New Days of Operation at Lincoln & Fort Stanton Historic Sites

December 20th, 2019

(Lincoln County, New Mexico) -- New Mexico Historic Sites, a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, announces new days of operation at the Lincoln and Fort Stanton Historic Sites beginning January 1, 2020. 

Visitors can walk in the footsteps of Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and other legends of the American West at Lincoln Historic Site, Wednesday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Fort Stanton Historic Site, one of the best preserved frontier forts in America, will be open Tuesday through Sunday. The grounds of Fort Stanton will open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the museum and visitor center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The public can learn more about the state’s eight historic sites and plan trips at www.nmhistoricsites.org.

This change in operating schedules will allow the staff of New Mexico Historic Sites to expand visitor programming and interpretive experiences. These new opportunities will include updated exhibits, expanded school tour offerings and the reintroduction of daily guided public tours at each site. 

“Lincoln and Fort Stanton are the largest and most visited state-operated historic sites,” states Tim Roberts, New Mexico Historic Sites deputy director for Facilities and Interpretation. “This new schedule will increase our ability to engage visitors in new and exciting ways and continue to preserve the history of our state."

For nearly nine decades, the New Mexico Historic Sites division (formerly State Monuments) has worked to preserve and promote the history of our state by telling stories in the places where they happened. Travelling to a New Mexico Historic Site offers visitors the chance to gain a deeper understanding of those who have gone before us and helped make us who we are today. 

The eight sites currently operated by New Mexico Historic Sites include the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Property, Fort Selden, Fort Sumner Historic Site/Bosque Redondo Memorial, Fort Stanton, Lincoln, Coronado, Jemez and Los Luceros.

About the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs: http://www.newmexicoculture.org/                    

Created in 1978 by the New Mexico Legislature, the Department of Cultural Affairs represents New Mexico’s dedication to preserving and celebrating the cultural integrity and diversity of our state. The Department oversees a broad range of New Mexico’s arts and cultural heritage agencies which include 15 divisions representing a variety of programs and services. Among its primary functions is the management of the largest state sponsored museum system in the country. New Mexico’s historic sites and state-run museums are located across the state and include: New Mexico Historic Sites, Statewide; New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe; New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe; Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe; Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, Santa Fe; New Mexico Museum of Space History, Alamogordo; New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque; New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces; and the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque.

Events, news releases and images about activities in divisions of the Department of Cultural Affairs can be accessed at media.newmexicoculture.org.