Western Heritage Museum
Where oil, water, & cowboys DO mix!
The Western Heritage Museum is a multi-functional resource center dedicated to bringing people together, providing numerous educational experiences, and presenting the diversity of the cultural and natural histories of Southeastern New Mexico and the surrounding regions.
Have your next event right here!
The Western Heritage Museum Complex and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame is available for meetings, luncheons, and other private functions. Great Western Dining Service, Inc. provides a full range of catering services to make every event a special, pleasant, and memorable occasion
Lea County boasts of more professional rodeo world champions than any other place in the United States. The Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center is a New Mexico non-profit corporation whose purpose is to:
Commemorate those persons from Lea County who have made outstanding contributions in rodeo, as a ranch cowboy, and related individuals who have influenced the growth of our communities through their leadership; enhance and compliment the educational process at the New Mexico Junior College, providing scholarships, educating the public and research in the area of the history of Lea County; and collect artifacts of and serve as a living memorial to the indomitable spirit of westerners past, present, and future.
Founded in 1978, the Cowboy Hall of Fame was initially a long-time dream of Lea County rancher and professional roper, Dale "Tuffy" Cooper. Tuffy's idea was presented by Sylvia Mahoney, New Mexico Junior College's rodeo coach, to the college's interim president, R.N. Tydings. Mr. Tydings and the NMJC Board strongly supported the idea. It was decided that the dream could become a reality and belonged on the NMJC campus where the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the rodeo program would complement each other.
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