Lincoln Historic Site

Lincoln Historic Site preserves one of the most famous towns of the American Old West.

Spread throughout the tiny community of Lincoln, the site includes historic adobe buildings, museums, stores, a courthouse, and other structures connected to the Lincoln County War and Billy the Kid.

What makes Lincoln remarkable is that it is not a reconstructed Old West attraction. This is the actual town where one of the most violent conflicts in the American West unfolded, and many of its historic buildings still stand along the same road where the fighting took place. Much of Lincoln has been preserved to retain the character and appearance of the late 1800s.

Exploring Lincoln Historic Site

Lincoln Historic Site manages 17 historic structures spread throughout the community, with several operating as museums. When you visit, you’ll explore Lincoln by walking along US 380, which follows the old main street through town.

Start at the Anderson-Freeman Visitor Center, where exhibits introduce the history of the Bonito Valley before moving into the growth of Lincoln and the events that eventually made the town famous.

From there, walk through the historic district, where old buildings, stores, ruins, and private residences remain mixed together along the road.

Some of the coolest stops include:

• Old Lincoln County Courthouse — Originally the headquarters of the Murphy-Dolan general store known as “The House,” this large building later became the Lincoln County Courthouse and jail. Billy the Kid was imprisoned here in 1881 while awaiting execution before he escaped and killed deputies James Bell and Bob Olinger. Today, the building contains exhibits on the courthouse, Billy the Kid, and the Lincoln County War. If you want an abridged experience, see the visitor center and this building.

• H.H. Tunstall & Company Store — John Tunstall opened this store in competition with the Murphy-Dolan operation, helping set the stage for the Lincoln County War. Original 19th-century merchandise is still displayed on original shelving and inside original cases, preserving the frontier character of the original store. Tunstall’s body is also buried behind the building.

• Torreón — This round defensive tower was built by Hispanic settlers during the 1850s, decades before the Lincoln County War. Lincoln was originally known as La Placita del Rio Bonito, and the Torreón provided a defensive position during a period of conflict between local settlers and the Mescalero Apache. It was later used again during the Lincoln County War and remains one of the most distinctive buildings in town.

• San Juan Mission and the Convento — La Iglesia de San Juan Bautista and the nearby Convento provide another look at community life in historic Lincoln.

How Long Should You Spend at Lincoln Historic Site?

Plan on spending around 2 to 3 hours in Lincoln.

The visitor center is fairly small and can usually be seen in about an hour, including its short orientation film. From there, the rest of Lincoln is explored on foot. The historic buildings are spread throughout town, with interpretive signs explaining each site, so it takes another couple of hours to walk between them and look around. It is time well spent. Lincoln is one of the most interesting historic sites in New Mexico, and it fits easily into a full day of sightseeing with nearby Fort Stanton and Smokey Bear Historical Park.