As with all pioneer towns, women in Silver City have played notable roles in developing their communities. A few of these women are often well remembered and celebrated for their contributions. Silver City often speaks of Catherine McCarty-Antrim, Billy the Kid’s mother. Elizabeth Warren owned insurance and real estate agencies, and was the first woman contractor, in Silver City. Rebecca Brewer, known as a businesswoman and benefactor, purchased the east half of Silver City and sold lots for small installment payments. The area is now known as Brewer Hill.
And don’t forget the town’s famous madams, Bessie Harper, “Madame Millie” and “Lottie Deno”! Harper owned several bordellos and developed real estate. Mildred Clark Cusey known as “Madam Millie” was an orphan, Harvey Girl, prostitute, and businesswoman. Owning several brothels until 1969, Millie was also the town’s leading philanthropist. “Madam Lottie”, Carlotta Thompkins Thurmond, a notorious gambler and card shark was the inspiration for the television series “Gunsmoke’s” Miss Kitty and the character Laura Denbow in the 1957 John Sturges film, “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.”
Many other women helped build Silver City and the surrounding community. A recent mural project installed on the Broadway Street building owned by artist Karen Hymer, honors six Silver City women who may have been underrepresented. According to the mural’s brochure, “Before Silver City’s founding in 1870, this area was for centuries home to Native Americans and later to Hispanic and Anglo settlers. This mural, intended as an art piece, recognizes, and celebrates women from the past, representing six different ethnic groups.”
Conceived and designed by Hymer, and executed with the assistance of Joe Huebner, the project was funded by a grant for The Backing Small Business Grant Program presented by Main Street America and American Express. Hymer was inspired to produce this mural after meeting and viewing the work of Chip Thomas (AKA Jetsonorama). The women chosen for this mural come from different backgrounds and ethnic groups. They are not necessarily the most well-known women from the past, but this mural seeks to educate and encourage dialogue about the history of women in Silver City.
The accompanying information from the brochure gives the history of each woman:
Lozen (1840-1889) was an Apache medicine woman, warrior and spiritual leader of the Chihenne band of the Chiricahua Apaches. Sister of Chief Victorio, Lozen participated in warrior ceremonies and joined forces with Geronimo in the Apache wars ending in 1886. As with many Apaches, she died in captivity of tuberculosis.
Rosa Betancourt Hernandez worked with many other Hispanic women in the Santa Rita and Hurley Chino mines during WWII. As many as 58 women were placed on the track gang maintaining 35 miles of railroad track in the Chino copper pit.
Sue Lew Lime (1910-1995) was born in Deming, married Mah Foon Lime who owned the Chinese Gardens and a restaurant in Silver City. For 50 years they ran the famed Manhattan Café and Chef Grill. After raising six children and sending them to college, Sue fed many hungry students. She was fluent in Chinese, English and Spanish.
Matilda R. Koehler (1861-1949) in 1890 became the principal of Silver City’s public school. In 1906 she resigned to help manage businesswoman Elizabeth Warren’s real estate holdings. In 1907 Koehler and Warren started a construction business building the first concrete sidewalks in Silver City supervising as many as 300 men.
Rosa Borenstein (1887-1977) was born to Russian Jewish parents, and married Eli Borenstein. Rosa handled the sales at the family dry goods store in Silver City. As co-owner of the Borenstein’s Department Store in 1935 she added retail space and additional departments. Rosa also developed properties to lease to business owners.
Anita Scott Coleman (1890-1960) was the daughter of a Buffalo soldier, who grew up on the family homestead near Silver City. She graduated from the New Mexico Territorial Normal School and became a writer of short stories in magazines. Her work appeared in leading Harlem Renaissance periodicals showing a southwestern African American perspective on the early 20th century. In 1926 she moved to California. She is remembered as an artist, teacher, mother, community leader, activist and prolific writer.
And let’s not forget the inspiration for this piece. Karen Hymer studied photography in college and taught at a community college in Tucson, AZ for 26 years. After retirement in 2018, she sought a smaller art community, and moved to Silver City, bought a historic building, and opened an art gallery and teaching space. Her gallery Light Art Space survived the pandemic and has now grown to represent 12 local artists while also featuring international juried and curated exhibitions, while also offering workshops in a variety of media. Part of the mission of Light Art Space is to interface with and support the local community.
To find out more about the fabulous women of Silver City and the surrounding region, or just to learn more about the area, visit the Silver City Museum.
