San Juan Mission, Lincoln, NM
**Lincoln Historic District** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000477, date listed 10/15/1966
U.S. 380
Lincoln, NM (Lincoln County)
A National Historic Landmark (www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nh...).
Lincoln, New Mexico was founded circa 1854 by a band of Hispano farmers from the Rio Grande valley who were enabled by increased U.S. military protection against Apache raids to exploit the fertile land of the Rio Bonito valley. Known, as La Placita del Rio Bonito (the little town by the beautiful river).
The story of Lincoln, New Mexico, duplicates that of most of the cow towns that sprang up on the advancing cattlemen's frontier in the years following the Civil War. Like its counterparts throughout the West, it was a business and social community serving surrounding ranges. To it drifted cowboys, badmen, gunfighters, rustlers, soldiers, and famous lawmen. It was a scene of courtroom battles, public executions, and gunfights. As in other parts of the cattle country, conflict over water, government beef contracts, and grazing rights engendered bad feeling. At Lincoln one of the famous feuds for which the cattle frontier is noted reached its dramatic climax. (1)
Built from 1885 – 1887 under the guidance of Father John Marie Garnier, the parishioners built this church – the largest church in Lincoln County at that time – a little over 3,000 sq. ft. The church is built of adobes made on site and vigas hauled in from the Capitan Mountains. (2)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...
(2) Old Lincoln Town oldlincolntown.org/site/san-juan-mission/
San Juan Mission, Lincoln, NM
**Lincoln Historic District** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000477, date listed 10/15/1966
U.S. 380
Lincoln, NM (Lincoln County)
A National Historic Landmark (www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nh...).
Lincoln, New Mexico was founded circa 1854 by a band of Hispano farmers from the Rio Grande valley who were enabled by increased U.S. military protection against Apache raids to exploit the fertile land of the Rio Bonito valley. Known, as La Placita del Rio Bonito (the little town by the beautiful river).
The story of Lincoln, New Mexico, duplicates that of most of the cow towns that sprang up on the advancing cattlemen's frontier in the years following the Civil War. Like its counterparts throughout the West, it was a business and social community serving surrounding ranges. To it drifted cowboys, badmen, gunfighters, rustlers, soldiers, and famous lawmen. It was a scene of courtroom battles, public executions, and gunfights. As in other parts of the cattle country, conflict over water, government beef contracts, and grazing rights engendered bad feeling. At Lincoln one of the famous feuds for which the cattle frontier is noted reached its dramatic climax. (1)
Built from 1885 – 1887 under the guidance of Father John Marie Garnier, the parishioners built this church – the largest church in Lincoln County at that time – a little over 3,000 sq. ft. The church is built of adobes made on site and vigas hauled in from the Capitan Mountains. (2)
References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...
(2) Old Lincoln Town oldlincolntown.org/site/san-juan-mission/