all of brick produced from local clay. By 1873 it had its own newspaper, 15 saloons, three dance halls and a block- long red-light district. Billy the Kid emerged from here as a skinny young
The town took a hit during the sil- ver crash of 1893 and was further bat- tered by a succession of massive floods around the turn of the century. Relying on its fine climate, Silver City held on
seat and home to Western New Mexico University, Silver City has evolved into a vibrant, congenial community that reflects a comfortable balance between historic and hip. We poked around the Historic Busi- ness District along Bullard, Broadway and Market streets where nicely re- stored facades of 19th century buildings house smart galleries, boutiques and cafés, recreating the ambience of a cen- tury ago. We checked out the colorful Yankie Street galleries, plopped down for a snack at the Javalina Coffee House and Internet Café on Bullard, and later perused exhibits at the Silver City Mu- seum. Housed in an impressive 1881 red brick Italianate-Victorian at 312 W. Broadway, the museum preserves many local memories and boasts a particularly outstanding collection of photos of the city’s dramatic floods.
Billy the Kid emerged from here as a skinny young gunslinger who went by the name William Bonney to become a Wild West legend, adding considerable
color to the town’s tumultuous history.
Another visual reminder of the floods, and a stark one at that, is Big Ditch Park, a gaping arroyo right in the heart of the business district that was Silver City’s Main Street until the flood of 1895. Only one structure, the well-kept 1885 Warren House, survived that and subsequent deluges. The ditch is now nicely landscaped and lined with walk- ways and picnic tables.
A walking tour of Silver City showcases the former boomtown’s diverse culture and rich history.
gunslinger who went by the name Wil- liam Bonney to become a Wild West legend, adding considerable color to the town’s tumultuous history.
for a time as a “paradise for consump- tives” with a sanatorium for the treat- ment of tuberculosis. More recently, as a popular tourist destination, county
18 COAST TO COAST Spring 2013
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