Los Portales
by J. Younger
The Portales area, a significant archaeological area, has evidence of human activity dating back over 13,000 years. The Blackwater Draw National Historic Landmark, located on the Eastern New Mexico University campus, is a key site where Paleo Indian Clovis hunters pursued megafauna 11,000~13,000 years ago, reshaping our understanding of early human migration. Comanche Indians later used the High Plains for buffalo hunting until their relocation to Oklahoma in 1874. The Blackwater Draw Museum preserves these artifacts. Spanish and European American settlement grew in the 1880s with cattle ranchers like Doak Good settling near Portales Springs along the Fort Sumner Trail, drawn by accessible groundwater.
The spring, also known as “Billy’s Castle,” holds additional historical significance. In 1880, Pat Garrett noted its substantial water supply, capable of supporting 1,000 cattle, making it an ideal location for Billy Bonney and Charlie Bowdre’s dream stage line holding station. They did really reportedly have a home here. Their house, situated in an arroyo with surrounding hills serving as a natural watchtower, also facilitated cattle collection from the Texas Panhandle. Today, some caves remain visible, though others have eroded, and an abandoned windmill marks the site of dried up springs. A historic marker on Highway 70, northeast of Portales, guides visitors to this hard to find site, which also reflects Garrett’s contributions to eastern New Mexico’s irrigation.
The spring, also known as “Billy’s Castle,” holds additional historical significance. In 1880, Pat Garrett noted its substantial water supply, capable of supporting 1,000 cattle, making it an ideal location for Billy Bonney and Charlie Bowdre’s dream stage line holding station. They did really reportedly have a home here. Their house, situated in an arroyo with surrounding hills serving as a natural watchtower, also facilitated cattle collection from the Texas Panhandle. Today, some caves remain visible, though others have eroded, and an abandoned windmill marks the site of dried up springs. A historic marker on Highway 70, northeast of Portales, guides visitors to this hard to find site, which also reflects Garrett’s contributions to eastern New Mexico’s irrigation.
