Silver City/Grant County, New Mexico

New Mexico Business Journal, August, 1990 by Gene Peterson

The eighteen-hole golf course, one of the finest public courses in the Southwest, attracts golfers from around the state, West Texas and Arizona. Reservations are not necessary. Play any time.

Food and Lodging

Food and lodging are among the fastest growing industries in the area. Ten recreational vehicle parks are now scattered through the forest and mountain areas and along major highways. Motels and cabins also are available in Grant County with four major units in the town of Silver City and several in the recreational areas.

There are 21 restaurants in the area and an abundance of fast foodstops. Gourmet Mexican food, a specialty, is available at most restaurants.

A relatively new addition to the service industry are bed and breakfast options for visitors. There are two new establishments in Grant County -- Bear Mountain Guest Ranch and The Carter House Hotel in downtown Silver City.

Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University comprises 80 acres in a lovely setting in historic Silver City. With a student-faculty ratio of about 14 to 1, the university offers student individual attention.

WNMU's enrollment in the fall of 1988 was over 1,700, a 13 percent increase over the previous year. More than half the student population is over the age of 25.

The university also operates a Graduate Studies Center in Gallup with an enrollment of over 300. The office of continuing education offers non-credit courses, ranging from basic woodwork to computer literacy; gardening to karate.

The public may purchase an activity card to use the athletic facilities. Other university facilities include the Miller Library, the Fine Arts Center and the Fine Arts Auditorium.

The university museum contains one of the most important collections of ancient Mimbres pottery held by any public institution.

The Silver City Museum has an excellent collection of early Southwestern artifacts. Other museums and visitor centers are the Santa Rita Mining Museum, Pinos Altos Museum and Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument.

Medical Services

Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC), the largest and most diversified hospital within a 100-mile radius, offers a variety of services including air ambulance transport. GRMC boasts a first rate emergency rescue team of paramedics, EMTs and first responders using state-of-the-art equipment.

The emergency room, staffed with emergency physicians and licensed nursing personnel 24 hours a day, treats up to 1,000 patients a month.

Home Health Care, a Medicare/Medicaid licensed outreach program, provides skilled care and home health aides for homebound patients on a part-time or intermittent basis including nursing, physical therapy, education services, speech therapy and social services. By early fall, a hospice program will also be operating out of the home health care department.

Laser eye surgery is available at GRMC as well as general, orthopedic, ophthalmologic, gynecological, dental, urological and thoracic surgery.

The diagnostic, radiology and laboratory facilities at Gila Regional are top rated. Physicians have access to CT scanning, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, mammography and fluoroscopy for early and accurate diagnoses.