Capitán (1)

Many incidents in the Lincoln County War of 1876-1879, occurred in the area around Capitan. The promoters, Charles B. and John A. Eddy, platted the town site in 1899 after building a spur of the El Paso & Northeastern Railroad from Carrizozo in order to open the Salado coal fields. They named it Capitan for Capitan Peak to the north east.