White Oaks is a ghost town in Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States. Located on the outskirts of the Lincoln National Forest, it became a boom-town in 1879 following the discovery of gold and coal in the nearby Jicarilla Mountains.
In 1879, following the discovery of gold and coal in the Jicarilla Mountains, White Oaks sprang into existence from nothing. It was frequented by notable Old West personalities, including Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, and Shotgun John Collins. Jonathan H. Wise established the town's first newspaper in 1880, called the White Oaks Golden Era.
In November, 1880, a posse originating in White Oaks pursued Billy the Kid a distance of over forty miles, culminating in a standoff, during which the posse accidentally shot and killed Deputy Sheriff Jim Carlysle, as the latter was attempting to negotiate with the outlaw. Billy the Kid escaped.