Glencoe, New Mexico facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glencoe, New Mexico
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 Glencoe, New Mexico
Location in New Mexico
Glencoe, New Mexico
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Lincoln |
| Elevation | 5,738 ft (1,749 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
88324
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| Area code(s) | 575 |
| GNIS feature ID | 906564 |
Glencoe is a small community in Lincoln County, New Mexico, in the United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but a close-knit area. The community sits along the Rio Ruidoso river and U.S. Highway 70. It's located between Ruidoso Downs and San Patricio, just east of the Lincoln National Forest.
Glencoe has a special building called St. Anne's Chapel, which is listed on the State Register of Cultural Properties. For a long time, the community's economy was based on agriculture, like farming. People in Glencoe also enjoyed ranch dances, rodeos, and baseball games. The area was first settled in the 1880s. In 2010, about 210 people lived there. Today, Glencoe has a distillery and a museum with a gift shop at Fox Cave.
Contents
The Story of Glencoe: How It Began
Glencoe got its name from two things: the word "glen," which is a Scottish term for a valley, and the Coe family. Members of the Coe family, including George Coe and Frank Coe, started settling in the area around 1880. They had moved south from Las Vegas, Nevada, and worked on the Santa Fe Trail in the 1870s.
After the Lincoln County War ended in 1881, the Coe family left the area for a short time because their side had lost. But they soon returned to settle down. In 1882, they built a school and a post office, and that's when the town officially got its name. Other early families in Glencoe included the Bonnells and Sanchezes.
St. Anne's Chapel: A Historic Church
In 1929, a reverend named Frederick Bingham Howden started collecting money to build a permanent church. Construction on St. Anne's Chapel began in 1933. The chapel was named after the mother of Frank Coe's wife. The church's design is thought to be by John Gaw Meem, who was a good friend of Reverend Howden.
During the 1930s, the Great Depression affected the farming community in Glencoe. Later, in 1952, the Ruidoso Downs Race Track was built nearby. Many families in Glencoe then started working at the racetrack instead of focusing only on farming, though some still kept cows.
In 2002, St. Anne's Chapel was added to the State Register of Cultural Properties. This means it's recognized as an important historical place.
Glencoe's Location and Buildings
Glencoe is located near the Rio Ruidoso river, which flows from the Sierra Blanca mountains. Ruidoso Downs is about six miles to the west, and San Patricio is six miles to the east.
The community has two churches: St. Anne's Chapel and San Ysidro Catholic Church. San Ysidro is now mainly used for funerals, and the Catholic community often attends St. Jude's Church in San Patricio. Glencoe is also located along U.S. Route 70. The Sierra Blanca Regional Airport is about a 10.4-mile drive away.
Who Lives in Glencoe?
According to the census from 2010, Glencoe's ZIP code area had 210 residents living in 92 households. About 67 of these were families.
- Most residents (91.4%) were White.
- Some residents (3.3%) were Native American.
- About 40% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of age:
- 13.8% of residents were under 18 years old.
- 31.0% were 65 years or older.
- The average age was 52 years.
How Glencoe Makes a Living
Glencoe and the surrounding area are well-known for growing apples. Farmers also grew other fruits and general farm products. They would sell these to truckers who then took the produce to Texas.
However, by 1950, apple growers in Washington state became very competitive. This made it harder for local producers to sell their apples. Because of this, many families in Glencoe started focusing on ranches and pastures instead. Also, when U.S. Route 70 was changed, smaller produce stands were no longer on the main highway. This led even more families to switch to ranching. Both women and men worked as cowboys. In fact, some of Frank Coe's daughters were known to be better cowboys than some from Texas in 1918!
After cars became popular, tourists started visiting the area to experience the Wild West. Local ranches welcomed guests, offering horse rides and places to stay overnight.
Modern Economy and Fun
The Glencoe Distillery uses local fruits, grains, and nuts to make liquors. The community is also close to Fox Cave. This cave was once a hideout for Billy the Kid and now has a museum and a gift shop for visitors.
Learning and Education
Before the 1940s, children in Glencoe were taught in different local homes. A one-room schoolhouse, called Glencoe School, was built around 1934. After this school was taken down in the 1940s, children went to the Stetson School in Ruidoso Downs.
Fun and Culture in Glencoe
Until a flood in 1941, people from Glencoe and nearby communities held dances on the ranches. These were fun social events, and local musicians of all ages would play music. Parents taught their children how to play instruments, and sometimes, families would form orchestras with many generations playing together. Baseball games and rodeos were also popular activities for fun.
Famous People from Glencoe
- Frank Coe (1851-1931): A Old West cowboy who was part of the Lincoln County Regulators.
- George Coe (1856-1941): Another Old West cowboy and also a member of the Lincoln County Regulators.
- Louise Holland Coe (1894-1985): She was the first woman elected to the New Mexico Senate and the first woman to run for U.S. Congress from New Mexico. She married into the Coe family and lived in Glencoe after retiring from politics.
- Dub Williams (1927-2014): A rancher and politician who lived in Glencoe.
