An outlaw with a price on his head needed a safe haven and Puerto de Luna was one of them for Billy the Kid. Alexander Grzelachowski owned the mercantile, cantina, and hotel there and evidently liked Billy and gave him all the supplies and ammo one would need to be a first class desperado. From all accounts Billy was very likable and well met. I always thought Emilio's Estevez's portrayal of him in the two 'Young Guns' movies was probably more accurate than in any of the other the Billy the Kid movies. A hyper, cocky little Irish guy with wicked and deadly sense of humor.

Each little town in these parts seems to have their own individual legends about Billy. I read one blog by a young Hispanic woman who traced her Great Grandmother as one of Billy's true loves. It was actually pretty well researched and convincing.

Billy did feel safe here evidently and he came here often enough that when Pat Garrett was hunting him down he set up camp here with his posse to see if he could catch Billy. When Garrett finally did catch him at Stinking Springs, Billy had his last Christmas meal at the cantina in shackles while awaiting to be moved to trial in Mesilla.

Not much here these days.....