McDonald was the name given to the community located about thirteen miles north of Lovington. It was founded around 1912 and given the name of the first state governor of New Mexico, William C. McDonald of Lincoln County, who served in that capacity from 1912 to 1917. It had its own post office from 1912 to 1941.(1) The first postmistress was Mirtlelee Autry.(2)

In addition to the post office, the community also once included a grocery store, a combination grocery and dry goods store and even briefly, its own newspaper.(2) Now some residences and private businesses remain near the former site. None of the original structures have survived.

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(1) Robert Julyan, “The Place Names of New Mexico,” University of New Mexico Press, 1998.

(2) Lynn C. Mauldin, “Lea County New Mexico, A Pictorial History,” Downing Company Publishers, 1997.