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| Tourism & Local Interest |
 So, what's Roswell like?
Roswell is on the verge of officially become a "city" should it reach the population of 50,000 after the upcoming census count, but it still has a small-town feeling of friendliness to it. It's got a casual, down-to-earth atmosphere bred by hard-working folk from cowboys to bankers that have built the town up from open prairie to being named the "All-American city." Surrounded by open grasslands grazed by pronghorn and long-horn cattle, entering Roswell is a pleasant surprise after the dryness of the prairie when you pass by the castle-like buildings of the New Mexico Military Institute, a multitude of parks, tree-lined streets, green lawns, golf courses and Bottomless Lakes to take the kids swimming at. Recent good news is that American Eagle now offers 3 flights per day to/from Dallas, TX, making the world only a short flight away. Flights from Roswell to Los Angeles will also be available this fall. Roswell has two large, modern hospitals: Eastern New Mexico Medical Center and Roswell Regional Hospital plus many smaller specialty hospitals. Roswell's greatest resources are its dairy industry, agriculture, airport with such a long runway it's a backup for the space shuttle (formerly a military base), and massive underground aquifer with a huge amount of water.
Aliens, Aliens everywhere! Why?
Roswell, NM is famous worldwide for having had a "flying saucer" crash on a local rancher's land just outside of town in 1947, an event that made the headlines of the paper and had the local Army base officials acting suspiciously before declaring the crash debris to be from a weather balloon. You can ponder this in the UFO Museum in a former movie theater downtown, and find amusement in all the kitschy souvenirs in the 50's-era downtown "Alien Zone." This culminates in the UFO Festival around the 4th of July, an event that is mainly fun with parades and costume contests, but also some serious presentations from "UFOlogists."
Bottomless Lakes & Bitter Lakes Wildlife Refuge
Just 20 minutes outside of town are a series of small lakes with beautiful land formations reminiscent of the scenery you see in cowboy movies. There's Lea Lake with covered picnic tables, swimming, paddle boats, barbecues, showers, and camping, making it a favorite family summertime spot. Other lakes allow fishing. The name derives from the incredible depth of these lakes, up to 90 feet in the center.
Cahoon Park
Located in the center of Roswell, Cahoon park offers picnic areas, outdoor pool, tennis courts and basketball courts.
Spring River Park, Zoo (Free!) & Bike Trail
This is the only free zoo in New Mexico. There is a 5-mile long paved bike path that takes you from Spring River golf course to the Spring River park. You can feed the Canada geese and other water fowl that come to the large pond here in the winter to enjoy the mild climate.
Anderson Art Museum
This is a beautiful museum that sponsors "Artists in Residence" from around the world. There is no entry fee, just donations as one feels. You'll be amazed at the size and content of some of the works here.
Roswell Museum
Here you can see the interestesting array of early residents that made Roswell what it is today, from tough cattle ranchers, talented artists, James Boyer, founder of "Blackdom," to Mr. Goddard, rocket engineer.
Roswell Historic District
It's always pleasant to drive or stroll through Roswell's Historic District, with its rows of soaring elm trees and beautiful houses from around the turn of the century. One of Roswell's interesting features is the vast array of architecture, from Tudor to Greek Revival to Pueblo and Territorial, reflecting the variety of people that have moved here and brought their styles with them.
Shopping & Entertainment
Roswell Mall and Galaxy-8 Movie Theater
Roswell Mall is located across from Walmart and Sam's Club. The mall is indoors making it a pleasant place to shop year round. Major stores include JC Penny's, Beales, and Hobby Lobby and new stores are being added to the area all the time.
DAY TRIPS FROM ROSWELL
Roswell's central location in Southeast New Mexico is one of the best places to be in all of New Mexico for easy access to sightseeing, with most sights and big-city shopping only a few hours away. (Driving times are approximate).
Carlsbad Caverns (3 hours)
White Sands National Monument (2.5 hours)
Sante Fe (3 hours)
Albuquerque (3.25 hours)
El Paso (3.5 hours)
Ruidoso, Ski slopes & Inn of the Mountain Gods (1.5- 2 hours)
Conchas Lake (3 hours)
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| Education |
Elementary, Middle & High Schools - Public
All of Roswell and the surrounding area fall into one public school district:
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Pics from Roswell neighborhood
Bottomless Lakes - Paddleboat
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Alien Pet Costume Contest
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Sunset at Cielo Grande Park
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