Pat Garrett, the famous Sheriff, is here along with his wife and children. Markers also sit over plots reserved for Colonel Fountain and Henry Fountain, in the hope that their bodies will one day be found.

Mesilla:

Fountain’s home from 1873 until his death, Mesilla still retains much of the charm that it had in the 1890s. Be sure to walk the plaza while there. The house Albert Fountain owned when he disappeared is located south of the plaza.

Gadsden Museum:

While in Mesilla, no journey into the past would be complete without a stop at the Gadsden Museum. Run by direct descendants of Colonel Fountain, the museum is dedicated to local history and the Fountain’s history. The museum is located on the corner of Barker Road and Highway 28.

Mesilla Cemetery:

Many members of the Fountain family are in this little cemetery south of Mesilla, including the Colonel’s wife, Mariana, and their son Albert (who was involved in the initial search party.)

Hillsboro:

The Fountain story ended in the small mining town of Hillsboro in 1899. The trial of suspects Oliver Lee and James Gililland took place there thanks to a change of venue. The courthouse has been partially knocked down, but remains of the brick walls still stand. One can still get a sense of the courthouse that once stood here. The fallen bricks and the dirt and weeds inside only add character to this relic of the past. The jail behind the courthouse is much more intact.

It’s been over a hundred years since Albert and Henry disappeared and the trial and acquittal of their accused killers took place. The trial coincided with the end of a century and a way of life. The lawlessness that defined territorial New Mexico soon ended and the territory became a state.