Lincoln County Collection

Collection

Identifier: PAAC -0040

Staff Only

Scope and Content

Original transfer included documents, photographs, letters, framed prints and albums. In addition to original photographs there are many copies of historically significant photographs. Collection includes many portraits of people who played a significant role in Lincoln County or prominent in New Mexico politics.

Dates

1874 - 1960s

Language of Materials

English

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to researchers on an appointment basis only, pending approval of application to view original material.

Copy Restrictions

Permission to publish must be obtained from Photo Archives. Online Request Permission form available at: http://www.palaceofthegovernors.org/photo_request.html. User responsible for all copyright compliance.

Biographical Information

Material transferred from Lincoln County Courthouse by Lincoln County Historical Society with additional material from the Carrell Collection and Cora Crews Collection. Additionall material gathered during Department of Cultural Affairs registrar teams inventory of Lincoln State Monument in 2012.

The Lincoln County War in the late 1870s brought notoriety and violence to Lincoln, the peaceful and once largest county in the United States. One of the pivotal figures in the conflict between ranchers and general store owners was Billy the Kid (William Bonney) who was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett at Fort Sumner in 1881 ending the violence but leaving 19 people dead. The Lincoln County Courthouse was at the center of many legal battles waged during the history of Lincoln County. This material documents the history of Lincoln County and by extension New Mexico with a substantial number of photographs of people who lived in the Lincoln area, lawmen, politicians, businessmen and New Mexico in general. There is also a large amount of material relating to the career Governor George Curry who resided in Lincoln in later years. These photographs cover the history of Lincoln and surroundings from the 1870s into the 1960s. Some are copy photographs from old exhibits or displays from the Lincoln County Courthouse and other buildings at Lincoln State Monument.