Rincón was originally named El Rincón de Fray Diego in honor of a 17th century Franciscan who died here. Established as a settlement called Thorne in 1881, it became Rincón in 1883. With the establishment of the Santa Fe Railroad, Rincón became the area’s main business and trading center. The line forked here, one line going west to Deming, the other south to El Paso.