It's hard to believe that in Billy the Kid's era Lincoln was home to a bustling population of nearly 900. Today it is essentially a ghost town, with only about 50 people living here. Those who do, however, are dedicated to preserving its 1880s buildings. Modern influences, such as souvenir stands, are not allowed, and New Mexico has designated the entire town as the Lincoln Historic Site. It's a pretty cool place to get away from this century for a night.
Visits consist of strolling the half-mile length of Lincoln’s one street. Start at the east end, where exhibits in the Anderson-Freeman Visitors Center, on the Buffalo soldiers, Apaches and the Lincoln County War, explain the town's history. Admission includes entry to the Tunstall Store (with a remarkable display of late-19th-century merchandise), the Courthouse from which the Kid famously shot his way to freedom, killing two deputies, and Dr Wood's House, an intact 19th-century doctor's home and office. Note that outside of the Visitors Center and the Courthouse, the town nearly shuts down in winter, with most of the key historic buildings open April through October only. A coffee shop and a new microbrewery, both on the main drag, add some life to the mix.
