The Unique Village In New Mexico Where Time Stands Still
Good things come in small packages and if you apply that adage to New Mexico’s small towns, you’ll find hundreds of delightful surprises scattered around the state. One such location? Lincoln, New Mexico.
Home to just one street and more than a dozen preserved buildings, history lives on nearly undisturbed in Lincoln.
Located just 57 miles west of Roswell along Billy the Kid Trail and nestled in the Bonito Valley, this tiny town makes for the perfect day trip.
The village is home to the Lincoln Historic Site, a state monument that preserves a collection of 17 adobe and stone buildings that date back to the 1870s and 80s.
During this time period, New Mexico was an exceptionally bloody place; the notoriety of the Wild West was in full swing and life was difficult for most in the region.
The historic site documents this laborious lifestyle. It has seven museums that detail life here, including houses...
...as well as community buildings. One example is the old county courthouse, which held the infamous Billy the Kid for a time before he was to be executed.
You can visit the site Wednesday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays and major holidays. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 17 and under. You can find additional details on the New Mexico Historic Sites website.
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
