Spanish-speaking settlers arrived here in 1849 and named their community La Placita or Bonito, referring to "the village by the pretty river". In 1869, the territorial legislature created a new county named for President Lincoln, and La Placita changed its name to Lincoln and became the new county seat, though in 1909, the county seat was moved to Carizozo.
Lincoln figured in the feud known as the Lincoln County War in the late 1800's. Then, Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett were well-known in Lincoln. Today (1999) Lincoln has been carefully preserved so we can understand better what happened in Old Lincoln.