Fort Selden
Established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace to south central New Mexico.
Fort Selden was built in the Mesilla Valley in 1865 to protect settlers and travelers from escalating hostilities as settlers encroached on the Mescalero Apache homelands. Fort Selden housed the famous Buffalo Soldiers, the name given to African American regiments by the Native Americans.
In 1880, the Chiricahua Apache leader Geronimo fled the confines of the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona to launch the final years of the Apache Wars. The military, fearing the worst, reoccupied Fort Selden, which they had abandoned just two years earlier.
During the next decade, Fort Selden was the home of a boy who would become a famous warrior himself — Douglas MacArthur, whose father was post commander. By 1890, hostilities had calmed, and in 1891, troops again were withdrawn from the fort.
New Mexico CulturePass
Your ticket to New Mexico's exceptional Museums and Historic Sites.
From Indian treasures to space exploration, world-class folk art to awesome dinosaurs—our museums and monuments celebrate the essence of New Mexico every day.
More Info »
Encounter Culture
Take a look inside the museums and historic sites of New Mexico without leaving home. Join host Charlotte Jusinski, and a variety of guest curators, artists, and exhibitors in exploring the art and culture of the state in Encounter Culture, a new podcast from the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs.
Featured DCA Exhibitions
Western Eyes: 20th Century Art Here and Now
Exploring regional developments of modernism including American realism, Indigenous Modernism and Native American Art,
more »
Setting the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy
Setting the Standard: The Fred Harvey Company and Its Legacy, a new section that joins the New Mexico History
more »
Fashioning Identities: A Companion to Dressing with Purpose.
Fashioning Identities: A Companion to Dressing with Purpose. This display in Lloyd’s Treasure Chest Gallery
more »
Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now
Telling New Mexico: Stories from Then and Now sweeps across more than 500 years of history—from the state’s
more »