Pinos Altos
On the web: www.pinosaltos.org
Six minutes and 1500 feet above Silver City is the old mining town of Pinos Altos [Tall Pines]. It was once a thriving gold mining town of 9000 when Silver City was but a tent or two. It was first named Birchville and gold was discovered in 1837. On Sept. 27, 1861, some 500 Apaches led by Cochise and Mangas Coloradas attacked Pinos Altos. The miners killed more than a dozen Indians and 3 miners were killed. A later raid killed 40 miners after they were supposedly distracted by attractive squaws placed by Mangas. The Apache chief was tricked into giving up and was taken to Ft. McLane, where he was shot and beheaded while "trying to escape." Pinos Altos was home to a Hearst (of newspaper fame) gold mine and a store operated by (Judge) Roy Bean and his brother Sam.
Pinos Altos is full of historic century-old buildings of the once booming county seat. You can also find memorabilia of gunfights, Apache raids and the Mimbres culture. Today, there's a museum, the unique Fort del Cobre, gift shops, two restaurants, a motel and RV park.
