former farm, and a bustling tent city quickly sprang to life. Although the trajectory of Silver City's development was to be different from the hundreds of other mining boom towns established during the same period, Captain Bullard himself never lived to see even the beginnings of permanence, as he was killed in a confrontation with Apache raiders less than a year later, on February 23, 1871.

The town's violent crime rate was substantial during the 1870s, Grant County Sheriff Harvey Whitehill was elected in 1874, and gained a sizable reputation for his abilities at controlling trouble. In 1875, Whitehill became the first lawman to arrest Billy the Kid, known at the time as William Bonney. Whitehill arrested him twice, both times for theft in Silver City, and would later claim that Bonney was a likeable kid, whose stealing was a result more of necessity than criminality. In 1878 the town hired its first town marshal, "Dangerous Dan" Tucker, who had been working as a deputy for Whitehill since 1875. Tucker killed several men during his rein as marshal, and is one of twelve gunmen included in the book "Deadly Dozen" by author Robert K. DeArment, who proclaims Tucker as one of the most underrated gunmen of the Old West. He was also the subject of the biography "Dangerous Dan" Tucker, New Mexoco's Deadly Lawman", by author Bob Alexander.

Mrs. Lettie B. Morrill, in a talk given to the Daughters of the American Revolution chapter in Silver City on September 19, 1908, stated, "John Bullard was placed in the first grave dug in Silver City, having been killed while punishing the Indians for an attack upon the new town; the brothers were Prospectors about the country for many years. The last one left for the old home about 1885, saying, ‘It is only a matter of time until the Indians get me if I stay here.’" It was also known as the starting point for many expeditions hunting treasures such as the Lost Adams Diggings.[2] Old mines, camps, and shacks dot the hills, and it is rich in Old West History.

In 1893 the Normal School was established. It later was renamed to Western New Mexico University in 1963. Today, WNMU offers 8 graduate degrees, 41 baccalaureate degrees, and 18 associate degree and certificate programs. The WNMU athletic team is referred to as the Mustangs. Recognition for the university includes the 2003 Zia Award, the 2005 Best Practice Award (for the School of Education), the 2006 Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year Award, the 2008 Pinon Award, and the 2008 Companero Award.

The town had originally been designed with the streets running north to south. The town was also built in the path of normal water runoff. Businesses sprang up and people learned to deal with the inconveniences of the summer rain. Silver City was built with high sidewalks in the downtown area to accommodate high flood waters. Meanwhile, uncontrolled grazing thinned down plant life on hills surrounding the town. During the night of July 21, 1895, a heavy wall of water rushed through the downtown business district leaving a trail of destruction. A ditch, 55-feet lower than the original street level, was created by what was once known as Main Street.[1] Businesses on Main Street began using their back doors on Bullard Street as main entrances and eventually, were permanently used as the new front entrances. To this day, the incorrect odd/even addressing conventions on the east side of Bullard Street are a reminder that the buildings were addressed on Main Street originally, not Bullard Street. Main Street now ends near the back of the Silver City Police Station, where the Big Ditch Park begins.

Geology

The local geology of the Silver City area is complex. Sedimentary gravels are found in the form of alluvial gravels called the Mangus Valley gravels. Metamorphic schist and gniess is also found. The downtown area is mostly comprised of granite outcrops. Silver City lies just east of the continental divide.

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 10,545 people, 4,227 households, and 2,730 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,040.1 people per square mile (401.5/km²). There were 4,757 housing units at an average density of 469.2/sq mi (181.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 71.72% White, 0.86% African American, 1.14% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 22.42% from other races, and 3.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 52.43% of the population.

There were 4,227 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.0% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,881, and the median income for a family was $31,374. Males had a median income of $28,476 versus $18,434 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,813. About 17.7% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy and culture

Silver City was founded as a mining town, and the nearby mining operations of Phelps Dodge are still the basis for the local economy. In 2006, the Chino and Tyrone mines produced 125,400 long tons (127,400 t) of copper. Mine employment was 1,250, with wages and salaries totaling $73 million. However, a Phelps-Dodge spokesman recently remarked that "based on current economic projections, our properties in New Mexico will not be operating in 25 years".[2] Phelps-Dodge was acquired by international mining firm Freeport-McMoRan in March 2007, and operations at the Chino and Tyrone operations are continuing under the Freeport name.

Despite its small population, the town prides itself on its ability to bring in high quality cultural offerings, including the Grant County Community Concert Association, which presents numerous events each year.[3]

Tourism, retirement and trade are the other major components of Silver City's economy. In 2006, an average home sold for about $160,000 for a three-bedroom, 1,500-square-foot (140 m2) house.[4]


Education

Public Schools

Public schools are in the Silver Consolidated School District. The District covers the city of Silver City as well as Cliff, Piños Altos, Tyrone, and White Signal. The system has five elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools.

Elementary Schools

  • Cliff Elementary
  • G.W. Stout Elementary
  • Harrison H. Schmitt Elementary
  • Jose Barrios Elementary
  • Sixth Street Elementary

Middle School

  • La Plata Middle

High Schools

Charter schools in the District include, Aldo Leopold High School.

Private Schools

Private Schools include:


Transportation

Airports

Major highways

Points of interest

The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is about 44 miles north of Silver City, via NM 15. At the monument, the remains of Indian inhabitants within five caves in a cliff can be found. They were built sometime between 1275 and 1300 AD by the Mogollon culture. In addition to ancient ruins, there are plenty of places to camp, hike and fish within the Gila Wilderness.

The Catwalk is a trail enclosed by a metal walkway that suspends 25 feet above the Whitewater Canyon hugging the canyon walls. It follows waterpipe routes build by miners in 1893. When the pipes needed repair, the miners walked on them. Visitors can explore the walkway and trail, picnic and enjoy the river. It is located 70 miles north of Silver City on U.S. Route 180.

There are several lakes in the area. Lake Roberts is 72 acre lake about 27 miles north of Silver City on NM 15 near the NM 35 junction. Other lakes in the Silver City area include Bill Evans Lake, Snow Lake, Wall Lake, Bear Canyon Dam. Anglers have a choice of brown and rainbow trout, catfish and bass. In addition, several mountainous rivers can be found nearby. Some of note are the Gila River, Negrito Creek, San Francisco River, and Willow Creek.

City of Rocks State Park is a area of interesting rock formations created by volcanic eruptions long ago. People can enjoy climbing the rocks, picnicking, and camping. The City of Rocks is located off NM 61.

Silver City was the finish line in the 2001 movie Rat Race, the plot consisting of several people racing from Las Vegas, Nevada to a locker in Silver City, containing $2 Million dollars. In actuality there is no longer a train station in Silver City.

Silver City is referenced in the 2007 movie There Will Be Blood, in which the movie's screenplay was written by Paul Thomas Anderson and was based on the 1927 novel, Oil! by Upton Sinclair.[5] Upton Sinclair based his novel on the experiences of Edward L. Doheny, a prospector and oil tycoon living in the Silver City area (near Kingston, NM). In the movie, Henry, the man claiming to be Daniel's half-brother, says that he had been in Silver City for two years drilling for his own.

Notable inhabitants

References

  1. ^ “Destruction of Main Street”, Silver City Daily Press, July 9, 1975, p. 7
  2. ^ New Mexico Business Journal, 9-07, p. 31
  3. ^ Grant County Community Concert Association, another outstanding Chamber member and business in Silver City, NM!
  4. ^ New Mexico Business Journal, 9-07, p. 33
  5. ^ "Reel NM: Dan Mayfield Talks Movies: Something Terrific in State of Utah, Friday, January 25, 2008." Dan Mayfield, The Albuquerque Journal,
  6. ^ a b c Bass, Thomas A., The Predictors, 1999, Henry Holt Publishing, p. 54
  7. ^ "Paul Benedict dies at 70; actor from 'The Jeffersons' and 'Sesame Street'," Los Angeles Times, retrieved online on January 5, 2009.[1]

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