When this farming and ranching community,
San Patricio was founded in about 1875, it was
called Ruidoso. When an Irish priest built a
small church here (right), dedicating it to St.
Patrick, the name was changed to San Patricio.
The town became a favorite hangout of Billy the
Kid during the time of the Lincoln County War.
In 1878 a posse ransacked the village while
searching for Billy and other "Regulators."
San Patricio, in more recent times, has been
home to actress Helen Hayes, author Paul
Horgan and artists Michael Hurd, Peter Hurd
and Henriette Wyeth. Peter Hurd bought land
along the Rio Ruidoso and built an adobe
hacienda by the river. An avid polo player,
Hurd built his own polo field and a stable for his
ponies. Today, adjacent to the polo field, is
found the Hurd La Rinconada Gallery.
Glencoe New Mexico
Coe Family Farm
Several brothers from the
Coe family came here from
Missouri in 1875, harvesting
their first crop the following
year. In the summer of 1877
William Bonney, later known
as Billy the Kid, worked as a
hand on the Coe Ranch.
Coe Family Farm
Tinne New Mexico
Tinne Silver Dollar
Tinnie began life in 1876 as
"Analla." Later, it was called
Las Cuevas (the caves), for
the caves in which the
earliest settlers lived, then,
for a short time, "Cuba.
Tinne Silver Dollar Bar
Hondo Iris Farm
MIchael Hurd, 'All Saint's Eve