Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner and his wife, Becky Smith, smile for the camera at last year’s Territorial Charter Ball. Tickets are on sale now for this year’s ball at the Silver City Museum Store and Vintage Fantasies in historic, downtown Silver City.Charter Celebration at the Silco and a Charter Ball at the Murray Hotel
Territorial Charter Daytime Celebrations at the Silco Theater
Territorial Charter Day celebrates the 146-year-old charter that incorporated Silver City as a town within the New Mexico Territory. This event marked the town's legal recognition, granting it the authority to establish local government and enact laws for its governance.
Join this year's celebrations on Saturday, February 10th at the Silco Theater in downtown Silver City from 1PM to 3PM.
Throughout the day, attendees will experience a wide range of regional music and historical presentations. This year will feature a play in three parts across the day, re-enacting the history of the Silver City Charter, The Santa Fe Ring, and a reenactment of the signing of the Charter.
Featuring music by Mariachi Luna Llena de Las Cruces, Alyssia Carrillo, and Angelica Padilla
Territorial Charter Day Ball at the Murray Hotel Ballroom
Territorial Charter Day celebrates the 146-year-old charter that incorporated Silver City as a town within the New Mexico Territory. This event marked the town's legal recognition, granting it the authority to establish local government and enact laws for its governance.
Join this year's celebrations at the Territorial Charter Day Ball on Saturday, February 10th at the Murray Hotel Ballroom at 200 W Broadway in downtown Silver City from 7PM to 10PM
Enjoy music by Illusion Band and a cash by from Little Toad Creek!
Attire is 1870s period or formal
Tickets are $20 for singles and $30 for couples
Tickets available at the Silver City Museum Store and at Vintage Fantasies located at 412 N Bullard St. In downtown Silver City
This year’s festivities begin at 12:30 at the Silco Theater, 311 N. Bullard Street, in historic, downtown Silver City, and include mariachi music and other performances. This event is free to the public, though donations to support museum programming are welcomed.
Schedule of events:
12:30 pm: mariachi music by Mariachi Luna Llena of Las Cruces, and barkers drawing people indoors
1:00 - 2:00 pm: Opening remarks by Ken Ladner, Mayor of Silver City, and Raul Turrieta, president of the Silver City Museum Society Board
Performance by Alyssia Carrillo
Brief, theatrical performance regarding the Silver City Territorial Charter, featuring local actors.
Presentation and photographic history of "burlesque baseball." (See "Burlesque Baseball, a Grant County Pastime," in the December 2023 issue of The Mansardian, a publication of the Silver City Museum Society.)
2:00 - 2:15 pm: Intermission
2:15 - 3:00 pm: Music by Mariachi Luna Llena opens the final segment of the event, followed by a second theatrical reenactment referencing "The Santa Fe Ring," written by Kris Isom, about the political leaders in Santa Fe who initially stood in the way of Silver City's fair representation in government, and strong desire for independence and self-determination. Angelica Padilla and Frankie Bandin will perform classic New Mexico songs to close the event.
That evening, beginning at 7:00 pm, the Territorial Charter Ball begins in the Murray Hotel ballroom. The Illusion Band will play until 10:00 pm, with a cash bar provided by Little Toad Creek Brewery. Tickets are $30 per couple and $20 for individuals, and are on sale now at the Silver City Museum Gift Store, 312 W. Broadway Avenue in Silver City, and Vintage Fantasies, 412 N. Bullard Street, which is owned by Museum Society Fundraising Committee Chairwoman, Patsy Madrid. Participants will enjoy a repeat performance of the charter signing reenactment.
History of the Charter
Grant County was formed in 1868 from the western portion of Doña Ana County. After silver was discovered in 1870, the town site was laid out and in 1871, Silver City was designated as the county seat. By this time, Silver City was already a thriving mining town with some 284 homes, five smelters, two hotels, a brewery, bakery, livery, blacksmith, jeweler, and numerous other retail and commercial establishments.
in 1872, community leaders proposed a bill to the New Mexico Legislature, authorizing the incorporation of Silver City. The bill failed to pass, and a feeling of unrest began to grow as community leaders felt that the needs of Silver City were not being recognized in Santa Fe. Adding to local discontent, the Republican-led state government reduced the number of legislative representatives from the predominantly Democratic counties of Doña Ana, Grant and Lincoln, from four to two. The seeds of succession were sown, and Grant County petitioned the federal government to become part of the Arizona Territory in 1876, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the United States. The Arizona Territorial representative introduced the bill, but it died in committee.
Undaunted, Silver City leaders regrouped and obtained a sponsor for a bill authorizing a territorial charter that was introduced to the New Mexico Legislature on January 31, 1878. The bill passed unanimously, and was signed into law on February 15, 1878. At last, Silver City residents could elect their own city officials and participate in self-governance.
For more information about Territorial Charter Day events, please contact Sarah Zamora, community engagement manager at the Silver City Museum, (575) 597-0230, or communityengagement@silvercitymuseum.org. For more information about the Town of Silver City, please visit the official webpage, townofsilvercity.org .