Silver City, New Mexico Mine Tour

Mining History Association
21st Annual Conference, June 10-13, 2010
Global Resource Center
Western New Mexico University
Silver City, New Mexico

The 21^st Annual Conference of the Mining History Association was held in Silver City, New Mexico, June 10-13, 2010. It was founded in 1870, after the discovery of silver at nearby Chloride Flat. Today Silver City is a modern city with all the amenities for its 10,500 residents and visitors alike. It is the seat of Grant County and home to Western New Mexico University (WNMU) with a student population of around 3,100. Sturdy brick Victorian buildings give the city a feel of permanence that is different from other frontier mining towns. The residents are preserving their historic downtown through the Silver City Main Street Project. In recent years Silver City has become a popular haven for retirees.

The Welcoming Reception was held at the Silver City Museum. It occupies the historic H. B. Ailman house, built in 1881 during the silver boom. Exhibits showcase the rich cultural diversity of the Southwest and, of course, the area’s mining history.

The conference program sessions were held at the Global Resource Center on the campus of WNMU. The Center has a well-equipped auditorium and space in the lobby for vendors. The Presidential Luncheon was also held at the Center.

Whether on one of the planned tours and field trips, or just exploring on their own, attendees had plenty to see and do during their spare time at the conference. Historic Ft. Bayard is located a few miles east of Silver City. It was built in 1866 and garrisoned by Buffalo Soldiers of Company B, U. S. Colored Infantry to protect miners and settlers from the Apaches. In 1900 the fort became a medical center to treat veterans with tuberculosis. A National Cemetery adjoins the fort. Further east is the road to Hanover, the site of the 1950-1952 strike at the Empire Mine which was chronicled in the movie “Salt of the Earth.” A historic marker is located at the site. Further up the road at the nearly-ghost town of Fierro is the Miners’ Chapel on the grounds of St. Anthony’s Church. Backtracking down the Hanover road, it is just a short drive to the viewpoint overlooking the huge Santa Rita/Chino open pit operated by Freeport-McMoran Copper and Gold (FMCG). From the viewpoint one can also see the famous Kneeling Nun rock formation high on the mountain south of the mine.

Located southeast of Silver City, the town of Bayard is the jumping off place for exploring many of the old underground mines in the Central Mining District. Although they are all on private land, six headframes are still visible from the highway. FMCG has committed to preserving the steel headframes at the Empire, Bullfrog, Kearney, and Princess Mines.

There is a lot more mining history worth exploring while traveling to or from Silver City. See the March 2010 issue of the Mining History News for suggestions.

SILVER CITY’S MINING HISTORY

The Silver City area has one of the most interesting and complex mining histories of any of the past MHA Annual Conference locations. CLICK HERE to learn all about it.

Silver City Museum.

Western New Mexico University (WNMU), Silver City, New Mexico (Photo courtesy WNMU).

The Palace Hotel in downtown Silver City is on the National Register of Historic Places.