Lincoln Historic Site is the most widely visited state historic site in New Mexico. It’s located in the unincorporated village of Lincoln.
Lincoln Historic Site preserves the buildings along the single street running through town, which is pretty much unchanged since its heyday in the early 1880s. It’s famous for the escape of notorious outlaw Billy the Kid (1859-1881) in April 1881 and the Lincoln County War (1878-1881). In fact, President Rutherford B. Hayes called Lincoln “The Most Dangerous Street in America.”
The historic district encompasses the entire town, which was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960. The historic site is made up of 17 structures.
Visiting
Lincoln Historic Site is open Thursday through Monday from 10am to 4pm. Adult admission is US$7 while children 16 and under are admitted free (as of September 2024).
Nine buildings operate as museums. Seven of them are open year-round while two are open seasonally. Admission grants access to the six buildings, but anyone can walk along the street and see the buildings from the outside at no charge. The links below include all of the buildings I saw when I passed through town:
Attractions: