There is no archeological or historic evidence of permanent occupation along the Byway after the Salado departed the area until the 1600’s, when Spanish records first mention the presence of Apache hunters and gatherers along the headwaters of the Gila River. At this time the Apaches began trading with and raiding Spanish settlements in northern Chihuahua, Mexico. The Spanish military pursued Apache raiders into the Mogollon Mountains in the late 1700’s, eventually establishing a fort and copper mines at Santa Rita in 1804. Numerous small Mexican settlements were established in the Mimbres, Silver City and Gila Valley areas during this period.
American trappers began exploring the Gila headwaters in the 1820’s and the American military entered the area in the 1840’s during the Mexican-American War. Following the acquisition of New Mexico by the United States in 1848, American miners began visiting the area on their way to the gold fields of California. A series of small forts were established in the Mimbres (Fort Webster) area to moderate difficulties between the miners and Apaches. A reservation was proposed in the Mimbres Valley for the Apaches in the 1850’s; however, the discovery of gold in Pinos Altos in 1859 led to an influx of 700 miners and increased hostilities between the Apaches and the American settlers, resulting in the Apache being forced off the proposed reservation.
Fort Bayard was established following the Civil War in 1866 to police this portion of the frontier, with military camps and roads located at many places along the Byway, including Mimbres, Lake Roberts, Gila Hot Springs and Pinos Altos. Most of the soldiers at Fort Bayard were black Buffalo Soldiers. Silver was discovered in the 1870's at nearby Georgetown and then San Vicente. The latter led to the establishment of the town of Silver City.
The 1880’s and 1890’s saw increasing occupation of the Mogollon Mountains by miners, military forces, ranchers and homesteaders. Few Apache remained in the area after 1886, when Geromino’s band was captured and removed to prison in Florida. Towns and roads were built, logging was begun in earnest to provide lumber, fuel and charcoal for the towns and mills. The Gila National Forest was created in 1905 out of several Forest Reserves to maintain watersheds, fight fire and manage timber, mining, homesteading, hunting and ranching in the forested mountains along the Byway. In 1907, the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument was established to protect that outpost of the Mogollon culture.
Photograph of Geronimo courtesy of the Silver City Museum.
