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Lincoln Historic Site is the most widely visited state historic site in New Mexico. It’s located in the unincorporated village of Lincoln.
Introduction to Lincoln Historic Site
Lincoln Historic Site preserves the buildings along Calle La Placita, the single street running through town. The town, which is pretty much unchanged since its heyday in the early 1880s, is 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 while the historic site consists of 17 structures. Lincoln was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960.
Visiting Lincoln Historic Site
Lincoln Historic Site is open Thursday through Monday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is US$7 for adults and free for kids under 17 (as of September 2025). Check the official website for more info.
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.
Anderson-Freeman Visitor Center and Museum
The Anderson-Freeman Visitor Center and Museum is the best place to start exploring Lincoln Historic Site. It was built in 1978 by the Lincoln County Heritage Trust. Other than learning about the history of Lincoln, it’s also where you can pay for admission to the historic site. The visitor center is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm.
Exhibits
The Anderson-Freeman Visitor Center and Museum features a historical timeline beginning with prehistory and Native Americans and ending at the Lincoln County War. There are also plenty of artifacts and photos as well as a 22-minute film about the Lincoln County War. The film runs every half hour.
The first section of the museum includes displays about the Apaches who lived in the area long before the first European settlers arrived. It includes photos, clothing, pottery, and more.
Next is a display on the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-black regiment making up the 9th Cavalry. They were stationed at nearby Fort Stanton during the Indian Wars in the mid to late 1800s. Another display about Fort Stanton follows, as well as a display about the town of Lincoln.
Lincoln County War
Finally, there’s a very thorough exhibit on the Lincoln County War, which lasted from 1878 to 1881. The “war” began when wealthy Englishman John Tunstall (1853-1878) opened a general store, cattle ranch, and bank in Lincoln County in 1876, along with business partner and attorney Alexander McSween (1837-1878). They were backed by local rancher John Chisum (1824-1884).
Tunstall’s store offered competition to James Dolan (1848-1898) and Lawrence Murphy (1831-1878), two Irishmen who owned the only general store in the county and monopolized the dry goods market. They also controlled local politics, the criminal justice system, and law enforcement, and were allied with Sheriff William Brady (1829-1878). Dolan and Murphy, who were Irish and Catholic, didn’t take kindly to the encroachment on their territory, especially by a man of English and Protestant descent. They hired groups of outlaws to harass Tunstall and rustle cattle from the Tunstall and Chisum ranches.
The war officially began when Tunstall was murdered in front of several of his ranch hands on February 18, 1878. One of those hands was Billy the Kid (1859-1881). The ranch hands formed a group called “The Regulators” in order to avenge their boss’ murder.
As the war escalated over the next few months, Sheriff Brady, McSween, and 20 others were all killed. Dolan was indicted and acquitted for Tunstall’s murder, and later acquired all of Tunstall’s property. Murphy died of cancer on October 20, 1878. Billy the Kid continued on as a fugitive until he was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett (1850-1908) on July 14, 1881.
Luna-Chavez House
Just in front of the Anderson-Freeman Visitor Center is the Luna-Chavez House. It was built before 1868 and was originally two separate houses. Today, it’s a single story adobe house with no hallways. For a good portion of its history, the Luna family lived on the east side while the Chavez family lived on the west side.
Torreón
Next is the Torreón. It’s a circular stone fortification built by the area’s first Hispanic settlers in the 1840s or 1850s. It has an open-roofed second story and was used as a lookout as well as for protection from raiding Apaches. The Torreón probably once sat in the center of a plaza. The Murphy-Dolan faction held it during the Five-Day Battle of the Lincoln County War in 1878 and stationed their sharpshooters there. The Chavez County Historical Society restored it in 1937.
Tunstall Store
Further along the street is the Tunstall Store. It was built by English merchant John Tunstall (1853-1878) in 1878 using part of a building dating back to the 1850s. The building also contained a bank, Tunstall’s living quarters, and a law office for his business partner Alexander McSween (1837-1878).
The Tunstall Store was the focal point of the Lincoln County War, which began when Tunstall and McSween came into direct competition with Jimmy Dolan (1848-1898) and Lawrence Murphy (1831-1878) in the dry goods business. Tunstall and McSween were both killed and are buried near the store. There’s a space under the floorboards where one of the Regulators, perhaps Billy the Kid (1859-1881), hid while wounded after the murder of Sheriff Willam Brady (1829-1878).
After 1878, the store went through several different owners including James Dolan. In 1914, John Penfield purchased it and ran it until his death in 1938. His family continued operating the business until 1957, when they sold it to the State of New Mexico.
Today, the Tunstall Store contains original 19th-century shelving and cases stocked with original 19th-century merchandise. Unfortunately, it was closed for the season when I walked by and I was unable to enter.
Dr. Watson House
Continuing west is the Dr. Watson House. It was built before 1886 but has no real historical value other than fitting in architecturally with the rest of the town of Lincoln. Dr. Thomas Watson was originally from Nova Scotia, Canada, and bought the house with his wife Virginia in 1903. They lived in the east rooms and had a pharmacy in the west rooms.
The Watsons moved to Carrizozo in 1914 and sold the house to Dr. John Neal and his wife Pearl in 1920. Watson’s neighbor, Dr. Earl Woods, ran the pharmacy for Dr. Neal and himself until 1922.
Dr. Woods Annex
Next is the Dr. Woods Annex, which was originally built in the 1880s as a furniture store. From 1889 to 1891, it was probably used as a newspaper office and printing press, and from 1892 to 1894 as a boarding house. Its function was unknown from 1894 to 1920, except for a short period as a saddle shop. During the early 1920s, it was used as a movie house. In 1926, Dr. Earl Woods converted the building into a winery and later a soap factory. From the 1930s to 1960s, it was used once again as a boarding house, and was acquired by the Lincoln County Heritage Trust in 1977.
Dr. Woods House
The annex sits adjacent to the Dr. Woods House. It was originally built by Lincoln County Sheriff and stonemason George Peppin (1841-1904) for George and Mary Danner around 1882. The house went through several owners until Dr. Woods and his wife Mary June purchased it in 1925. It was closed during my visit but is typically open on weekends from April through October.
Wortley Hotel
The final historic building on the north side of the street is the Wortley Hotel. It was once owned by Sheriff Pat Garrett (1850-1908) and still operates as a hotel. The building was occupied by the Murphy-Dolan faction during the Five-Day Battle.
On April 28, 1881, US Marshall Bob Olinger (1850-1881) was having dinner at the hotel with five prisoners from the Lincoln County Jail when he heard the gunfire coming from the courthouse across the street. He ran to the courthouse where Billy the Kid shot him dead along with Deputy James Bell from the second story window. It was the last time Billy the Kid escaped from the Lincoln County Jail.
Old Lincoln County Courthouse
The most important building at the Lincoln Historic Site is the Old Lincoln County Courthouse. It sits at the west end of town.
The Old Lincoln County Courthouse was originally built between 1873 and 1874 by Jimmy Dolan (1848-1898) and Lawrence Murphy (1831-1878), the owners of L. G. Murphy & Company. The building was known as the Big House and served as a general store for six years. It has also functioned as a Masonic lodge, bar, billiard room, sheriff’s office, jail, living quarters, courthouse, city and county offices, and school.
The county purchased the building in 1880 after Murphy went bankrupt and converted it into the Lincoln County Courthouse in 1881. Shortly after, Billy the Kid (1859-1881) made his legendary escape from there on April 28, 1881.
The building served as the courthouse until the county seat moved to Carrizozo in 1913. It was then used as a school for several years until the State of New Mexico acquired it in 1938, restored it, and reopened it as a museum in July 1939.
Exhibits
The Old Lincoln County Courthouse features exhibits highlighting the building’s use as a store, residence, Masonic lodge, courthouse, and jail, with the focus being on Billy the Kid’s escape. Some of the artifacts on display include an original stagecoach that ran through New Mexico from 1889 to 1912 as well as antique post office boxes.
Exhibits about Billy the Kid begin with a large photo and correspondence between Billy and Governor Lew Wallace (1827-1905). Also on display is the tombstone from Billy the Kid’s mother’s grave in Silver City, New Mexico.
Masonic Lodge
On the lower floor is a recreation of the room used as the Masonic lodge. Interpretive panels explain the meaning behind some of the items in the room.
Courtroom
On the second floor is the courtroom, which is organized how it would have looked in the late 19th century. The courtroom was originally four rooms that were used by Lawrence Murphy and other employees as living quarters. After the county purchased the building, Sheriff Pat Garrett (1850-1908) and later sheriffs used some of the rooms as offices and living quarters.
The corner of the room in which Billy the Kid was held before his escape is indicated by a white line on the floor. Other prisoners were held in another room across the hall.
Billy the Kid’s Escape
On April 28, 1881, US Marshall Bob Olinger (1850-1881) was having dinner across the street from the Old Lincoln County Courthouse with five prisoners at the Wortley Hotel. Deputy James Bell was alone with Billy the Kid, who asked to use the outhouse behind the building.
While returning to the building, Billy hid around a blind corner, slipped out of his handcuffs, and beat Bell with the loose end of the cuffs. He then grabbed Bell’s revolver and shot him in the back as Bell tried to get away. However, Pat Garrett stated that Billy broke into the armory to obtain the pistol that he used to shoot Bell.
Upon hearing the shots, Olinger ran back to the courthouse from the hotel. Billy the Kid was waiting at a window upstairs with a loaded shotgun. He shouted “Look up, old boy, and see what you get.” Olinger looked up and Billy shot and killed him. He was then able to break free of his leg shackles with a prospector’s pick or an axe, steal a horse, and ride west out of town.
The spots where Bell and Olinger died are marked on the ground outside. There’s also a bullet hole inside the building believed to have been created by Billy’s six-shooter during his escape.
Old Lincoln Church
Continuing east on the south side of the street is the Old Lincoln Church. It’s no longer used.
Dolan House
Across from the Tunstall Store is the Dolan House. It was built between 1883 and 1884 by George Peppin and Elijah Dow for Jimmy Dolan. The house had six rooms and an entryway, and Dolan had 20,000 adobe bricks made for its construction.
During the 1920s and 1930s, it served as a hotel, the Bonito Inn. In the 1950s, the house was expanded to 13 rooms. It was purchased and restored as close as possible to its original look in 2007.
San Juan Mission
Across from the Torreón is the San Juan Mission. This Catholic church was built between 1885 and 1887 by parishioners led by Father John Marie Garnier. It was sold to the State of New Mexico in 1973 in order to prevent it from deteriorating and opened to the public in 1984.
Behind the church was where the secret meeting between Billy the Kid and Governor Lew Wallace (1827-1905) took place. Wallace offered to pardon the Kid for the murder of Sheriff Brady in exchange for his testimony against Jimmy Dolan.
Convento
Next is the Convento, which was built before 1868 as a saloon, dance hall, and community center. From 1869 to December 1880, Lincoln County paid US$50 rent to use the building as the county courthouse twice a year for two weeks. Sheriff Brady was headed there when he was shot dead on April 1, 1878.
The Roman Catholic Church purchased the building in 1885 and briefly used it as a parish church until the San Juan Mission was completed in 1887. It was also used as a priest’s residence. By World War II, the building was abandoned. It was purchased by the state in 1962 and restoration began in 1964.
The Convento is open to the public. It contains interpretive panels featuring historic photographs and the history of the building.
Montaño Store
The final building on the south side of the street is the Montaño Store. It was built before 1868 and served as a boarding house and store for at least 30 years after the end of the Civil War. It was operated by José Montaño and his wife Josefa, who supported the Tunstall-McSween faction. Governor Lew Wallace stayed there for several weeks while trying to set up a secret meeting with Billy the Kid.
The Montaño Store became state property in 1966. It’s open to the public with exhibits on the Hispanic settlement of the town of Lincoln as well as the construction of adobe buildings.
