Lincoln County - American Courthouses

Lincoln County is named for Abraham Lincoln, who was a member of Congress from Illinois ( 1847-1849 and President of the United States ( 1861-1865 ).

Surrounding County Courthouses:

N – Torrance County and Guadalupe County

E – De Baca County and Chaves County

S – Chaves County and Otero County

W – Socorro County

Created: January 16, 1869

County Seat:

Lincoln 1869 – 1913

Carrizozo 1913 – present

County Courthouse – Carrizozo

Location: 300 Central Avenue / 4th Avenue

Built: 1963 – 1964

Style: Modern Pueblo

Architect: George A Buffington of Voll, Buffington & Nolan

Contractor: Ballard & Bates

Description: The building faces east and is part a group of three one story buff colored brick structures. There is a central courtyard with the old courthouse annex constructed in 1939 to 1940 on the west side of the courtyard. The building was a Works Progress Administration project. The buildings are located on landscaped grounds in the center of Carrizozo. On the north side is the present courthouse. A long porch supported by pillars runs along the east and south sides. A wide horizontal band runs below the flat roof line. In the interior are the County District Court courtroom and the County Magistrate Court courtroom. The buildings house the County District Court of the 12th Judicial Circuit, County Magistrate Court and County Probate Court. On the south side of the courtyard is an addition constructed in 1982. The architect was Herkenhoff & Associates. An addition was constructed in 2014. The architect was DPW Architects and the contractor was Basic IDIQ, Inc.

Old County Courthouse – Lincoln

Location: 988 Calle La Placita / Main Street

Built: 1874

Style: Federal

Architect: L G Murphy & Company

Contractor: L G Murphy & Company

Description: The building faces northeast and is a two story light brown colored stuccoed structure. The building is located on landscaped ground in the center of the town. The building was built as the Murphy-Dolan Store and converted in 1880 to serve as the courthouse until 1913. The front has dual wood stairs with porch on the second story. The roof is hipped. The Billiard Room on the west side of the second story served as the courtroom from 1880 to 1886. The east side of the second story served as the courtroom until 1913 when the county seat was moved to Carrizozo.

See: The courthouse is the oldest former courthouse in New Mexico. The oldest courthouse still functioning as a courthouse was built in 1910 and is located in Union County

See: The 12th Judicial District includes Otero County.

History: The county was created in 1869 and Lincoln was selected as the county seat. The first courthouse was built in 1874 and converted for use as a courthouse in 1880. The building is still standing. In 1909, the county seat was moved to Carrizozo and the second courthouse was designed by Szily and Goetz and I H Rapp and built by Ben Bechtel in 1913. In 1939 to 1940 the courthouse annex was built and is still standing as a part of the courthouse. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1963 to 1964.