Clayton

Clayton is the county seat of Union County in northeast New Mexico and sits at an elevation of 1,541 meters (5,059 feet). The town displays wide streets with historic buildings alongside modern shops and a working airpark that serves private aircraft.

The Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad arrived in 1888 and made Clayton a key trading point along the Cimarron Cutoff of the Santa Fe Trail. The town grew from its origins as a simple trading post into a regional center.

The Luna Theater has shown films since 1916 in its original building and remains one of the oldest continuously operating movie houses in the country. Visitors experience the feeling of a classic cinema from that era.

Clayton provides hotel accommodations, restaurants, and basic services for travelers exploring the region. The climate is continental with cold winters and warm summers, so visitors should expect varying conditions depending on the season.

The Herzstein Memorial Museum holds artifacts from the Santa Fe Trail period and documents Clayton's transformation from a trading post. Its collection shows how the town developed through original objects that tell the story of trade and settlement.

Location: Union County

Inception: 1887

Elevation above the sea: 1,541 m

Website: http://claytonnm.org

GPS coordinates: 36.45078,-103.18475

Latest update: December 7, 2025 10:01