Formerly known as the Pecos River Bridge and the Rio Hondo Bridge, New Mexico’s second-oldest highway bridge is the Museum’s largest artifact.
Built as part of a three-span bridge across the Pecos River near Roswell in 1902, the center span was moved to the Rio Hondo near Picacho in Lincoln County in 1944. It was bypassed with a new bridge in 1989 and was subsequently listed on the New Mexico Register of Cultural Properties in 1997.
At the Museum, the historic bridge is a striking representation of the importance of rural transportation in New Mexico agriculture. It also is the gateway for visitors to cross the Tortugas Arroyo to reach our outdoor exhibits, barns, fields and livestock facilities.
