Santa Rita, New Mexico

The site of Chino copper mine, Santa Rita was located fifteen miles (24.1 km) east of Silver City.

Copper mining in the area began late in the Spanish colonial period, but it was not until 1803 that Franscisco Manuel Elguea, a Chihuahua banker and businessman, founded the town of Santa Rita.

In 1837, however, an American trader named John Johnson lured the Apaches to a gathering and then massacred them to sell their scalps for the bounty offered by the Mexican government.

The rich Santa Rita copper mine in New Mexico was a principal target of Mangas Coloradas and his followers.

The 300 to 400 inhabitants of Santa Rita fled south toward the Janos presidio, 150 miles (241.4 km) away, but the Apache killed nearly all of them en route.