Silver City Travel Guide, New Mexico

Silver City is a shiny name! It is not figuratively used; the city really has connection to silver as it was discovered in the area in 1870. And even if it wasn’t the only metal found, there were other discoveries like turquoise and copper that were extracted from the rich land, silver brought about the biggest development since the settlement was under Spanish rule. People kept coming to the tiny settlement hoping to get rich.

The silver era has long passed but copper is still extracted from the land being the mainstay of the city’s economy.

Silver City knew how to get over rough periods, its economy always recovered; it always landed on its feet. Maybe this perseverance was one of the main reasons why it became the county’s capital. Visitors can still see operating mines out of Silver City. The metal extracted is copper and it was this metal that dictated the course of things in the area thus you can see the ghost town of Tyrone that was built for the people working in the area. The same metal that brought people together in the same place made them go away when its price dropped, leaving the place deserted. The place has revived and now it is the sight of an open pit mine. Buildings were moved seven miles north and another town was built.

Another interesting thing to see is the oldest active mine in the country located 15 miles east of the city. There is an observation point built for the visitors and from there they can see the huge pit.

But there’s more about Silver City than metals and mining. There’s a beautiful historic district in the city’s centre with intricate brick buildings in Victorian style. Their beauty, old age and architectural importance got them registered in the National Register.

Architecture buffs will surely like a stroll on the streets and admire buildings in a different way from an ordinary visitor that might overlook their importance.

Long walks downtown can be followed by a nice rest in the Big Ditch, which contrary to its name is a beautiful park.

Among other attractions are the Log Cabin Curio Shop and Museum, the Pinos Altos Opera House, the Methodist-Episcopal Church and the Buckhorn Saloon. These are some of the places where both locals and tourists come to have fun and relax. At the Pinos Altos Opera House they can see some exquisite theatrical performance by local actors. Those who have heard of Billy the Kid may see the cabin where he lived in his youth.

While you are in the city it would be a pity to miss one of the most important sights in the area. The City of Rocks located 25 miles east of Silver City. The area is mostly known for its outdoor activities like bouldering and hiking with camping and picnic opportunities. It is also interesting to see the volcanic rock formation that resembles those of Stonehenge with the difference that there were shaped by wind.

With its wide variety of accommodations and restaurants, the great outdoors at the edge of town, national monuments nearby, one of the state's finest sights, the city makes an ideal base for exploring the area.

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