Lincoln is cradled in the Bonito Valley between the Sacramento and Capitan Mountains. Its elevation is about 5,700 feet. Running along its Northern perimeter, is the Bonito River.

President Rutherford B. Hayes once called Lincoln’s street, “the most dangerous street in America ”. The town of Lincoln today probably owes its existence to Billy the Kid. But before Billy came onto the scene, and the events of the Lincoln County War, this area like many others areas was home to many different settlers over time. Most recently before the Spanish settlers were the Mescalero Apache. Spanish newcomers began arriving in 1849, just as New Mexico was becoming a territory of the United States. About 15 miles up the Bonito river the Army was busy building a new base of operations to be named Fort Stanton, after Captain Henry Stanton. The “New Mexicans” named their new home La Placita del Río Bonito. It was later shortened to La Placita.

The families that first settled, had to have come prepared. That first fall and winter they occupied LaPlacita was probably all construction, and dragging the ground soils to farm it in the spring. The village first consisted of a few Adobe buildings around the plaza sheltered by a thick circular stone tower known as the Torreon, built in 1855 to help the citizens defend themselves from the Apache. There were portholes all around it and the top had breastwork for firing through.The entire village was said to have fit inside the three story tower until it was safe to come out. Soon enough the town doubled in size and Lincoln’s road was stretched out to about a mile in length. The community of La Placita sprang to life.

By 1860 the Rio Bonito area, with La Placita at its heart, had about 275 citizens. About 50 households and 180 military personnel. During the Civil War, around 1861 the Army left the Bonita valley unprotected to go fight in the war. Many settlers, having no protection from the army, fled the area. The army returned almost a year later as did the Bonito Valley settlers to re-populate La Placita. During the next few years the Rio Bonito, Rio Ruidoso and upper Hondo valleys slowly filled up with new settlers. By the late 1860’s the town had about 400 people.

Many ex-army soldiers and officers from Fort Stanton decided to stake their futures in the wild lands of the Bonito Valley. Among them were: Major William Brady, Capt. Saturnina Baca, Corporal Jesus S. Sandoval, Christobal Chavez, Jose Torres, Juan Andres Silva, and many others.

In 1869 Captain Baca, L.G. Murphy, Major William Brady and Dr. J. Blazer introduced the Baca Bill creating Lincoln County. Legislators suggested that it be named Baca County but Captain Baca declined the honor, asking that it be named for the new President, Abraham Lincoln. La Placita was in the center of the county and was named the county seat and renamed Lincoln, thrusting the quiet little village into a busy town. Major Brady was appointed Lincoln’s first Sheriff. Many young men began to flock to the new territory, with free land up for grabs to anyone willing to develop it. This created a sense of urgency, at least to the willing opportunist…

When L.G. Murphy and partner Jimmy Dolan first settled in La Placita; they operated a small store in the middle of town, where the Tunstall store is now located. In 1872 Murphy had a Hotel built and named it The Lincoln Hotel. It would later be called the La Fonda and then Wortley Hotel and was briefly owned by Pat Garrett. In 1873, L.G. Murphy & Dolan  established a large 2 story store in Lincoln called the Murphy store. Not only was it the “biggest” store in the county, it held civil offices including the town’s first post office. This deemed Murphy’s business as “essential”. Jesus Sandoval became the first mail carrier out of Lincoln and Dolan was set to be Postmaster.

The Murphy house also had a secret meeting room for the Freemasons accessible only up a ladder in the back.of the building. The big store became known as “the house” due to its Monopoly over commerce in the county. The Murphy house dominated the beef market and dry goods. They supplied nearby Tribes and Army Forts, as well as the citizens in the large county. It became the largest store in the county.

George Peppin, was a master stonemason and later served as Sheriff of Lincoln. Peppin built many of the homes in Lincoln such as Alex Mcsweens home, James Dolans, Dr. Woods, the big Murphy house, likely the San Juan church and many more.

Eventually Murphy and Dolan would add a partner, allowing him to “buy” his way in. He was John Riley. Riley was another man retired from Fort Stanton. Around 1875 Murphy’s health began to decline. Dolan and Riley became Murphy’s successors . Dolan seemed more of a fighter than a businessman, and didn’t understand “good ethics”. He was reckless and with Murphy gone and The House being under investigation for fraud began to see his business on the decline. The only power he had left was his bosses at The Santa Fe Ring who gave Dolan the use and impunity of the judicial system to work in his favor. Dolan would mostly rely on stolen beef to fill the contracts he was clinging on to mostly stolen from big cattle business man John Chisum near Roswell. About this time Dolan opened up a cow camp just on the south end of Chisum’s ranch. The intentions were obvious and to make things difficult The powers at hand had Lincoln County cut down so that Chisum’s and Dolan cow camp were just on the other side of the new county line that had not been established yet, leaving it practically lawless for a moment.

One fine day in March 1875 change came to town, in the form of man. A bystander recalls the man arriving in town, stepping out of a wagon boldly and loudly stating “I plan on making Lincoln my El Dorado!” His name was Alexander Mcsween. Mac became the first Attorney to set up residence in the County seat of Lincoln, at Lincoln. Mac quickly built an impressive amount of clients including John Chisum. Mac was also hired by James Dolan. While working a case for Dolan on a life insurance policy, Mcsween met John Tunstall in Santa Fe. He is a man from England looking to settle and invest in a business. Mcsween persuaded him to establish himself in Lincoln. Mcsween may have seen an honest man with money and thought, Lincoln could use a man like this.. Perhaps Mcsween, a god fearing man, while working with Dolan and his gang of sinners, realized he needed more stability in Lincoln, a godless town.

Mcsween also possibly sent a letter to the Pioneer Presbyterian Missions to request someone for some preachin’ and teachin’, both in which were much needed in Lincoln. Not to dismiss the teachings of community leader Juan Patron, but it was a growing town and need the proper and larger shelters for such activities. Doctor Ealy was sent to help set up the town’s first church and school. And with Tunstall on board, Mcsween may have thought there may be hope for Lincoln yet.

Although Lincoln has always had its fair share of troublemakers like horse thieves; Juan Gonzalez, Nica Meras and Jesus Largo or outlaws Juan Mes and his three brothers Paz, Jesus and Juanito. The outlaw brothers killed Oliver Thomas in Lincoln in December 1875. In response to the killing the 9th Cavalry from Fort Stanton was released to pursue them and killed 6 of their gang.

Now that John Tunstall had a ranch in the area, he needed a store. Before James Dolan realized what was happening he sold Mcsween the lots next to Mcsweens home including the old abandoned store, once owned by Dolan and Murphy. It would then become the Tunstall store. On the other side was an empty lot where Dr. Ealy’s church was to be built. It also included the Torreon and Saturnino Baca’s home.

Dolan was now in real trouble so to stay open, and began using mob-like tactics and price gouging. Not that they weren’t already… Citizens were always forced to pay high amounts for their needs while accepting little for the goods they were selling. but they then cut out the farmers raising stock and hired local guns to steal herds to fulfill the beef contracts. They began with Chisum’s herds and then Tunstalls.

But wait, back to the life insurance policy…It was the documents of Emil Fritz over a $7,000 life insurance policy that set up the stage for the Lincoln County War. Mcsween retrieved these funds and it wasn’t until Tunstall put his store in place that Dolan wanted the money from Mcsween of that life insurance policy, as he was the one to hire him. Dolan may have claimed Fritz was in debt that much to “the house, and was going to try and keep it. Mcsween said the proper recipients were in Germany and declined Dolan the money.

James Dolan used the fact that Mcsween still had not handed over the money, and had the law on his side and they served a writ of attachment on Tunstall’s property just on the basis that Mcsweens new office was inside Tunstall’s store. Making it appear that Mcsween and Tunstall were partners, when in fact they were not. Tunstall naturally showed some resistance to this act, and being wealthy, posed a serious risk for Dolan, costing Tunstall his life.

Long story short here, Tunstall was killed by Dolan’s henchman and for that The Lincoln County War was underway! Soon Sheriff Brady and Deputy in Hindman were shot down in Lincoln followed by a couple small shootouts leading to a five-day battle where the Tunstall/Mcsween men took positions in Lincoln’s buildings spread out throughout town. In the end Dolan’s men burned down Mcsween’s house and killed him as he came out. Most say that this was the end of the Lincoln County War. The Regulators had lost a hell of a fight, most skinned out into the night. But did they really lose? Dolan went bankrupt and foreclosed on his loan. Unfortunately, the foreclosed loan went to Thomas Catron, the head of the Santa Fe Ring, who were Dolans allies. James Dolan later ended up acquiring Tunstall’s old store and ranch property. I often wonder how Dolan slept at night in Tunstall’s old place. He took down Tunstall’s sign at the store, placing his own. Later the store became the Penfield station and later the state acquired it and restored the building to its original look. Most of the precipitants of the Lincoln County War scattered or had settled down except for Billy the Kid, who was still riding New Mexico Territory and refused to cower out. He was finally captured and brought to Lincoln and put on “death row” ; he escaped the Lincoln County courthouse where he was held, killing both guards.

Lincoln continued to serve the community as a supply Center for the ranchers and miners of the area. Dr. Ealy was never able to get his mission in Lincoln accomplished, but at least Lincoln got the church and schoolhouse they needed. The La Iglesia De San Juan Bautista (San Juan) was built in 1887, well after The Ealy’s left town.. By 1888 Lincoln grew to a population of about 800 and then from there it would slowly decrease when the railroad moved to nearby Carrizozo. The town began to decline in population and by 1909 lost its county seat status to Carrizozo.

The old Lincoln County courthouse then became a community center and later a school. They had sports teams and games, right out back of the courthouse. In 1937 the state of New Mexico gained control over the Old courthouse and began restoration and preservation work.

In January 1942, during World War 2, a month following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the population of Japanese-Americans living in the U.S. were placed on basically house arrest. The Japanese railroad workers and others of New Mexico were gathered and temporarily imprisoned on an old ranch on the outskirts of Lincoln known as the Raton ranch. During this time Lincoln was on lockdown. No school. ect. Fort Stanton was also being used to house captured Nazi and German sailors.

By 1960 Lincoln was classified as a national historical sight called The Lincoln historic district. It has become one of the most historic preserved towns in the U.S.. Most of these old buildings now serve as museums open to the public. The historic district contains around 45 structures, some privately owned. The old adobe and stone buildings were rebuilt and preserved as they appeared in the late 1800s. There are at least two museums open year round and four that open seasonally. In 2010 the population dwindled down to about 190.

If you’re visiting today, there is a fun little trail to walk as well as climbing up inside the old Torreon. The Tunstall store has the original shelving and cases and it displays original 19th century merchandise. Outback is an invisible graveyard, although there are many bodies buried there, Mcsween and Tunstall have the only markers. The courthouse where Billy made his escape is loaded with items to gawk at for hours. Exhibits inside show the buildings used as a store, residence, Masonic Lodge and later a courthouse, jail, and schoolhouse. There is also the San Juan mission Church, Dr. Woods house, the Montano store, the sad empty lot of Mcseens and more. The San Juan is open to the public for viewing. The graveyard with some famous names is just outside town on the east. In the past you could have lunch and stay the night at the Wortley hotel, Patron house or the Dolan house. The Dolan house, Ellis House and Wortley are currently closed for business and are currently on the market for sale.