​​Built before 1868, Jose Montaño and his wife, Josefa, operated a store, saloon, and boarding house in this building for at least thirty years after the Civil War.  They were supporters of the Tunstall-McSween faction during the Lincoln County War, and partisans of the Tunstall-McSween faction occupied this house during the Five-Day Battle in July 1878, until they were intimidated into fleeing by military forces under the command of Colonel Nathan Dudley of Fort Stanton. It was from this property that Francisco Herrera shot and mortally wounded Murphy-Dolan ally, Charlie Crawford. Territorial Governor Lew Wallace stayed with the Montaños several nights in March 1879 while he arranged his secret meeting with Billy the Kid.