Western New Mexico University

The group of Silver City understood a long-term dream on February 11, 1893, when the Thirtieth Session of the Territorial Legislature of New Mexico passed "An Act to Establish and Provide for the Maintenance and Government of the Normal Schools of New Mexico." Silver City and Las Vegas were been the areas of these instructor preparing foundations. Thissuccessfully finished the endeavors of numerous in Silver City, who had endeavored for a considerable length of time to persuade the Territorial Legislature to support a foundation of higher learning in Silver City.

A Board of Regents, designated by Governor L. Bradford Prince, was given the errand of selecting a site for the school. On June 2, 1893, the Board acknowledged Regent John W. Fleming's offer of 20 sections of land arranged on a high slope west of the group. This site permitted the organization to be unmistakable to all who came into town. On September 7, 1894, a great commitment service was held. Inside of the foundation laid by the authorities and townspeople, a copper box containing coins, magazines, and different things of the period was put. The military band of Fort Bayard gave suitable music.

The main chief was George Selby, a teacher from Deming, who was given the title of central. He is recognized as the man who was given the troublesome undertaking of creating educational module and giving direction to the initial forty understudies.

The main Normal Catalog, arranged under the course of Principal Selby for the 1895-1896 term, introduced the statement of purpose of the school:

With the takeoff of Selby, Charles M. Light turned into the foremost. He later turned into the first to be given the title of President. Teacher Light, a Doctor of Pedagogy, gave a required demeanor of strength for the youthful establishment and managed significant development of the physical plant, staff, and understudy body. His residency kept going until 1914.

It was amid 1917 that Fleming Hall was finished to house an exercise center and Science Department. Today this building is the home of the WNMU Museum which was set up in 1974. In the mid 1920's the New Mexico Normal School turned out to be New Mexico State Teachers' College. Taking after World War I, Dotson Field was developed and named after a graduate who kicked the bucket in the war.

Close to the end of the 1920's, Light Hall was finished to serve as an assembly room, library and classroom office. Despite the fact that Graham Gymnasium was begun years before, it was not finished until 1936. Amid the Depression of the 1930's there were various W.P.A. Ventures which conveyed upgrades to the grounds.

Toward the end of the 1930's an optional school connected with the school started operations in another expanding on the east side of the grounds. Western High School was swung over to the Silver Consolidated School District on July 1,1960.

In spite of the fact that there was a deferral in grounds development amid World War II, the convergence of numerous veterans taking after the war made it important to convey provisional lodging to the grounds. The new lodging was quickly named Veterans' Dormitory. In 1948 a College Cafeteria supplanted the cafeteria situated in the storm cellar of Ritch Hall. In 1949 the Mustang Field House and swimming pool were finished.

In 1979 the wish for an encased pool was satisfied. In 1954 the President's house was finished. Mill operator Library, taking after the wrecking of "Old Main,'' was inherent 1957 then was totally rebuilt in 1997, multiplying its size. In 1966 the Fine Arts Auditorium, the McCray Art Building, and the Parotti Music building were done. These structures have included social open doors for the University and neighborhood group. Western New Mexico University got its present name in 1963. The Phelps Dodge-Felix Martinez Buildings (1970), Glaser Hall (1981) and the Juan Chacon Building (1983) mirror the satisfaction of later needs of the University