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129-638: The EP&NE first connected El Paso with Alamogordo, New Mexico , in 1897, further extensions allowed for tourist excursions to the Sacramento Mountains and some timber extraction. A link with the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P) allowed for the introduction of the Golden State Limited in 1902. When a line connecting to lucrative coalfields was secured, the holding company and its system were folded into

258-529: A mixed train , were common, though this frequency could increase more than twofold on Summer weekends. Passenger traffic on the Cloudcroft branch ceased in March 1937, having been overtaken by automobiles on improved highways. By late 1944, freight traffic had dwindled to a single round trip weekly, also due to highway traffic. All service was discontinued in the autumn of 1947, and the tracks taken up. Some of

387-534: A 50% reduction in property taxes from Otero County, and $ 940,000 in plant training funds from the State of New Mexico. A Sunbaked Biscuits cookie factory opened in 2006 and received $ 800,000 in job-training incentives from the state. When the company went out of business in 2007, Marietta Baking took over the cookie factory and received interest-free loans, job-training incentives, and partial forgiveness of indebtedness for job creation. A branch office of PreCheck Inc.,

516-482: A 50% reduction in property taxes from Otero County, and $ 940,000 in plant training funds from the State of New Mexico. A Sunbaked Biscuits cookie factory opened in 2006 and received $ 800,000 in job-training incentives from the state. When the company went out of business in 2007, Marietta Baking took over the cookie factory and received interest-free loans, job-training incentives, and partial forgiveness of indebtedness for job creation. A branch office of PreCheck Inc.,

645-476: A college, and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of intoxicating liquor. Through Eddy's Dawson Fuel Company, the NMRy&;CCo helped spur the early development of Dawson , which is now deserted, in the form of one-hundred dwellings for its workers, in addition to industrial facilities. The premier long distance train service on the joint EP&NE system

774-623: A company performing background checks of health-care workers, opened in 2006. PreCheck received $ 2.4 million in high-wage job creation tax credits, $ 1.5 million in job-training subsidies, $ 1.5 million in capital outlay money for roads and infrastructure, a $ 625,000 allocation from City of Alamogordo for upgrading sewer lines in the area, and 20.8 acres of land from Heritage Group, a developer. The Otero County Film Office, an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in

903-562: A company performing background checks of health-care workers, opened in 2006. PreCheck received $ 2.4 million in high-wage job creation tax credits, $ 1.5 million in job-training subsidies, $ 1.5 million in capital outlay money for roads and infrastructure, a $ 625,000 allocation from City of Alamogordo for upgrading sewer lines in the area, and 20.8 acres of land from Heritage Group, a developer. The Otero County Film Office, an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in

1032-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.07. In the city the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

1161-511: A full-sized back-lit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin , a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ . They also feature a working VP8 Image Analyzer , the only one in the world where one can walk in and interact with this old analog computer. This town was founded the same year (1898) that Secundo Pia took the first photograph of the Shroud which started

1290-406: A full-sized back-lit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin , a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ . They also feature a working VP8 Image Analyzer , the only one in the world where one can walk in and interact with this old analog computer. This town was founded the same year (1898) that Secundo Pia took the first photograph of the Shroud which started

1419-559: A gross payroll of $ 266 million. It indirectly creates another 2,047 jobs with a payroll of $ 77 million. The estimated amount spent in the community, including payroll, construction projects, supplies, services, health care, and education, is $ 482 million. An estimated 6,700 military retirees live in the area. Counting both USAF and German Air Force personnel there are 1,383 active military and 1,641 military dependents living on base and 2,765 active military and 2,942 military dependents living off base. After 27 years of training at Holloman,

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1548-559: A gross payroll of $ 266 million. It indirectly creates another 2,047 jobs with a payroll of $ 77 million. The estimated amount spent in the community, including payroll, construction projects, supplies, services, health care, and education, is $ 482 million. An estimated 6,700 military retirees live in the area. Counting both USAF and German Air Force personnel there are 1,383 active military and 1,641 military dependents living on base and 2,765 active military and 2,942 military dependents living off base. After 27 years of training at Holloman,

1677-649: A lease of the Santa Rosa–Tucumcari section of the El Paso–Chicago route (called the 'Golden State Route') to avoid unsatisfactory interline service with the Rock Island system on the Eastern Division between Dawson and El Paso. Another operational hurdle of the original EP&NE was also solved after the sale; Hawkins was able to secure legal rights to cleaner water from the mountains. Previously

1806-595: A median very close to zero. The most snowfall in one month was 10.0 in (0.25 m) in December 1960. As of the census of 2020, there were 31,384 people. During the 2000 census, there were 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in the city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White ; 5.6% African American , 1.1% Native American , 1.5% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 12.1% from some other race , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of

1935-602: A number of annual sports events. The Tommy Padilla Memorial Basketball Tournament is an annual event held in March. It is an adult tournament that raises money for scholarships for Alamogordo High School students. The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is a national program that holds a tournament in Alamogordo each year in May. Prior to 2008 it was hosted by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, and since then by

2064-425: A number of annual sports events. The Tommy Padilla Memorial Basketball Tournament is an annual event held in March. It is an adult tournament that raises money for scholarships for Alamogordo High School students. The Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament is a national program that holds a tournament in Alamogordo each year in May. Prior to 2008 it was hosted by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce, and since then by

2193-531: A portion of the transcontinental railway that was being constructed in the late 19th century. Initially its main industry was timbering for railroad ties. The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area, making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all

2322-522: A primarily service and retail economy, driven by tourism, a large nearby military installation and a concentration of military retirees. In 2006 the per capita income in Otero County was $ 22,377 versus per capita income in New Mexico of $ 29,346. Alamogordo was founded as a company town to support the building of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , a portion of the transcontinental railway that

2451-752: A public book burning of books in the Harry Potter series, and several other series, on December 30. As of 2010, Alamogordo had a total area of 19.3 square miles (50.0 km ), all land. The city is located on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin . It lies within the Rio Grande rift and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert . Tectonic activity

2580-622: A railroad north from El Paso and into the Tularosa Basin came in 1885 when the El Paso, St. Louis and Chicago Railway and Telegraph Company prepared a 5-mile (8.0 km) long roadbed. In 1888 CRI&P engineers began a westward survey from Liberal, Kansas that projected never built lines through the Maxwell Land Grant to Taos, New Mexico and further west. Meanwhile, some of the partially prepared right-of-way in El Paso

2709-678: A ranch owned by Eddy, where a town was being platted in anticipation of the railroad. The town was named Alamogordo after a location Eddy was familiar with in the Pecos River Valley . It would become the main New Mexican town on the EP&;NE in only a matter of a few years. Alamogordo remained the operational base of the EP&NE system for much of its history. Not long after connecting Alamogordo to El Paso, Eddy, his chief engineer Horace Sumner and their crews set about building

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2838-585: A variety of information, videos available for viewing and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud, among other interesting artifacts. The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the southwestern U.S., is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park . The Toy Train Depot , New Mexico's first railroad museum and home of America's Park Ride Train Museum. A sculpture called "The World's Largest Pistachio"

2967-480: A variety of information, videos available for viewing and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud, among other interesting artifacts. The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the southwestern U.S., is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park . The Toy Train Depot , New Mexico's first railroad museum and home of America's Park Ride Train Museum. A sculpture called "The World's Largest Pistachio"

3096-592: Is hard : it has very high total dissolved solids concentrations, in excess of 3,000 mg/L. The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, a Bureau of Reclamation laboratory doing research and development on desalination of brackish water , is located in Alamogordo. The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Park are formed in Lake Lucero . Water drains from the mountains carrying dissolved gypsum and collects in Lake Lucero. After

3225-496: Is Walk Out West, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo . It incorporates a health fair , live music, and events for children. An offshoot of this is Dance Otero, an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise that meets throughout the year. Both programs are run through Otero PATH, a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health. There are

3354-430: Is Walk Out West, a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo . It incorporates a health fair , live music, and events for children. An offshoot of this is Dance Otero, an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise that meets throughout the year. Both programs are run through Otero PATH, a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health. There are

3483-422: Is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. City government provides a large number of recreational and leisure facilities for its citizens, including a large park in the center of the city, many smaller parks scattered through the city, a golf course, Alameda Park Zoo , a network of walking paths, Alamogordo Public Library , and a senior citizens' center. Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center

3612-506: Is a mountainous area that starts about 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Alamogordo and offers hiking, fishing, and camping. The Sidney Paul Gordon Shooting Range, located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of town at 19 Rock Cliff Road in La Luz, is a supervised range with rifle, pistol, and archery ranges. Several competitions are held at the range each month. Alamogordo Alamogordo ( / ˌ æ l ə m ə ˈ ɡ ɔːr d oʊ / )

3741-472: Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984. Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero County , including helping them satisfy business regulations in New Mexico and lining up funding. Its role expanded in 2000, when Alamogordo passed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax . OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses, but now it also helps develop

3870-412: Is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984. Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero County , including helping them satisfy business regulations in New Mexico and lining up funding. Its role expanded in 2000, when Alamogordo passed an Economic Development Gross Receipts Tax . OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses, but now it also helps develop

3999-621: Is a nonprofit shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman Air Force Base. Tularosa Basin has been inhabited for at least 11,000 years. There are signs of previous inhabitants in the area such as the Clovis culture , the Folsom culture , the peoples of the Archaic period , and the Formative stage . The Mescalero Apache were already living in the Tularosa Basin when

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4128-466: Is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54 , offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. White Sands National Park is located about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70 . The area is in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275-square-mile (710 km ) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The Lincoln National Forest , whose headquarters are in Alamogordo,

4257-466: Is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54 , offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. White Sands National Park is located about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70 . The area is in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275-square-mile (710 km ) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum crystals. The Lincoln National Forest , whose headquarters are in Alamogordo,

4386-424: Is an endorheic , or closed, basin; that is, no water flows out of it. Because of this and because of the geology of the region, water in the basin is hard : it has very high total dissolved solids concentrations, in excess of 3,000 mg/L. The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility, a Bureau of Reclamation laboratory doing research and development on desalination of brackish water ,

4515-400: Is an early example of a planned community . The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1933, which is still one of the biggest attractions of the city today. During the 1950s–60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program. Alamogordo

4644-632: Is at McGinn's PistachioLand along U.S. 54 . The Lady of the Mountain Run is held in December at the Griggs Sportsplex. The race consists of a half marathon, 10K, 5K, or corporate cup relay, and raises money for the needs-based Lady of the Mountain Scholarship Fund at NMSU-Alamogordo. Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event

4773-424: Is at McGinn's PistachioLand along U.S. 54 . The Lady of the Mountain Run is held in December at the Griggs Sportsplex. The race consists of a half marathon, 10K, 5K, or corporate cup relay, and raises money for the needs-based Lady of the Mountain Scholarship Fund at NMSU-Alamogordo. Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event

4902-610: Is held annually at the County Fairgrounds. It features a rodeo, animal judging, food and game booths, and carnival rides. Nonprofit and government agencies set up information booths in the exhibit hall. The Cottonwood Arts and Crafts Festival is put on each Labor Day Weekend in Alameda Park by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce. It is primarily a showplace for vendors of handmade items, and also features music, entertainment, and food. White Sands Balloon Invitational

5031-480: Is held annually at the County Fairgrounds. It features a rodeo, animal judging, food and game booths, and carnival rides. Nonprofit and government agencies set up information booths in the exhibit hall. The Cottonwood Arts and Crafts Festival is put on each Labor Day Weekend in Alameda Park by the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce. It is primarily a showplace for vendors of handmade items, and also features music, entertainment, and food. White Sands Balloon Invitational

5160-601: Is held annually. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex and from White Sands National Park and float over the Tularosa Basin . New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum with the International Space Hall of Fame. Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater created in 1988 from a re-purposed movie theater. It hosts concerts and live theatrical performances by touring groups, and

5289-444: Is held annually. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex and from White Sands National Park and float over the Tularosa Basin . New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum with the International Space Hall of Fame. Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater created in 1988 from a re-purposed movie theater. It hosts concerts and live theatrical performances by touring groups, and

El Paso and Northeastern Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue

5418-423: Is located in Alamogordo. The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Park are formed in Lake Lucero . Water drains from the mountains carrying dissolved gypsum and collects in Lake Lucero. After the water dries, the winds pick up the gypsum crystals and distribute them over the basin. Alamogordo has a cool arid climate ( Köppen BWk ) with hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is low and usually confined to

5547-406: Is low in the Tularosa Basin. Plants native to the area are typical of the southern New Mexico foothills and include creosote bush , mesquite , saltbush , cottonwood , desert willow , and many species of cactus and yucca . The Tularosa Basin is an endorheic , or closed, basin; that is, no water flows out of it. Because of this and because of the geology of the region, water in the basin

5676-488: Is the County seat of Otero County , New Mexico , United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert , it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to the west by Holloman Air Force Base . The population was 31,384 as of the 2020 census . Alamogordo is widely known for its connection with the 1945 Trinity test, which was the first ever explosion of an atomic bomb . Humans have lived in

5805-573: Is the White Sands Pupfish , a baseball team that played at Jim Griggs Field from 2011 to 2019, in the independent Pecos League , but did not play in a 4 team, abridged 2020 season hosted in Houston due to pandemic concerns. Alamogordo has numerous small parks scattered through the city, and a few larger ones. Some notable parks include: Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

5934-448: Is the White Sands Pupfish , a baseball team that played at Jim Griggs Field from 2011 to 2019, in the independent Pecos League , but did not play in a 4 team, abridged 2020 season hosted in Houston due to pandemic concerns. Alamogordo has numerous small parks scattered through the city, and a few larger ones. Some notable parks include: Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. Oliver Lee Memorial State Park

6063-592: Is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater. Alamogordo Museum of History collects artifacts related to the history of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. It is a private museum, operated by the Tularosa Basin Historical Society . Among notable items in the collection is a 47-star US Flag ; New Mexico was the 47th state admitted to the Union, and US flags were made with 47 stars only for one month, until Arizona

6192-452: Is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater. Alamogordo Museum of History collects artifacts related to the history of Alamogordo and the Tularosa Basin. It is a private museum, operated by the Tularosa Basin Historical Society . Among notable items in the collection is a 47-star US Flag ; New Mexico was the 47th state admitted to the Union, and US flags were made with 47 stars only for one month, until Arizona

6321-742: The Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range was established. The Post Office moved out in 1961, and the building was used by a succession of Federal agencies and was known as the Federal Building. The last Federal agency to occupy it was the United States Forest Service who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest until October 2008, when that agency moved to a newly constructed building. In February 2009, ownership of

6450-515: The Alamogordo and Sacramento Mountain Railway (A&SM). Described as an "engineering marvel", 28 mi (45 km) were completed by 1898. By 1903 the line climbed 4,747 feet (1,447 m) over 32 mi (51 km) crossing several large trestles and a switchback with ruling grades of 6.4 % . From the outside world it provided improved connections to rich timber country, and later

6579-514: The Clovis culture , the Folsom culture , the peoples of the Archaic period , and the Formative stage . The Mescalero Apache were already living in the Tularosa Basin when the Spanish came in 1534, and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there. In 1719, the Spanish built a chapel at La Luz (about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the future site of Alamogordo), although La Luz was not settled until about 1860. The city of Alamogordo

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6708-644: The El Paso and Southwestern Railroad , an affiliate of the predecessor of the Phelps Dodge Corporation . The lines of the NMRy&CCo were responsible for the founding of several settlements in the Territory of New Mexico (later New Mexico ). The main line of the El Paso and Northeastern is currently used by the Union Pacific Railroad as its Carrizozo Subdivision and Tucumcari Subdivision. The railroad's beginnings lie in

6837-781: The Flickinger Center for Performing Arts . The NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill produces an annual spring performance for young audiences at the Rohovec Fine Arts Center on the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo campus, and an annual Fall performance for general audiences. The Earth Day Fair is held annually at Alameda Park Zoo . It features a butterfly release, a science fair, activities for children, and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits. Otero County Fair

6966-506: The Flickinger Center for Performing Arts . The NMSU-A Theatre on the Hill produces an annual spring performance for young audiences at the Rohovec Fine Arts Center on the New Mexico State University at Alamogordo campus, and an annual Fall performance for general audiences. The Earth Day Fair is held annually at Alameda Park Zoo . It features a butterfly release, a science fair, activities for children, and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits. Otero County Fair

7095-479: The Pecos River area. When Alamogordo was laid out in 1898, the east–west streets were given numerical designations, while north–south streets were named after states. The present-day White Sands Boulevard was then called Pennsylvania Avenue. With the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934, tourism began. The Works Progress Administration , a government program created in 1935 in response to

7224-710: The United States Census Bureau 's Population Estimates Program. Previously Alamogordo had a German community due to the presence of the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base ; in 1992 that air force made Holloman its main pilot training center in the United States. Holloman was chosen due to its weather conditions. There was a subdivision called "Little Germany" with houses that had German-style electrical outlets. The Deutsche Schule Alamogordo educated German children, as did

7353-535: The resort at Cloudcroft —in addition to small communities like La Luz and Russia. The logs harvested in the mountains provided the Alamogordo Lumber Company (owned by the NMRy&CCo) with many of the raw materials necessary to make the ties, poles and structures for the EP&NE's northward expansion. While work to the east was also under way the EP&NE under its own name was extended further north to Carrizozo , near White Oaks. In 1899

7482-509: The "Roof Garden of the Sky" or "Nature's Roof Garden" and building its own hotel, the Lodge. The A&SM itself became a tourist attraction. The same features that gave the line into the Sacramento Mountains its scenic virtue and tourist draw also made it expensive to build, operate and maintain; by necessity and design hauling timber was the primary activity on the line. The Alamogordo Lumber Company

7611-408: The Alamogordo area for at least 11,000 years. The present settlement, established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , is an early example of a planned community . The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1933, which is still one of the biggest attractions of

7740-560: The CRI&;P but had been unsuccessful in his pitch to connect their railroad to El Paso. Eddy had gained an interest in the prospective region after working on engineering projects in southeastern New Mexico. In the Spring of 1897 he led potential investors from Pennsylvania on a camping trip in the Tularosa Basin. Eddy received financial backing from these men but he did immediately not make any major announcements, file for incorporation in

7869-615: The City of Alamogordo. The city receives 72% of the entry fees and 5% of the gross proceeds taken in by vendors. The event is held annually at Washington Park in conjunction with Saturday in the Park and Armed Forces Day. In 2009 more than 233 teams participated in the tournament. Several golf tournaments are held each year at Desert Lakes Golf Course, including the Robert W. Hamilton Charity Golf Classic. Alamogordo's sole professional sports team

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7998-460: The City of Alamogordo. The city receives 72% of the entry fees and 5% of the gross proceeds taken in by vendors. The event is held annually at Washington Park in conjunction with Saturday in the Park and Armed Forces Day. In 2009 more than 233 teams participated in the tournament. Several golf tournaments are held each year at Desert Lakes Golf Course, including the Robert W. Hamilton Charity Golf Classic. Alamogordo's sole professional sports team

8127-497: The EP&NE opened a 21 mi (34 km) extension from Carrizozo to Capitan . With an operational railroad in place extending north-by-northeast from El Paso, Eddy was able to better gain the attentions of the CRI&P leadership. It was agreed in December 1900 that Eddy's railroad was to meet the CRI&P in Santa Rosa, New Mexico . The El Paso and Rock Island Railway (EP&RI) was incorporated in 1900 by Eddy to build

8256-485: The Extra-Terrestrial , in Alamogordo's landfill. Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held a public book burning of books in the Harry Potter series, and several other series, on December 30. As of 2010, Alamogordo had a total area of 19.3 square miles (50.0 km ), all land. The city is located on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains and on

8385-574: The Federal government has been a strong presence in Alamogordo ever since. Education has also been an important part of the local economy. In addition to the local school system , Alamogordo is home to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired , founded in 1903, and a branch of New Mexico State University founded in 1958. The largest non-government employer in the city is

8514-400: The Federal government has been a strong presence in Alamogordo ever since. Education has also been an important part of the local economy. In addition to the local school system , Alamogordo is home to the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired , founded in 1903, and a branch of New Mexico State University founded in 1958. The largest non-government employer in the city is

8643-570: The Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008. Holloman Air Force Base , located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the city limits, is the largest employer of Alamogordo residents, and has a major effect on the local economy. According to some estimates, Holloman accounts for half of the Alamogordo economy. According to the 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office, as of January 2008 Holloman directly employs 6,111 personnel with

8772-473: The Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008. Holloman Air Force Base , located approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) west of the city limits, is the largest employer of Alamogordo residents, and has a major effect on the local economy. According to some estimates, Holloman accounts for half of the Alamogordo economy. According to the 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs office, as of January 2008 Holloman directly employs 6,111 personnel with

8901-634: The German Air Force left in 2019. They relocated their pilot training to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Future Combat Systems is a wide-ranging modernization project of the US Army . Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss , with some at White Sands Missile Range and some at Holloman Air Force Base . Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases. Otero County Economic Development Council

9030-461: The German Air Force left in 2019. They relocated their pilot training to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Future Combat Systems is a wide-ranging modernization project of the US Army . Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss , with some at White Sands Missile Range and some at Holloman Air Force Base . Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases. Otero County Economic Development Council

9159-409: The German Air Force left, Oktoberfest was celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base . The public was invited, and shuttle buses ran between Alamogordo and the base. Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with nearly half the Otero County population living within the city limits. Alamogordo today has very little manufacturing and has

9288-678: The Great Depression, was responsible for the construction of several government buildings in Alamogordo. These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue, a Pueblo style building originally constructed as the main U.S. Post Office in 1938. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd , which were completed in 1942. In July 1941,

9417-453: The Sacramento Mountains would be a good source of timber . Over the next fifteen years several railroads were projected to link the two settlements but only limited construction had been pursued by the time Charles Eddy developed an interest in linking El Paso with the CRI&P. Eddy kept his interests somewhat quiet and El Pasoans hopefully speculated that the CRI&P might build its own line to El Paso. The first serious attempt to build

9546-458: The Spanish came in 1534, and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there. In 1719, the Spanish built a chapel at La Luz (about 5 miles (8.0 km) from the future site of Alamogordo), although La Luz was not settled until about 1860. The city of Alamogordo was founded in June 1898, when the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , headed by Charles Bishop Eddy, extended the railway to

9675-538: The U.S. in the Iraq War . In 2019, the German military withdrew from the base. Until the German Air Force left, Oktoberfest was celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base . The public was invited, and shuttle buses ran between Alamogordo and the base. Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with nearly half the Otero County population living within

9804-561: The United States. Holloman was chosen due to its weather conditions. There was a subdivision called "Little Germany" with houses that had German-style electrical outlets. The Deutsche Schule Alamogordo educated German children, as did the local schools. Additionally area supermarkets had German cuisine . By 1999, there were about 1,110 German dependents and 900 German military personnel in Alamogordo. By 2003 there were about 2,000 Germans in Alamogordo. That year there were tensions between Americans and Germans since Germany chose not to join

9933-406: The average family size was 3.07. In the city the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. In 1999, the median income for a household in

10062-542: The best consumers for the mill's output were the NMRy&CCo's interests, lumber was also shipped out on the EP&NE destined for other markets, especially the mining districts at Bisbee and Morenci, Arizona . Over the course of one month in 1901 the A&;SM handled 850 log cars. Traffic on the A&SM line was not restricted to passengers and logs, a wide variety of other cargo was hauled including express , goods, machinery, produce, and livestock. Two daily roundtrips, one

10191-463: The building was transferred to Otero County government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to its new Administration Building . In 1983, Atari, Inc. buried more than 700,000 Atari 2600 video game cartridges, most notably E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , in Alamogordo's landfill. Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held

10320-432: The city limits. Alamogordo today has very little manufacturing and has a primarily service and retail economy, driven by tourism, a large nearby military installation and a concentration of military retirees. In 2006 the per capita income in Otero County was $ 22,377 versus per capita income in New Mexico of $ 29,346. Alamogordo was founded as a company town to support the building of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad ,

10449-413: The city today. During the 1950s–60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program. Alamogordo is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. City government provides a large number of recreational and leisure facilities for its citizens, including a large park in the center of the city, many smaller parks scattered through

10578-448: The city was $ 30,928, and the median income for a family was $ 35,673. Males had a median income of $ 28,163 versus $ 18,860 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,662. About 13.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. Alamogordo's and Otero County's July 1, 2008, population were estimated at 35,757 and 62,776 respectively by

10707-403: The city, a golf course, Alameda Park Zoo , a network of walking paths, Alamogordo Public Library , and a senior citizens' center. Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a nonprofit shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman Air Force Base. Tularosa Basin has been inhabited for at least 11,000 years. There are signs of previous inhabitants in the area such as

10836-465: The city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White ; 5.6% African American , 1.1% Native American , 1.5% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 12.1% from some other race , and 4.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.0% of the population. There were 13,704 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.7% had

10965-451: The coldest temperature recorded at Alamogordo being −13 °F (−25.0 °C) during a major cold wave on February 3, 2011. Snow is very rare, with a mean of no more than 4.1 in (0.10 m) and a median very close to zero. The most snowfall in one month was 10.0 in (0.25 m) in December 1960. As of the census of 2020, there were 31,384 people. During the 2000 census, there were 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in

11094-423: The completion of the originally projected 132-mile (212 km) Dawson Railway in 1903. James Douglas , a representative and co-owner of the growing Phelps Dodge mining corporation who was also the owner of the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad (EP&SW), entered negotiations with Eddy over the sale of the NMRy&CCo, the holding company for Eddy's rail and coal properties in the territory and Texas. Eddy

11223-434: The cool mountain resort of Cloudcroft (elevation 8,650 ft or 2,640 m) were a favorite retreat for El Pasoans around the turn of the century. Since the line's opening, Summer excursion trains were operated into the Sacramento Mountains east of Alamogordo via the A&SM from El Paso, and under new ownership as late as 1930. The EP&SW continued to encourage tourism on the A&SM line describing Cloudcroft as

11352-555: The county and New Mexico 's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras for film productions. It sponsors the Desert Light Film Competition for middle and high school students to encourage learning about the film industry. The 2007 film Transformers spent $ 5.5 million in New Mexico and $ 1 million in Alamogordo. There are two amateur theatrical groups in Alamogordo. Alamogordo Music Theatre produces two musical productions annually at

11481-471: The county and New Mexico 's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras for film productions. It sponsors the Desert Light Film Competition for middle and high school students to encourage learning about the film industry. The 2007 film Transformers spent $ 5.5 million in New Mexico and $ 1 million in Alamogordo. There are two amateur theatrical groups in Alamogordo. Alamogordo Music Theatre produces two musical productions annually at

11610-399: The discovery of gold at White Oaks, New Mexico in 1879, at which point railroads began to gain interest in the Tularosa Basin and Sacramento Mountains . The coal deposits in the area were also enticing as they were perceived to be a good source of fuel for the city of El Paso 160 mi (260 km) to the south. An interested railroad promoter, Morris Locke, noted that the forests of

11739-506: The driest 1952 with 4.85 in (123.2 mm), while the wettest month on record has been September 1941 when 6.94 in (176.3 mm) fell. September 1941 also saw the largest daily rainfall at Alamogordo with 2.60 in (66.0 mm) falling on the 22nd of that month. Temperatures outside of monsoonal storms are very hot during the summer: 89.1 days exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) and temperatures as high as 110 °F (43.3 °C) occurred on June 22, 1981, and July 8, 1951. During

11868-411: The eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin . It lies within the Rio Grande rift and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert . Tectonic activity is low in the Tularosa Basin. Plants native to the area are typical of the southern New Mexico foothills and include creosote bush , mesquite , saltbush , cottonwood , desert willow , and many species of cactus and yucca . The Tularosa Basin

11997-520: The first excursion trains operated on the new line, lawsuits were filed in court seeking restitution for the Texas and Pacific Railway , the unpaid shipper of the KCEP&;M's construction materials. Although the founders continued to solicit funding, in 1892 the Texas and Pacific purchased the stalled KCEP&M. The new owners did not resume construction. Eddy had been in contact with the leadership of

12126-621: The future townsite of Dawson, New Mexico . Construction of the southern section of the Dawson Railway, from a bridge over the AT&;SF line to a junction at Six Shooter Siding (later Tucumcari, located 60 mi (97 km) east-by-northeast of Santa Rosa) with the CRI&P was held up due to litigation with the owners of the Pablo Montoya Grant over the proposed right-of-way . The outcome of those proceedings allowed for

12255-458: The incentive packages that will be paid by the new tax, and a portion of the tax receipts go to fund OCEDC's operating expenses. Formal economic development plans have been adopted by Alamogordo and by Otero County. OCEDC has recruited several new employers by using financial incentives. A 1-800-Flowers call center opened in November 2001 and received $ 1.25 million in city rent abatements,

12384-402: The incentive packages that will be paid by the new tax, and a portion of the tax receipts go to fund OCEDC's operating expenses. Formal economic development plans have been adopted by Alamogordo and by Otero County. OCEDC has recruited several new employers by using financial incentives. A 1-800-Flowers call center opened in November 2001 and received $ 1.25 million in city rent abatements,

12513-539: The land, platted the streets, built the first houses and commercial buildings, donated land for a college, and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of intoxicating liquor. Tourism became an important part of the local economy from the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934. Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field (the present-day Holloman Air Force Base ) in 1942, and

12642-460: The land, platted the streets, built the first houses and commercial buildings, donated land for a college, and placed a restrictive covenant on each deed prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, or sale of intoxicating liquor. Tourism became an important part of the local economy from the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934. Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field (the present-day Holloman Air Force Base ) in 1942, and

12771-454: The large trestles remain, still maintained as historic structures. The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area, making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all the land, platted the streets, built the first houses and commercial buildings, donated land for

12900-564: The largest daily rainfall at Alamogordo with 2.60 in (66.0 mm) falling on the 22nd of that month. Temperatures outside of monsoonal storms are very hot during the summer: 89.1 days exceed 90 °F (32.2 °C) and temperatures as high as 110 °F (43.3 °C) occurred on June 22, 1981, and July 8, 1951. During the winter, days are very mild and sunny, but nights are cold, with 32 °F (0 °C) reached on 55.1 mornings during an average winter, although only ten mornings have ever fallen to or below 0 °F (−17.8 °C), with

13029-413: The local schools. Additionally area supermarkets had German cuisine . By 1999, there were about 1,110 German dependents and 900 German military personnel in Alamogordo. By 2003 there were about 2,000 Germans in Alamogordo. That year there were tensions between Americans and Germans since Germany chose not to join the U.S. in the Iraq War . In 2019, the German military withdrew from the base. Until

13158-451: The main U.S. Post Office in 1938. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places . The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd , which were completed in 1942. In July 1941, the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range was established. The Post Office moved out in 1961, and the building was used by a succession of Federal agencies and was known as the Federal Building. The last Federal agency to occupy it

13287-594: The modern investigation into the Shroud. This is highlighted in the museum. In 1977 in Albuquerque, they held the conference that resulted in the 1978 study of the Shroud with more scientists from New Mexico than any other state. The displayed photograph was created from the 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). The displays include historical background materials, scientific information, kiosks with

13416-467: The modern investigation into the Shroud. This is highlighted in the museum. In 1977 in Albuquerque, they held the conference that resulted in the 1978 study of the Shroud with more scientists from New Mexico than any other state. The displayed photograph was created from the 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project (STURP). The displays include historical background materials, scientific information, kiosks with

13545-431: The monsoon from July to September, when half a typical year's rainfall of 10.63 in (270.0 mm) will occur – although December 1991 did see 5.45 in (138.4 mm). The wettest calendar year has been 1941 with 21.87 in (555.5 mm) and the driest 1952 with 4.85 in (123.2 mm), while the wettest month on record has been September 1941 when 6.94 in (176.3 mm) fell. September 1941 also saw

13674-486: The opening of a new transcontinental route that gave the CRI&P "the shortest line from Chicago and Kansas City to El Paso and Mexico , and by way of the Southern Pacific to Los Angeles." The coal deposits near White Oaks proved to be a disappointment. Eddy was still determined to link his railroad system to a mineral rich area so he hedged, on the advice of his trusted attorney William Ashton Hawkins, that

13803-513: The outcome of litigation about the ownership of part of the Maxwell Land Grant in northeastern New Mexico would favor the current tenant, an elderly rancher named John Dawson, and Hawkins secured the eventual purchase of a parcel of the contested land grant from him. The approximately 20,000-acre (81 km; 31 sq mi) parcel was rich in bituminous coal , and Eddy co-founded the Dawson Fuel Company in 1901 to buy and mine

13932-536: The parcel. Work on the Dawson Railway began at a crossing of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AT&SF) at French (near present-day Springer ). A second construction gang worked north from Tucumcari . The first section of the Dawson Railway opened in November 1902 and linked the interchange with the AT&SF's transcontinental line to the coal mines , sawmills and coke ovens being built near

14061-409: The population. There were 13,704 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and

14190-463: The poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over. Alamogordo's and Otero County's July 1, 2008, population were estimated at 35,757 and 62,776 respectively by the United States Census Bureau 's Population Estimates Program. Previously Alamogordo had a German community due to the presence of the German Air Force at Holloman Air Force Base ; in 1992 that air force made Holloman its main pilot training center in

14319-408: The remaining 128 mi (206 km) between Santa Rosa and Carrizozo. A tightly-controlled multinational workforce was brought in to expedite construction of the line. This effort was completed on February 1, 1902 when, under the direction of contractor George S. Good , the EP&RI met the CRI&P, operating under the name Chicago, Rock Island and El Paso Railway while in New Mexico. It marked

14448-431: The rival group's inability to pay a performance bond . A few days later (on October 22, 1897) the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad was incorporated in both New Mexico and Texas. By November 1897 the railroad's first line's route had been determined and orders for supplies were being placed. Using part of the KCEP&M's grade, which Eddy had purchased in full, the EP&NE completed an 85-mile (137 km) line north to

14577-429: The system had relied on alkali and gypsum rich well water that damaged the steam engines' boilers and necessitated frequent repairs. Alamogordo, New Mexico Alamogordo ( / ˌ æ l ə m ə ˈ ɡ ɔːr d oʊ / ) is the County seat of Otero County , New Mexico , United States. A city in the Tularosa Basin of the Chihuahuan Desert , it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains and to

14706-608: The territory or apply for the El Paso–White Oaks railway franchise. In May 1897 on the other side of the country in New Jersey the New Mexico Railway and Coal Company was incorporated, it would become the holding company for Eddy and his group's vertically integrated interests. When another group of men sought the necessary franchise from the El Paso city council, Eddy intervened and won the franchise because of

14835-560: The town. Eddy influenced the design of the community, which included large, wide thoroughfares and tree-lined irrigation canals. Charles Eddy's brother, John Arthur Eddy, named the new city Alamogordo ("large/fat cottonwood" in Spanish) after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from the Pecos River area. When Alamogordo was laid out in 1898, the east–west streets were given numerical designations, while north–south streets were named after states. The present-day White Sands Boulevard

14964-483: The water dries, the winds pick up the gypsum crystals and distribute them over the basin. Alamogordo has a cool arid climate ( Köppen BWk ) with hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is low and usually confined to the monsoon from July to September, when half a typical year's rainfall of 10.63 in (270.0 mm) will occur – although December 1991 did see 5.45 in (138.4 mm). The wettest calendar year has been 1941 with 21.87 in (555.5 mm) and

15093-417: The west by Holloman Air Force Base . The population was 31,384 as of the 2020 census . Alamogordo is widely known for its connection with the 1945 Trinity test, which was the first ever explosion of an atomic bomb . Humans have lived in the Alamogordo area for at least 11,000 years. The present settlement, established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad ,

15222-434: The winter, days are very mild and sunny, but nights are cold, with 32 °F (0 °C) reached on 55.1 mornings during an average winter, although only ten mornings have ever fallen to or below 0 °F (−17.8 °C), with the coldest temperature recorded at Alamogordo being −13 °F (−25.0 °C) during a major cold wave on February 3, 2011. Snow is very rare, with a mean of no more than 4.1 in (0.10 m) and

15351-417: Was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.1 males. In 1999, the median income for a household in the city was $ 30,928, and the median income for a family was $ 35,673. Males had a median income of $ 28,163 versus $ 18,860 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,662. About 13.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below

15480-414: Was NMRy&CCo's logging enterprise and owned the logging railways , short spurs and branches, that first harvested the territory's trust land in the Sacramento Mountains. The logging lines were temporary constructions, sometimes little more than tracks laid in the dirt, and initially relied on animal labor . The A&SM carried the lumber company's logs to its sawmill in Alamogordo for processing. While

15609-413: Was able to convince Phelps Dodge that Dawson coal was better for coking than the coal Phelps Dodge was interested in extracting from northwestern New Mexico so on July 1, 1905 Eddy's properties were transferred to Phelps Dodge, the rail line from El Paso to Dawson becoming the Eastern Division of the EP&SW. The A&SM continued to operate for some time as a subsidiary of the EP&SW. Trips to

15738-516: Was admitted. The Museum shop has a large collection of local history books. The Historical Society also publishes its own series of monographs on local history, Pioneer . American Armed Forces Museum is a museum on U.S. Route 82 near Florida Avenue that opened in 2011. It collects and displays all kinds of military memorabilia from all wars and military engagements. The Shroud Exhibit And Museum, located in White Sands Mall, showcases

15867-449: Was admitted. The Museum shop has a large collection of local history books. The Historical Society also publishes its own series of monographs on local history, Pioneer . American Armed Forces Museum is a museum on U.S. Route 82 near Florida Avenue that opened in 2011. It collects and displays all kinds of military memorabilia from all wars and military engagements. The Shroud Exhibit And Museum, located in White Sands Mall, showcases

15996-399: Was being constructed in the late 19th century. Initially its main industry was timbering for railroad ties. The railroad founders were also eager to found a major town that would persist after the railroad was completed; they formed the Alamogordo Improvement Company to develop the area, making Alamogordo an early example of a planned community . The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all

16125-422: Was founded in June 1898, when the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad , headed by Charles Bishop Eddy, extended the railway to the town. Eddy influenced the design of the community, which included large, wide thoroughfares and tree-lined irrigation canals. Charles Eddy's brother, John Arthur Eddy, named the new city Alamogordo ("large/fat cottonwood" in Spanish) after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from

16254-531: Was incorporated three years later into the promising Kansas City, El Paso and Mexico Railroad (KCEP&M, led by Morris Locke) which built 10 miles (16 km) of track and graded a further 21 before its debt caught up to it. Construction began in September 1888 with loans from local entrepreneurs and some word of financial commitment from interests in the American Northeast. Just a few days after

16383-476: Was the United States Forest Service who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest until October 2008, when that agency moved to a newly constructed building. In February 2009, ownership of the building was transferred to Otero County government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to its new Administration Building . In 1983, Atari, Inc. buried more than 700,000 Atari 2600 video game cartridges, most notably E.T.

16512-540: Was the Winter only Golden State Limited . Year round passenger service was provided by the westbound Chicago and Mexico Express and the eastbound Chicago Express . All of these Chicago–Los Angeles trains used the EP&NE system as an intermediate link between the CRI&P at Santa Rosa and the Southern Pacific Railroad in El Paso. Following the sale of the NMRy&CCo, the EP&SW obtained

16641-448: Was then called Pennsylvania Avenue. With the creation of White Sands National Monument in 1934, tourism began. The Works Progress Administration , a government program created in 1935 in response to the Great Depression, was responsible for the construction of several government buildings in Alamogordo. These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue, a Pueblo style building originally constructed as

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