It lies approximately 9+1⁄2 miles (15.3 km) south-southeast of Santa Rosa on New Mexico State Road 91 and on the bank of the Pecos River.

[4] The site is reputed to have been visited by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, who is believed to have camped here in 1541, on his way east in search of Quivira.

[citation needed] The first recorded permanent settlement was in 1863 when six Hispanic families built a dike on the Pecos to divert water for irrigation and began land cultivation.

Alexander Grzelachowski, who originally came to New Mexico at age 27 with Archbishop Lamy and settled in Puerto de Luna in 1874, opening up the mercantile store.

[citation needed] Billy the Kid reportedly ate his last Christmas Eve dinner here in 1880 while being transported to trial in Las Vegas in the custody of Pat Garrett.