Historical Marker
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.
New Mexico played a significant role in the American Civil War, with Union and Confederate forces fighting several battles in the territory. The most famous of these was the Battle of Glorieta Pass in 1862, which ended Confederate hopes of capturing the Southwest.