Day 7

Tulrosa, NM to Silver City, NM

This was one of the more interesting days! We arrived in Silver City in the afternoon, like most days. The campground we stayed at is in walking distance of the historic downtown area. The campground is well kept and both the owners and the other campers were very nice. We can definitely recommend staying there!

After getting settled, we first took a drive into the hills to visit a small town called Pinos Altos. I really wanted to go there since that is where my paternal great grandparents were born. Although the buildings were all closed and there wasn’t a soul to be seen, it was interesting to walk around and wonder what it had been like back in the day. We looked at the Buckhorn Saloon, the Norton Store, the Opera House, a store full of old stuff (that was closed), and then the cemetery. There were a bunch of dried chilis hanging in front of the store and I borrowed a few of the seeds. When we got home I planted them and they grew! They sure are hot ones!

We found our way to the cemetery in Pinos Altos. I have done a lot of genealogy research on my ancestors and have been trying to locate the final resting place of my great grandmother, which should be in Pinos Altos. Gotti is always a good sport and wandered through the cemetery with me. Unfortunately, it was in very bad condition. Most of the gravestones are simple rocks with no engravings or markings. Some of the graves are also mere piles of stones. After wandering around without a clue, we said goodbye and headed back to Silver City.

Silver City is the former home of Billy the Kid and full of history. The link below gives more insight into the city. Since it was evening by the time we walked to the historic district, most of the stores had unfortunately closed. There are several that I found interesting, especially the galleries with art from local artists. Next time we go we will make sure to stay a couple of days so we can do more discovering! There are still several mines operating in the area. The biggest (I think) is the Santa Rita Copper Mine.

After a fun day it was time to open a bottle of wine and enjoy the rest of the evening. The next day would be full of more adventure!

http://www.silvercityrv.com/6501.html

https://www.newmexico.org/things-to-do/arts-culture/historical/billy-the-kid/

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-mexico/chino-mine-santa-rita-nm/