Welcome To Roswell Where History Lives On
Before Roswell was a thought, from 1866 to 1869, the area was nothing more than reservations and cattlemen bringing their cattle up what would later become known as the Chisum Trail. As is often the case, the Goodnight-Loving camping site soon had a trading post, and gambling halls quickly followed. A wealthy gambler, Mr. Van Smith, then bought these buildings and preceded to give the area a name. Named after his father, Roswell was born and a post office was established in the year of 1873.
By 1875, one of the original cattlemen, John Chisum, bought land just outside Roswell and developed South Springs Ranch. This ranch flourished and grew, becoming the largest cattle ranch in the United States at that time. Capt. Fast forward a couple of years and Joseph Lea, another wealthy rancher in the area, began buying up most of the buildings in Roswell. By 1877 he owned most of the town and began to seriously develop the emerging community. You can ask anyone in Roswell, Lea has become known as “the father of Roswell.”
To those without vision, this may look like a formidable desert, but to these cattlemen it was a desert with a future. In 1894, the Pecos Valley Railroad began to extend their tracks all the way to Roswell, and the new little town began to grow. It was quickly starting to supply the needs of the ranchers who lived all around. Roswell was in the right place at the right time. A ranching community in the middle of the desert was quickly being formed.
If the addition of the railroad was not enough to help this small community grow, the next piece of luck was really unexpected. Oil was discovered near the town of Artesia, a community about 40 miles south of Roswell. While there was no drilling activity in the area around Roswell, it was once again in the right place, at the right time. Roswell quickly became the business center for the oil industry. It also supplied the needs of the many new residents who came to live in New Mexico. By 1924, Roswell was gaining in importance and a major community in the desert.
During World War II, Roswell was once again in the right place, at the right time. The Army needed a facility to train bomber crews. What better place than this huge desert? In 1941 they built the Roswell Army Air Field just south of the community. Just six years later, something that would strike the imagination of all happened. Fact or Fiction, does not matter, this new event would put Roswell on the map to stay.
The country has remained puzzled, but something very strange and foreign crashed into this vast desert in 1947.
The investigation of the unidentified flying object began and there have always been more questions, than answers. Was it an alien spaceship, a weather balloon, or another object? The desert puts out the welcome mat. Come, and decide for yourself.
What did happen, was that it firmly put Roswell on the tourist map? The evidence awaits your eyes! The UFO International Museum has exhibits that are mind-blowing.
What does this all mean? Are UFOs real? The evidence awaits your eyes. The decision is for each to make. For those that have the inclination, explore the desert and see what you can see. There is nothing like taking a desert hike and seeing where things happened.
Adventure is everywhere, and the desert is calling. So put on your glasses and see what you can find.
Get a map of the area and start to explore. Let the adventure begin!
Hike the desert and look for its treasures. Memories of the past are alive and well. What can you find?
Join in on the fun! And when you are tired, head on over to MacDonald’s and grab some refreshments. I am sure you have never seen a MacDonald’s like this one elsewhere.
This is a town where there is so much to see that one day is not enough. It is a modern town of over 46,000 people. Here you can find all the UFO excitement, ask your questions, and who knows, maybe find a few answers. While you are there, you will find plenty of UFO guards on every street.
Have you ever seen street lights like these? It’s a world of UFO excitement. So what are you waiting for? Grab your hiking shoes and head on out to Roswell for a UFO adventure.
First Published on steemit.com@exploretraveler June 23, 2017 at:
https://steemit.com/travel/@exploretraveler/it-all-happened-in-roswell-new-mexico
