With the discovery of silver in the area after the Civil War, Silver City began life as a typical Western mining “boom town.” Silver City avoided the “ghost town” fate of many similar New Mexico communities after the silver market crashed in 1893 by reorienting itself to cattle ranching, shipping and education.
Mining in the area turned out not to be merely a thing of the past, however, as even today two massive open-pit copper mines nearby yield countless tons of copper ore annually. Noted as the boyhood home of “Billy the Kid” Bonney, Silver City today boasts a population of over 10,000, as well as splendid, picturesque historic districts ideal for exploring on foot.
