Silver City's Own Billy the Kid

A special website of the Silver City - Grant County Chamber of Commerce.

Grant County is in the sunny southwest corner of New Mexico.

A large map of the county, showing points of interest, roads and features of the county, is available here.

Upcoming Events in Grant County

Desert West Auction
November 22 to November 23
Desert West Live Auction is an online and live auction facililty located at Mimbres, New Mexico. You can come out and be part of the live auction or participate via Internet in the comfort of your home. Location: 3870 N. Highway 35, Mimbres NM Phone: 575-536-9353

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A Story of the Richest Indian Book Signing
November 22, 10:00 am
A Story of the Richest Indian Book Signing 10:00 -11:30 am on Nov 22, 2008 Finder's will sign his third book "A Story of the Richest Indian" on Saturday, November 22, 2008, between 10:00 -11:30 am in the Large Meeting Room at the Silver City Public Library. Jodey Bateman will read the Spanish language version of the story. A Story of the Richest Indian relates the taley of a beautiful old woman named Running Through Flowers who embodies the spirit of giving in her community. Artist, linguist, and historian Jodey Bateman translated the text and illustrated the storybook. Finder is a book writing, poetry writing, tale telling, crystal mining and crystal jewelry, wand and dreamcatcher making renaissance kind of guy. Online texts of his stories and poetry are available at http://motherbird.com/indexfndr.htm Visit www.motherbird.com or call S. Breeze at 575-538-0414 with any questions regarding the book signing event. Admission: FREE Event Date: November 22, 2008 Event Time:10 am Event Place: SC Library Large Meeting Room Contact Phone: 575-538-0414 Location: Silver City Public Library (575) 538-3672 515 W College Ave Silver City, NM 88061 Directions: Library is located at the intersection of College Avenue and Cooper Street . If you are driving south on NM-90 go to College Avenue turn (east) right onto College Avenue. Presented by: Motherbird Publishing [additional information posted at myspace.com/finderbooks} Location: Silver City Public Library Phone: 575-538-0414

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Wally Lawder performance
November 22, 1:00 pm
1 - 3pm Come on out to Bayard for a great Wally Lawder performance! bring your friends and make new ones plus enjoy some good brewed coffee! Location: a.i.r. Coffee House in Bayard

Silver City's Own Billy the Kid

By Mary Alice Murphy,
Silver City Daily Press

The controversy over Billy the Kid’s life and death started when he was shot and killed by Pat Garrett in July 1888. But did Billy die, did Garrett really kill him or was somebody else the victim of Garrett’s bullets? The legend holds that Billy, also known as William Bonney Henry McCarty and Henry Antrim, was born in New York, or was it Texas? His mother was Catherine Antrim, or was he born to her sister and raised by Antrim?

The controversy of his life stems far beyond what documented history can tell us. However, a few things about Billy’s life are not controversial. He was raised in Silver City, New Mexico, by Antrim and known then as Henry McCarty. After her death, he had no role models, got involved with shady characters and began his brief life of crime. Also not disputed is that Billy the Kid attended Sixth Street Elementary School in Silver City.

A cabin, from the movie set of “The Missing” was donated by the movie’s director Ron Howard and sits at the Murray Ryan Visitor Center near the site where Billy (a.k.a. Henry) and his mother lived. So, while the stories of Billy change as quickly as time passes, one fact that will always remain is “the Kid” will always be known as one of the West’s most rumored and remembered outlaws.

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