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Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 18 February 2019 18 February 2019

Photos by Sandra Michaud

One of the many events of Silver City’s Territorial Charter Day was the reenactment of the signing of the Charter.

Grant County and Silver City residents, frustrated by the Territorial Legislature’s refusal to allow the city and the county to incorporate, threatened to secede from New Mexico and join Arizona. Although the Arizona Legislature eventually did not approve annexation, the furor was enough to make Santa Fe reconsider its stand and allow the city to incorporate.

The charter was signed February 15, 1878 and enabled the Town of Silver City to, among other things, levy taxes, establish a public school system and elect its own officials.

To see a PDF of the original Charter go here: http://www.townofsilvercity.org/charter/Town%20of%20Silver%20City%20Charter%20handwritten.pdf 

Saturday’s event was the third annual Territorial Charter Day in Silver City.

Other events of the day were a 5K Fun Run, music, Love Local specials in downtown shops, a horse-drawn wagon to take visitors on rides around town and a ball at the Murray Hotel.