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Grant County Communities

CLIFF/GILA — Cliff was settled in 1884, primarily as a ranching and farming community. Located on private land, prior residents have left the incredible mark of a four story, 300-room pueblo dated 1425-1575 A.D., which was perhaps the last inhabited village in this area. Known as the Salados Indians, these natives were a sub-group of the Anasazi (normally found in Arizona).

Now, Cliff hails as a lush rural farming area less than an hour northwest of Silver City. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the grand cottonwood trees you’ll see on the short drive. These trees are the dead giveaway for the Gila River that meanders through the rolling hills and valleys of the mountains and Gila Wilderness.

THE TRI-CITY / MINING DISTRICT
HURLEY — Established as a company mining town, Hurley is now transforming into a quaint retirement community with an estimated population of 1,400 residents. Located about 14 miles southeast of Silver City, Hurley is deemed “alive and well,” largely due to the commitment of the Hurley Pride Committee. These individuals are local residents who gather together and work with the local government to ensure they are assisting in their community and its future.

When arriving in Hurley, make sure you take a trip to the historic Hurley Store, now known as the JW Art Gallery. Once there, take a moment to view the vast landscape of mountains protecting the edge of the town. These ruggedly breathtaking peaks of rock were once the stronghold for one of history’s most determined Native American leaders, better known as Geronimo.

BAYARD — Bayard is comprised of quiet, friendly neighborhoods in an historic mining town near schools, shopping and medical facilities. Located eight miles east of Silver City, Bayard boasts an estimated population of 2,400 residents.

When visiting Bayard, you’ll have the opportunity to understand the impact mining has made on the history of this community. One may take a short jaunt to the Santa Rita Mine Outlook and view the workings of the open pit mine. A view from this distance can be misleading, as the seemingly microscopic trucks you’ll see are actually two stories in height!

The surrounding red bluffs offer a scenic backdrop to the town. When viewing this scenery, ask a local where you might find the noted landmark of the “Kneeling Nun.”

SANTA CLARA— Santa Clara is a historic village that was once the county seat. This community is growing with a population of around 1,900, a new industrial park and convenience to Highway 180. Santa Clara has transformed throughout history in many ways. Settled as the village of Santa Clara, its name was changed to Central but eventually reclaimed its original name Santa Clara.

Originally home to hundreds of miners and one of Grant County’s most notorious women, “Madame Millie” (aka Mildred Clark Cusey), Santa Clara has risen and fallen with the demand for copper. With a new state-run medical center under construction, this will bring some positive development to the village. Santa Clara is just minutes from Silver City.

THE VALLEYS
MIMBRES VALLEY — About a half-hour east of Silver City, Mimbres Valley is a lush, fertile farming valley defined by the winding Mimbres River and rural flavor. Intoxicating views of the Black Range and Gila National Forest provide a close location to area landmarks, camping, hiking and birding.

ARENAS VALLEY — An open, gently rolling space just east of Silver City, this community enjoys diverse housing with a country feel right at Silver City’s doorstep.

SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES
TYRONE — In the fall of 1967, Phelps Dodge families awaited word that would allow them to move into their brand new Tyrone homes. The homes were being constructed for Phelps Dodge by Lupton Construction to house some 300-plus employees when the company reopened the Tyrone Mine. The original town of “Old Tyrone” would soon be covered with dirt as copper mining resumed to full production. The new “Tyrone Town site” is located five miles north of “Old Tyrone” on Highway 90 and three miles south of Silver City.

Along with the new homes, which later increased in numbers, the Tyrone Town site was home of the Phelps Dodge Mercantile, a branch of the Grant County Bank, a post office, gas station, community center and fire station. The baseball fields were second to none as Phelps Dodge maintained the grounds. In the early 1990s, Phelps Dodge sold the homes to employees who were occupying the homes and then to the public.

Today, Tyrone is a pleasant, well-kept, established community. Residents can enjoy the playground, tennis courts, basketball courts and community center, along with a beautiful park shaded by mature willow trees. Tyrone is just minutes from Silver City.

PINOS ALTOS — Pinos Altos is a historic, quaint mining town with an abundance of historic buildings and stories of the old gold mining days, as well as historic characters, including Judge Roy Bean, the Hearst family, Pat Garrett and Ben Lily.

Once a rowdy mining boomtown, and the original county seat in true old-west style, Pinos Altos is a short six miles north of Silver City. Surrounded by the vast and beautiful Gila National Forest, Pinos Altos, named for the tall Ponderosa pine trees, was once home to the ancient and artistic Mimbres Indians and bands of Chiricahua Apache. By the 1800s, Mexican miners knew about the mineral-rich creeks in the mountains, and tales are told of early attempts to extract the precious metal. The Apache fought to keep their land — their hunting areas, plant gathering sites, ceremonial places – and the Apache presence in southwest New Mexico kept out all but the most adventurous explorers and prospectors. In the mid-1800s Americans heard tales of gold in the mountains, and soon scouting parties were eagerly exploring the rugged Gila country.

When visiting Pinos Altos, it is easy to feel as if history has just pulled you back a century. The main street looks today much as it did a hundred years ago, so make sure you take a trip to the Buckhorn Saloon, Opera House, post office, museum, courthouse and several other historic locations. They still offer the ambiance of what was once a true “wild west” boomtown.

NON-INCORPORATED AREAS — Newer, upscale subdivisions and ranch properties outside the Silver City limits offer larger acreage lots, sweeping views and executive homes.

SILVER CITY
Silver City is a community built on strong foundations.

Those foundations - culture, industry and people - reach back to the beginning of the prosperous mining community and have kept Silver City alive and thriving long after other boomtowns of the Old West had faded into the sunset.

Unlike other frontier towns, Silver City’s forefathers came determined to build a metropolis of civilization in a harsh and inhospitable frontier land. Founding fathers required homes to be built of brick masonry because of the danger of fires, and as a result many remain today, still carrying on long after their builders have gone.

Some of today’s oldest and most prominent buildings were established at this time in Silver City’s history, including the town’s museum, known as the Ailman house, one of two identical homes built in 1881. The town’s vibrant and historic downtown has changed little from the boom days, except perhaps with the addition of paved streets, a lack of horses and a plethora of art galleries.

The legends of outlaws like Henry Antrim, better known as Billy the Kid, military figures like General George Crook and Apache warriors Geronimo, Victorio and Mangas Coloradas, and other colorful southwest characters still draw those mystified by the Old West.

And, as ever, the off-the-beaten-path community and area’s four gentle seasons continue to be a pull for those seeking a slower pace and a simpler time.

(NOTE: Information for this story obtained from Richard Peterson, spokesperson; Phelps Dodge; “Built to Last,” by Susan Berry and Sharman Apt Russell; “Six-Guns and Single-Jacks” by Bob Alexander and Grant County Historian Terry Humble.)

Levi Hill is the Bureau Chief for the Silver City Sun-News.

UNIVERSITY AREA — Established, traditional Victorians are found in this ever-popular area near WNMU, along with restored homes that line the streets of this proud community.

INDIAN HILLS — This has become a bedroom community to the greater Silver City area with many established homes on larger, private lots.

SILVER ACRES — This is Silver City’s golf course community, with many homes near or adjoining the public golf course.

HISTORIC DISTRICTS — Chihuahua Hill, Black Addition, North Addition and the original town site/historic downtown comprise the Silver City Historic Districts in the heart of Silver City. They are all being rediscovered and restored. This area includes many old adobes and red brick Victorian homes. Silver City also has two smaller historic districts — the campuses of WMNU and St. Mary’s Academy. Many of the Historic Districts are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the State Register of Cultural Properties.