Lincoln, New Mexico, located 135 mi/215 km southeast of Albuquerque, owes its fame to Henry McCarty, better known as William Bonney and best known as Billy the Kid. It was in this frontier town in April 1881 that the Kid escaped from the Lincoln County Court House, killing two deputies. Today, more than half of the buildings that existed in Billy's day still stand.
If you plan to visit, be sure to book ahead: The eight-room Wortley Hotel and the bed-and-breakfast Casa de Patron are the only places to stay, and the Wortley is the only public place to eat. Space is especially tight when the town hosts the annual Last Escape of Billy the Kid Pageant the first weekend in August. Activities include a parade, arts-and-crafts exhibits and a re-enactment of the outlaw's famous escape.
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