There's real gold in Hillsboro: Tiny, friendly, historic, scenic New Mexico community is a treasure

Old prospectors still poke around creek beds and the nearby Black Range mountains, searching for instant wealth or at least a promising gold nugget. But everyone who puts down roots in Hillsboro knows the real treasure is not mineral wealth but pristine scenic vistas, quaint gift and antique shops, galleries and restaurants, glimpses of mining and ranching history -- and the best gem of all, people so friendly they make all visitors feel at home. Hillsboro is a speck on the map along Percha Creek in southwestern New Mexico. Founded in 1877, the town flourished after prospectors discovered gold in the surrounding Black Range mountains. The lore says Hillsboro evolved quickly into an important mining and ranching center with four saloons, four grocery stores and a post office early in its history. Nestled in the foothills of the Black Range, Hillsboro now has become an interesting community of artists, writers, ranchers and assorted characters, some more eccentric than others. Unofficial population: 185...more