Alamogordo, New Mexico
Encyclopedia
Alamogordo is the county seat
of Otero County
and a city in south-central New Mexico
, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin
, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains
. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base
. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000 census. Alamogordo is known for the Atari video game burial
of 1983. It is also famous for its connection with the Trinity test, the first explosion of a nuclear (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, 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 1934. During the 1950-60s, 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 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.
As the economic center of Otero County, Alamogordo has a primarily service and retail economy that draws its customers from tourists and from active-duty and retired military personnel. The city is accessible through three U.S. Highways and scheduled commercial air service at Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
. Holloman Air Force Base
(including a German Air Force Tactical Training Center) and White Sands Missile Range
are two nearby major military bases. By some estimates, Holloman accounts for half the economy of Alamogordo. The city also has a public school system, a branch of New Mexico State University
, and the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
, making education also a significant contributor to the economy. A city's gross receipts tax
funds incentives for new businesses, which are recruited by the nonprofit Otero County Economic Development Council. Several films a year are shot partly in the Alamogordo area and the filming expenditures add to the economy. The New Mexico Museum of Space History, Lincoln National Forest
, and White Sands National Monument
are in or near the city. A hot-air balloon festival is held annually. Skiing is available in nearby Mescalero
and Cloudcroft
, and gambling is available at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero.
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 the Spanish came in 1534, and Mescalero oral history says they have always lived there.
The Spanish built a chapel at La Luz
(about 5 miles (8 km) from the future site of Alamogordo) in 1719, 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 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 was then called Pennsylvania Avenue.
Several government buildings in Alamogordo were constructed by the Works Progress Administration
, a government program created in 1935 in response to the Great Depression. 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
completed in 1942. 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.
Ownership of the building was transferred to Otero County
government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to the new Administration Building in February 2009.
In the 1940s until the early 1960s nearby Holloman Air Force Base
was the site of a number of tests designed to improve safety of Air Force flights and of upcoming manned space flights.
The Aeromedical Field Laboratory (AMFL) was founded at Holloman in 1951 as a support facility for the Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright Field (today the 711th Human Performance Wing
within the Air Force Research Laboratory
at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
). The scientific work at AMFL focused on the effects of cosmic radiation, fractional gravity, and mechanical forces on living tissues. Tests prepared or performed at AMFL included Project Manhigh
(cosmic ray effects), Project Excelsior
(high-altitude parachutes),
and a number of unnamed rocket sled tests (escape from high-performance aircraft). Tests were performed on both animal and human subjects, and AMFL maintained a collection of animals at Holloman. Many of the tests were performed under the direction of John Paul Stapp, who moved from Wright Field to Holloman in April 1953 to become the head of the laboratory.
Stapp volunteered as the first human test subject in all of the rocket sled tests. On December 10, 1954, he rode the Sonic Wind No. 1 rocket sled at Holloman in a run that decelerated from 632 miles per hour (1,017.1 km/h) to a complete stop in one and one-quarter seconds. His body experienced over 40 times the force of gravity, in essence making him weigh 6800 pounds (3,084.4 kg) for that brief time.
In the third flight of Project Excelsior
, launched from Holloman on August 16, 1960, Joseph Kittinger
stepped from the balloon gondola at an altitude of 102800 feet (31,333.4 m) and set several records, including one for longest parachute free-fall. The gondola carried a sign reading, "This is the highest step in the world".
Ham
, the first chimpanzee in space, was trained at Holloman; his name is an acronym for Holloman Aero Medical. His flight occurred on January 31, 1961.
After Ham died in 1983 at age 27, his body was necropsied and the skeleton removed. The remaining soft parts of his body were buried in front of the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. Enos
, the first chimpanzee to orbit the earth, was also trained at Holloman. His flight occurred on November 29, 1961.
White Sands Space Harbor
, located about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Alamogordo, is a NASA
facility that has runways on a dry lakebed and was the primary training area for Space Shuttle
pilots practicing approaches and landings.
The site was designated as a back-up Shuttle landing site in 1979, and on March 30, 1982 Space Shuttle Columbia
ended the third Shuttle mission, STS-3
, by landing there.
After that landing, White Sands Space Harbor became an emergency landing site for the Shuttle.
of books in the Harry Potter
series, and several other series, on December 30.
Other items burned included novels by J. R. R. Tolkien
and Stephen King
, Star Wars
material, Complete Works of William Shakespeare
, magazines,
and a Ouija
board. Pastor Jack Brock called the Potter books "a masterpiece of Satan
ic deception"
and said the character taught children to take up wizardry. Several hundred people protested the event. Alamogordo Public Library
continued a display of Harry Potter books that was originally mounted in conjunction with the movie premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Cash donations were made to the library, and library director Jim Preston said, "With this money we are purchasing additional copies of Harry Potter, Tolkien, and Shakespeare."
The city is located at an elevation of 4336 feet (1322 m) on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains
and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin
. It is in 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
is a 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
, is located in Alamogordo.
The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Monument
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.
of 2000, there were 35,582 people, 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in the city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 75.4% 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 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 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 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. The Census Bureau defines the Alamogordo Micropolitan Statistical Area as Otero County.
Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with over half the Otero County population living within 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.
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 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 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 the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008.
is the largest employer in Alamogordo, 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 person with 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.
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.
, 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 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, 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., 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 aces of land from Heritage Group, a developer.
PreCheck announced in 2009 that it would move its headquarters from Houston
to Alamogordo.
The Otero County Film Office,
an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in 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 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.
Fair is held annually on the last Saturday in April 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 is held annually in early August at the County Fairgrounds at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Fairgrounds Road in Alamogordo. 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, but also features music, entertainment, and food.
White Sands Balloon Invitational is held annually in late September. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex on First Street or from White Sands National Monument
and float over the Tularosa Basin
.
Oktoberfest
is celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force)
at Holloman Air Force Base
. The public is invited, and shuttle buses run between Alamogordo and the base.
New Mexico Museum of Space History is a state museum housing artifacts related to space flight. It incorporates the International Space Hall of Fame.
Ham the Astrochimp is buried here.
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts
, located at 1110 New York Avenue, 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 is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater.
Alamogordo Museum of History
(formerly Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum) 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
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.
The Museum had planned to move from its location at 1301 N. White Sands Boulevard to a historic adobe building at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Tenth Street by the end of 2008,
but as of July 2009 this plan has stalled due to lack of money to renovate the building.
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 a full-sized backlit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin
, a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. The displayed photograph is based on 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project. The displays include historical background materials and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud.
The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the U.S. Southwest, is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
.
were the first ever professional baseball team in Alamogordo. They play in the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs and started in the 2011 Season.
The Alamogordo Desert Dawgs
are an amateur football team formed in 2008.
They are part of the New Mexico Football Alliance.
The Desert Dawgs are organized as a limited liability company
owned by Tony Castiglione and Kenneth Mitchell, and have local sponsors underwriting expenses.
The team has an agreement with Alamogordo Public Schools by which the Desert Dawgs practice and play home games at Alamogordo High School's Tiger Stadium and the school district receives 20% of the home gate. Tiger Stadium is nicknamed "The Dawg Pound" when the Desert Dawgs play there.
Several of the team members are airmen from nearby Holloman Air Force Base
.
Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event is Walk Out West, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo
. It incorporates a health fair
, live music, and fun events for kids.
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 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 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 has numerous small parks scattered through the city, and a few larger ones. Mentioned here are some of the more notable parks.
Alameda Park is a city park lying on the west side of White Sands Boulevard between Tenth Street and Indian Wells Road. Most of the park is shaded by cottonwood trees. At the south end of the park is Alameda Park Zoo
and at the north end is The Toy Train Depot
, a railroad and toy train museum.
Washington Park is a city park in the center of town, bounded by Washington and Oregon Avenues and running from First Street to Indian Wells Road. City Hall and several other city buildings are located in the park. At the north end of the park is Kids Kingdom, a children's play area with a giant jungle gym.
There are public athletic fields at the Jim R. Griggs Sports Complex, located at the corner of Florida Avenue and Fairgrounds Road, and the Travis C. Hooser Ballfield Complex (also called Walker Field) located at the corner of U.S. Route 70
and Walker Road.
The Alamogordo Family Recreation Center, at 1100 Oregon Avenue, is a city-owned facility offering a weight room, swimming pool (open year round), and basketball gym. There are outdoor tennis courts north of the building.
The Alamogordo Senior Center is a city facility for senior citizen
s that provides a social center and an exercise room and serves congregate meals and Meals on Wheels
.
Desert Lakes Golf Course is a city-owned golf course located at the south end of town on Hamilton Road at Desert Lakes Road. It is an 18-hole course. The clubhouse houses a restaurant and a pro shop. There is a PGA golf pro on duty at the course.
Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. The Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54
, offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. The White Sands National Monument
, a U.S. National Monument
, is located about 15 miles (24.1 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 miles (712.2 km²) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum
crystals. The Lincoln National Forest
, whose headquarters are in Alamogordo, is a mountainous area that starts about 10 miles (16.1 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 was incorporated in 1912. It is a charter city
(also called a home rule city
), and the charter is included as Part I of the Code of Ordinances.
It has a Council-manager government
form of government (called Commission/Manager in New Mexico). There are seven city commissioners, each elected from a district within the city, on staggered 4-year terms. The city manager is considered the chief executive officer of the city and is tasked to enforce and implement the City Council's directives and policy. The mayor is a member of the City Council. Currently, Ron Griggs holds the position of mayor.
Alamogordo's fiscal year ends on June 30 each year; thus Fiscal Year 2008 runs from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. The FY 2008 budget projects income of $61,454,402
and expenditures of $73,655,777. Sources of City government income and their percentages of the whole were: gross receipts tax
(31%), miscellaneous (23%), grants
(22%), user fees
(19%), and property tax
(5%).
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New Mexico State University
at Alamogordo is a two year community college established in 1958. It currently has approximately 1,800 students. There are two high schools, three middle schools, and 11 elementary schools in the Alamogordo Public School District. Prior to 2008 there were two private schools in Alamogordo: Legacy Christian Academy and Father James B. Hay Catholic School. A third private school, Imago Dei Academy, opened in August 2008 and provides a classical Christian education
. Kindergarten through eighth grade is taught with plans to gradually expand to the 12th grade.
The German government operates the Deutsche Schule (German School) for children of Luftwaffe
(German Air Force) personnel stationed at the German tactical training center at Holloman Air Force Base
. The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
is a state school located in Alamogordo.
Alamogordo Public Library
serves Alamogordo and Otero County
.
The library at New Mexico State University
's Alamogordo campus is also open to the public.
(ADN), owned by MediaNews Group
. ADN is published six days a week; on Monday, when it does not appear, subscribers receive the El Paso Times
.
ADN also publishes Hollogram, a free weekly newspaper distributed at the nearby Holloman Air Force Base
and covering happenings on base.
There are no alternative newspapers published in Alamogordo but The Ink, a free Las Cruces
monthly newspaper devoted to the arts, is distributed in the city. The city government publishes City Profile, a monthly print newsletter that is mailed to all households in the city and is published electronically on the city web site,
and Communiqué, a blog with city news.
One television station, KVBA-LP, broadcasts from Alamogordo. It has a religious format, and a weekly local news magazine broadcast Thursday through Saturday.
Several Las Cruces
, Albuquerque, and El Paso
stations have relay transmitters in Alamogordo. Cable television service is provided by Baja Broadband.
There are two commercial radio broadcast companies, WP Broadcasting and Burt Broadcasting; each operates several stations in several formats.
There are two "listener-supported" radio stations that do not carry advertising but depend on sponsorships and donations. KUPR-FM
has a gospel music radio format
and some live coverage of local events, including many remote broadcast
s from civic events.
KALH-LP
is a low-power FM station that carries a variety
radio format, network news on the hour, and local news on some hours.
Neither station is an NPR
affiliate. The local NPR outlet is KRWG-FM
in Las Cruces, which reaches Alamogordo through a local relay transmitter.
Several major motion pictures were filmed in or near Alamogordo. The 2007 film Transformers was shot primarily at White Sands Missile Range
, with additional filming at Holloman Air Force Base
, both in the Alamogordo area.
Its 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
also prominently featured these two military bases.
The 2009 film Year One was shot partly at White Sands National Monument
, near Alamogordo.
Alamogordo was one of the fourteen cities profiled in the 2005 documentary 14 Days in America.
The Otero County Film Office maintains a list of films shot partly or wholly in Alamogordo and Otero County.
constructed to the west of the city in 2001 to relieve congestion on White Sands Boulevard.
U.S. Route 70
and U.S. Route 54
traverses through the north and south ends of the city. At the south end of the city, White Sands Boulevard is a the major named street that merge into U.S. Route 54/Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route, running south to El Paso, Texas
. In the south part of the city, U.S. Route 70 splits from U.S. Route 54 in a southwestern direction to Holloman Air Force Base
, White Sands National Monument
, and White Sands Missile Range
prior to reaching Las Cruces
. At the north end of the city, White Sands Boulevard and the Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route become a merged U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 70 running north to Tularosa
. U.S. Route 82
starts at the same point and runs east to Cloudcroft
and the mountain communities of Otero County
, and then to Artesia
.
Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
is the municipal airport located in the Alamogordo area. It is primarily used for general aviation
.
There is also scheduled commercial service from New Mexico Airlines
, operated under a subsidy from the Essential Air Service
program.
Greyhound Lines
offers intercity bus service to Alamogordo.
There is daily shuttle van service between Alamogordo and El Paso International Airport
.
Z-Trans is the mass transit system, providing paratransit
and scheduled service within the city center and to White Sands Mall, Holloman Air Force Base
and Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero
. Z-Trans is unusual in that it is privately owned (by Zia Therapy Center, a non-profit), although it does get some local and state subsidies.
The Alamogordo city government is building a network of bike routes and walking routes. More information and maps are in the Alamogordo Comprehensive Plan.
The New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association operates a Rails to Trails project to convert old railroad beds to walking trails. Its trail system in Otero County, the Cloud Climbing Rail Trail, is planned to eventually surround Alamogordo.
. PNM also provides electrical power in the Tularosa Basin
, while Otero County Electric Cooperative, a member cooperative of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and of Touchstone Energy
, serves other areas of the county. Natural gas is supplied within the city by New Mexico Gas Company, a subsidiary of Continental Energy Systems. Severn Trent operates both the water and sewage treatment
facilities for the City of Alamogordo. Severn Trent maintains all water storage facilities, booster pump stations, city wells and treats the waste water to be re-used by the city to water the parks, Desert Lakes Golf Course and is sold to construction companies for dust control. Rural houses have individual wells.
Alamogordo has a dark sky
ordinance to reduce the amount of light pollution
in the night skies. The ordinance was passed in 1990 to promote the growth and scientific productivity of Apache Point Observatory
.
City streetlights are high-pressure sodium vapor lamp
s.
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center
is a private not-for-profit 99-bed general hospital
that serves the Alamogordo area. The hospital is a shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for nearby Holloman Air Force Base
.
The Otero County Community Health Council prepares a detailed health profile
each year with many facts and figures about health in Otero County
. Otero County is ranked in the middle of most health rankings within the state. New Mexico
is near the bottom of most national rankings, for example it was 38th in the United Health Foundation 2007 report, but has been slowly improving (it was 40th in 2005).
When health-promoting features are considered, instead of the healthiness of the population, Alamogordo is ranked as one of the 50 healthiest places to live in the United States, among six in New Mexico.
Civic boosters such as the Chamber of Commerce
publicize this ranking.
, a physicist
and a past director of National Institute of Standards and Technology
, was born in Alamogordo.
Alan Hale
, an astronomer
and co-discoverer of Comet Hale-Bopp
, grew up in Alamogordo and lives in nearby Cloudcroft
.
Among politicians, Edwin L. Mechem
, a past Governor of New Mexico and past United States Senator from New Mexico, was born in Alamogordo, as was Cindy Chavez
, a past member of the San Jose, California
City Council
.
Other, Edward Lee Howard
, a formed CIA Case agent who allegedly gave classified material to the Russians who later defected to the Soviet Union.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
and a city in south-central New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, United States. A desert community lying in the Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
, it is bordered on the east by the Sacramento Mountains
Sacramento Mountains
The Sacramento Mountains are a mountain range in the south-central part of the U.S. state of New Mexico, lying just east of Alamogordo in Otero County...
. It is the nearest city to Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
. The population was 35,582 as of the 2000 census. Alamogordo is known for the Atari video game burial
Atari video game burial
The Atari video game burial was a mass burial of unsold video game cartridges, consoles, and computers in a New Mexico landfill site, undertaken by American video game and home computer company Atari, Inc. in 1983. The goods disposed of through the burial are generally believed to have been...
of 1983. It is also famous for its connection with the Trinity test, the first explosion of a nuclear (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, is an early example of a planned community
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
. The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
in 1934. During the 1950-60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program.
Alamogordo is a charter city
Charter city
A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state, provincial, regional or national laws. In locations where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its organizing charter by decision of its administration...
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
Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It is one of three AZA-accredited zoos in New Mexico and participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf.-Features:Notable species at the...
, a network of walking paths, Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library is the public library serving Alamogordo, New Mexico and Otero County, New Mexico. The library has extensive collections of Spanish-language and German-language books and of materials related to the Western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes.-History:Alamogordo Public Library...
, and a senior citizens' center. Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a general hospital, owned and operated by the non-profit Otero County Hospital Association, that serves the Alamogordo, New Mexico area...
is a nonprofit shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for Holloman.
As the economic center of Otero County, Alamogordo has a primarily service and retail economy that draws its customers from tourists and from active-duty and retired military personnel. The city is accessible through three U.S. Highways and scheduled commercial air service at Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It was formerly known as Alamogordo Municipal Airport.It is served by one commercial...
. Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
(including a German Air Force Tactical Training Center) and White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
are two nearby major military bases. By some estimates, Holloman accounts for half the economy of Alamogordo. The city also has a public school system, a branch of New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
, and the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a state special education school with a residential campus in Alamogordo, New Mexico and a preschool in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
, making education also a significant contributor to the economy. A city's gross receipts tax
Gross receipts tax
A gross receipts tax or gross excise tax is a tax on the total gross revenues of a company, regardless of their source. A gross receipts tax is similar to a sales tax, but it is levied on the seller of goods or service consumers...
funds incentives for new businesses, which are recruited by the nonprofit Otero County Economic Development Council. Several films a year are shot partly in the Alamogordo area and the filming expenditures add to the economy. The New Mexico Museum of Space History, Lincoln National Forest
Lincoln National Forest
The Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
, and White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
are in or near the city. A hot-air balloon festival is held annually. Skiing is available in nearby Mescalero
Mescalero, New Mexico
Mescalero is a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mescalero is located at ....
and Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
, and gambling is available at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero.
History
Tularosa BasinTularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
has been inhabited for at least 11,000 years. There are signs of previous inhabitants in the area such as the Clovis culture
Clovis culture
The Clovis culture is a prehistoric Paleo-Indian culture that first appears 11,500 RCYBP , at the end of the last glacial period, characterized by the manufacture of "Clovis points" and distinctive bone and ivory tools...
, the Folsom culture, the peoples of the Archaic period, and the Formative stage
Formative stage
The Formative Stage or "Neo-Indian period" is an archaeological term describing a particular developmental level. This stage from 1000 BCE to 500 CE is the third of five stages defined by Gordon Willey and Philip Phillips' 1958 book Method and Theory in American Archaeology.Cultures of the...
.
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.
The Spanish built a chapel at La Luz
La Luz, New Mexico
La Luz is a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,615 at the 2000 census. It is located immediately north of Alamogordo and lies in the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin and on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains. Until 1848, La Luz...
(about 5 miles (8 km) from the future site of Alamogordo) in 1719, 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 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
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered from the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
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.
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
, a government program created in 1935 in response to the Great Depression. These include the Otero County Administration Building at 1101 New York Avenue, a Pueblo style
Pueblo Revival Style architecture
The Pueblo Revival style is a regional architectural style of the Southwestern United States which draws its inspiration from the Pueblos and the Spanish missions in New Mexico. The style developed at the turn of the 20th century and reached its greatest popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, though it...
building originally constructed as the main U.S. Post Office in 1938. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The main entrance portico features frescoes by Peter Hurd
Peter Hurd
Peter Hurd was an American artist, born Harold Hurd, Jr., in Roswell, New Mexico.Nicknamed "Pete" by his parents, he later legally changed his name to Peter.-Life:...
completed in 1942. 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
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
who used it as the headquarters of the Lincoln National Forest
Lincoln National Forest
The Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
until October 2008, when that agency moved to a newly constructed building.
Ownership of the building was transferred to Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
government and many government offices were moved from the Courthouse to the new Administration Building in February 2009.
Aeronautics and space exploration
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
was the site of a number of tests designed to improve safety of Air Force flights and of upcoming manned space flights.
The Aeromedical Field Laboratory (AMFL) was founded at Holloman in 1951 as a support facility for the Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright Field (today the 711th Human Performance Wing
711th Human Performance Wing
The 711th Human Performance Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio....
within the Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Research Laboratory
The Air Force Research Laboratory is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable aerospace warfighting technologies; planning and executing the Air Force science and...
at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base in Greene and Montgomery counties in the state of Ohio. It includes both Wright and Patterson Fields, which were originally Wilbur Wright Field and Fairfield Aviation General Supply Depot. Patterson Field is located approximately...
). The scientific work at AMFL focused on the effects of cosmic radiation, fractional gravity, and mechanical forces on living tissues. Tests prepared or performed at AMFL included Project Manhigh
Project Manhigh
Project Manhigh along with Project Excelsior was a pre-Space Age military project that took men in balloons to the middle layers of the Earth’s stratosphere.-History:...
(cosmic ray effects), Project Excelsior
Project Excelsior
Project Excelsior was a series of high-altitude parachute jumps made by Colonel Joseph Kittinger of the United States Air Force in 1959 and 1960 to test the Beaupre multi-stage parachute system...
(high-altitude parachutes),
and a number of unnamed rocket sled tests (escape from high-performance aircraft). Tests were performed on both animal and human subjects, and AMFL maintained a collection of animals at Holloman. Many of the tests were performed under the direction of John Paul Stapp, who moved from Wright Field to Holloman in April 1953 to become the head of the laboratory.
Stapp volunteered as the first human test subject in all of the rocket sled tests. On December 10, 1954, he rode the Sonic Wind No. 1 rocket sled at Holloman in a run that decelerated from 632 miles per hour (1,017.1 km/h) to a complete stop in one and one-quarter seconds. His body experienced over 40 times the force of gravity, in essence making him weigh 6800 pounds (3,084.4 kg) for that brief time.
In the third flight of Project Excelsior
Project Excelsior
Project Excelsior was a series of high-altitude parachute jumps made by Colonel Joseph Kittinger of the United States Air Force in 1959 and 1960 to test the Beaupre multi-stage parachute system...
, launched from Holloman on August 16, 1960, Joseph Kittinger
Joseph Kittinger
Joseph William Kittinger II is a former Command Pilot and career military officer in the United States Air Force. He is most famous for his participation in Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior, holding the records for having the highest, fastest and longest skydive, from a height greater than...
stepped from the balloon gondola at an altitude of 102800 feet (31,333.4 m) and set several records, including one for longest parachute free-fall. The gondola carried a sign reading, "This is the highest step in the world".
Ham the Chimp
Ham , also known as Ham the Chimp and Ham the Astrochimp, was the first chimpanzee launched into outer space in the American space program...
, the first chimpanzee in space, was trained at Holloman; his name is an acronym for Holloman Aero Medical. His flight occurred on January 31, 1961.
After Ham died in 1983 at age 27, his body was necropsied and the skeleton removed. The remaining soft parts of his body were buried in front of the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo. Enos
Enos (chimpanzee)
Enos was the first chimpanzee that was launched into Earth orbit.Enos was purchased from the Miami Rare Bird Farm on April 3, 1960. He completed more than 1,250 hours of training for his mission at the University of Kentucky and Holloman Air Force Base...
, the first chimpanzee to orbit the earth, was also trained at Holloman. His flight occurred on November 29, 1961.
White Sands Space Harbor
White Sands Space Harbor
White Sands Space Harbor is the primary training area used by NASA for Space Shuttle pilots flying practice approaches and landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft and T-38 Talon aircraft. Its runways, navigational aids, runway lighting, and control facilities also stand continuously ready as a...
, located about 30 miles (48.3 km) west of Alamogordo, is a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
facility that has runways on a dry lakebed and was the primary training area for Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
pilots practicing approaches and landings.
The site was designated as a back-up Shuttle landing site in 1979, and on March 30, 1982 Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
ended the third Shuttle mission, STS-3
STS-3
STS-3 was NASA's third Space Shuttle mission, and was the third mission for the Space Shuttle Columbia. It was the first shuttle launch with an unpainted external tank, and the only mission to land at the White Sands Space Harbor near Las Cruces, New Mexico.-Crew:-Backup crew:-Mission...
, by landing there.
After that landing, White Sands Space Harbor became an emergency landing site for the Shuttle.
Book burnings
Alamogordo briefly made international news in late 2001 when Christ Community Church held a public book burningBook burning
Book burning, biblioclasm or libricide is the practice of destroying, often ceremoniously, books or other written material and media. In modern times, other forms of media, such as phonograph records, video tapes, and CDs have also been ceremoniously burned, torched, or shredded...
of books in the Harry Potter
Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series, and several other series, on December 30.
Other items burned included novels by J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
and Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
material, Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Complete Works of Shakespeare
Complete Works of William Shakespeare is the standard name given to any volume containing all the plays and poems of William Shakespeare. Some editions include several works which were not completely of Shakespeare's authorship , such as The Two Noble Kinsmen, a collaboration with John Fletcher, as...
, magazines,
and a Ouija
Ouija
The Ouija board also known as a spirit/fire key board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words "yes", "no", "hello" and "goodbye", and other symbols and words are sometimes also added to help personalize the board...
board. Pastor Jack Brock called the Potter books "a masterpiece of Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
ic deception"
and said the character taught children to take up wizardry. Several hundred people protested the event. Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library is the public library serving Alamogordo, New Mexico and Otero County, New Mexico. The library has extensive collections of Spanish-language and German-language books and of materials related to the Western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes.-History:Alamogordo Public Library...
continued a display of Harry Potter books that was originally mounted in conjunction with the movie premiere of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Cash donations were made to the library, and library director Jim Preston said, "With this money we are purchasing additional copies of Harry Potter, Tolkien, and Shakespeare."
Geography
As of 2000 Alamogordo had a total area of 19.3 square miles (50 km²), all of it land.The city is located at an elevation of 4336 feet (1322 m) on the western flank of the Sacramento Mountains
Sacramento Mountains
The Sacramento Mountains are a mountain range in the south-central part of the U.S. state of New Mexico, lying just east of Alamogordo in Otero County...
and on the eastern edge of the Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
. It is in the Rio Grande rift
Rio Grande Rift
The Rio Grande Rift is a north-trending continental rift zone. It separates the Colorado Plateau in the west from the interior of the North American craton on the east. The rift extends from central Colorado in the north to the state of Chihuahua, Mexico in the south. The rift zone consists of four...
and in the northernmost part of the Chihuahuan Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
.
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
Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata is known as Creosote bush as a plant, chaparral as a medicinal herb, and as "gobernadora" in Mexico, Spanish for "governess," due to its ability for inhibiting the growth of nearby plants to have more water. In Sonora, it is more commonly called "hediondilla." It is a flowering...
, mesquite
Mesquite
Mesquite is a leguminous plant of the Prosopis genus found in northern Mexico through the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan Deserts, and up into the Southwestern United States as far north as southern Kansas, west to the Colorado Desert in California,and east to the eastern fifth of Texas, where...
, saltbush, cottonwood, desert willow, and many species of cactus
Cactus
A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae. Their distinctive appearance is a result of adaptations to conserve water in dry and/or hot environments. In most species, the stem has evolved to become photosynthetic and succulent, while the leaves have evolved into spines...
and yucca
Yucca
Yucca is a genus of perennial shrubs and trees in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Agavoideae. Its 40-50 species are notable for their rosettes of evergreen, tough, sword-shaped leaves and large terminal panicles of white or whitish flowers. They are native to the hot and dry parts of North...
.
The Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
is a 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
Hard water
Hard water is water that has high mineral content . Hard water has high concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health but can pose serious problems in industrial settings, where water hardness is monitored to avoid costly breakdowns in boilers, cooling...
: it has very high total dissolved solids
Total dissolved solids
Total Dissolved Solids is a measure of the combined content of all inorganic and organic substances contained in a liquid in: molecular, ionized or micro-granular suspended form. Generally the operational definition is that the solids must be small enough to survive filtration through a sieve...
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
Desalination
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water...
of brackish water
Brackish water
Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak," meaning "salty"...
, is located in Alamogordo.
The gypsum crystals of White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
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.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 35,582 people, 13,704 households, and 9,728 families residing in the city. There were 15,920 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 75.4% White; 5.6% African American, 1.1% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 12.1% from some other race
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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 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 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
's Population Estimates Program. The Census Bureau defines the Alamogordo Micropolitan Statistical Area as Otero County.
Economy
| Otero County non-agricultural civilian employment (number of people) 2006 |
|
|---|---|
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing & hunting |
100 |
| Mining | 28 |
| Utilities | 68 |
| Construction | 1,348 |
| Manufacturing | 227 |
| Wholesale trade | 211 |
| Retail trade | 2,052 |
| Transportation & warehousing | 537 |
| Information | 234 |
| Finance & insurance | 436 |
| Real estate & rental & leasing | 162 |
| Professional & technical services | 729 |
| Management of companies & enterprises |
43 |
| Administrative & waste services | 883 |
| Educational services | 48 |
| Health care & social assistance | 1,994 |
| Arts, entertainment & recreation | 63 |
| Accommodation & food services | 1,590 |
| Other services, except public admin |
423 |
| Non-classifiable | 3 |
| Total private sector | 11,179 |
| Federal | 2,004 |
| State | 801 |
| Local | 3,838 |
| Public administration | 6,643 |
| Grand total | 17,822 |
| Source: New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, Employment Statistics, Table D |
|
Alamogordo is the economic center of Otero County, with over half the Otero County population living within 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.
Economic history
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 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
Planned community
A planned community, or planned city, is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are less frequent in planned communities since...
. The Alamogordo Improvement Company owned all 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
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
in 1934. Construction began on the Alamogordo Army Air Field (the present-day Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
) in 1942, and 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
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a state special education school with a residential campus in Alamogordo, New Mexico and a preschool in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
, founded in 1903, and a branch of New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
founded in 1958. The largest non-government employer in the city is the Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center with 650 employees in 2008.
Military impact
Holloman Air Force BaseHolloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
is the largest employer in Alamogordo, 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 person with 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.
Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems
Future Combat Systems was the United States Army's principal modernization program from 2003 to early 2009. Formally launched in 2003, FCS was envisioned to create new brigades equipped with new manned and unmanned vehicles linked by an unprecedented fast and flexible battlefield network...
is a wide-ranging modernization project of the US Army. Much of the work will be done at Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss
Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in the U.S. states of New Mexico and Texas. With an area of about , it is the Army's second-largest installation behind the adjacent White Sands Missile Range. It is FORSCOM's largest installation, and has the Army's largest Maneuver Area behind the...
, with some at White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
and some at Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
. Alamogordo is expected to get some economic benefit due to its proximity to these three bases.
Economic development
Otero County Economic Development Council is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984. Its focus has generally been on job creation and recruiting and expanding businesses in Otero CountyOtero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, 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
Gross receipts tax
A gross receipts tax or gross excise tax is a tax on the total gross revenues of a company, regardless of their source. A gross receipts tax is similar to a sales tax, but it is levied on the seller of goods or service consumers...
. OCEDC continues to work to attract businesses, but now it also helps develop 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
1-800-Flowers
1-800-Flowers is a floral and gift retailer and distribution company in the United States. It was one of the first retailers to use a 24 x 7 toll-free telephone number and the Internet for direct sales to consumers....
call center opened in November 2001 and received $1.25 million in city rent abatements, 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., 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 aces of land from Heritage Group, a developer.
PreCheck announced in 2009 that it would move its headquarters from Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
to Alamogordo.
an office of Otero County Economic Development Council, promotes film-making in Otero County by publicizing potential locations in the county and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
's film financial incentive programs and by recruiting extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
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.
Arts and culture
produces two musical productions annually at the Flickinger Center for Performing Arts
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This is also the name of the nonprofit organization that operates the theater...
. 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
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
at Alamogordo campus,
and an annual Fall performance for general audiences.
Annual cultural events
The Earth DayEarth Day
Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
Fair is held annually on the last Saturday in April at Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It is one of three AZA-accredited zoos in New Mexico and participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf.-Features:Notable species at the...
. It features a butterfly release, a science fair, activities for children, and information booths from local health agencies and nonprofits.
Otero County Fair is held annually in early August at the County Fairgrounds at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Fairgrounds Road in Alamogordo. 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, but also features music, entertainment, and food.
White Sands Balloon Invitational is held annually in late September. Hot air balloons launch from the Riner-Steinhoff Soccerplex on First Street or from White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
and float over the Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
.
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest, or Wiesn, is a 16–18 day beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. It is one of the most famous events in Germany and is the world's largest fair, with more than 5 million people attending every year. The...
is celebrated annually in late September, hosted by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force)
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
at Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
. The public is invited, and shuttle buses run between Alamogordo and the base.
Museums and other points of interest
Ham the Astrochimp is buried here.
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts
Flickinger Center for Performing Arts is a 590-seat theater in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This is also the name of the nonprofit organization that operates the theater...
, located at 1110 New York Avenue, 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 is the venue for the local amateur group Alamogordo Music Theater.
Alamogordo Museum of History
Alamogordo Museum of History
The Alamogordo Museum of History, formerly the Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum, is a history museum holding a collection of historical photographs, documents, and relics from Otero County, New Mexico...
(formerly Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum) 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
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
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.
The Museum had planned to move from its location at 1301 N. White Sands Boulevard to a historic adobe building at the corner of White Sands Boulevard and Tenth Street by the end of 2008,
but as of July 2009 this plan has stalled due to lack of money to renovate the building.
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 a full-sized backlit photographic transparency of the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
, a religious relic believed by some to be the burial cloth of Jesus Christ. The displayed photograph is based on 1978 photographs made by Barrie M. Schwortz as part of the Shroud of Turin Research Project. The displays include historical background materials and an exhibit of electronic image analysis of the shroud.
The Alameda Park Zoo, the oldest zoo in the U.S. Southwest, is located in the city. Several Union-Apache battles were fought near Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is a state park of New Mexico, USA, in Otero County. The park is and sits at an elevation of . It is situated at the base of Dog Canyon in the Sacramento Mountains, and provides opportunities for camping, hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, a nature trail, and a...
.
Sports
The White Sands PupFishWhite Sands pupfish
The White Sands pupfish is a species of fish in the Cyprinodontidae family. It is endemic to the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico, in the Western United States. They are only found in two springs and two small streams in southwestNew Mexico. They are found nowhere else in the world.The White...
were the first ever professional baseball team in Alamogordo. They play in the Pecos League of Professional Baseball Clubs and started in the 2011 Season.
The Alamogordo Desert Dawgs
are an amateur football team formed in 2008.
They are part of the New Mexico Football Alliance.
The Desert Dawgs are organized as a limited liability company
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
owned by Tony Castiglione and Kenneth Mitchell, and have local sponsors underwriting expenses.
The team has an agreement with Alamogordo Public Schools by which the Desert Dawgs practice and play home games at Alamogordo High School's Tiger Stadium and the school district receives 20% of the home gate. Tiger Stadium is nicknamed "The Dawg Pound" when the Desert Dawgs play there.
Several of the team members are airmen from nearby Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
.
Fun run/walks are popular in Alamogordo, although most are one-shot affairs put on as part of some larger event. One recurring event is Walk Out West, a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) walk held each October in Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It is one of three AZA-accredited zoos in New Mexico and participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf.-Features:Notable species at the...
. It incorporates a health fair
Health fair
A health fair is an educational and interactive event designed for outreach to provide basic preventive medicine and medical screening to people in the community or employees at work in conjunction with workplace wellness. It can also be a public health intervention.Health Fairs are traditionally...
, live music, and fun events for kids.
An offshoot of this is Dance Otero, an informal approach to ballroom dancing as a form of physical exercise
Physical exercise
Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including strengthening muscles and the cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, as well as for the purpose of...
that meets throughout the year.
Both programs are run through Otero PATH, a local nonprofit that encourages preventive measures for good health.
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 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.
Parks and recreation
Alameda Park is a city park lying on the west side of White Sands Boulevard between Tenth Street and Indian Wells Road. Most of the park is shaded by cottonwood trees. At the south end of the park is Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo
Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It is one of three AZA-accredited zoos in New Mexico and participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican Gray Wolf.-Features:Notable species at the...
and at the north end is The Toy Train Depot
The Toy Train Depot
The Toy Train Depot, Inc., commonly known as The Toy Train Depot is a store and railroad museums that features scale models of train locomotives and passenger and freight cars in Alamogordo, New Mexico....
, a railroad and toy train museum.
Washington Park is a city park in the center of town, bounded by Washington and Oregon Avenues and running from First Street to Indian Wells Road. City Hall and several other city buildings are located in the park. At the north end of the park is Kids Kingdom, a children's play area with a giant jungle gym.
There are public athletic fields at the Jim R. Griggs Sports Complex, located at the corner of Florida Avenue and Fairgrounds Road, and the Travis C. Hooser Ballfield Complex (also called Walker Field) located at the corner of U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
and Walker Road.
The Alamogordo Family Recreation Center, at 1100 Oregon Avenue, is a city-owned facility offering a weight room, swimming pool (open year round), and basketball gym. There are outdoor tennis courts north of the building.
The Alamogordo Senior Center is a city facility for senior citizen
Senior citizen
Senior citizen is a common polite designation for an elderly person in both UK and US English, and it implies or means that the person is retired. This in turn implies or in fact means that the person is over the retirement age, which varies according to country. Synonyms include pensioner in UK...
s that provides a social center and an exercise room and serves congregate meals and Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels are programs that deliver meals to individuals at home who are unable to purchase or prepare their own meals. The name is often used generically to refer to home-delivered meals programs, not all of which are actually named "Meals on Wheels"...
.
Not inside the city but nearby are several national and state parks. The Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park
Oliver Lee Memorial State Park is a state park of New Mexico, USA, in Otero County. The park is and sits at an elevation of . It is situated at the base of Dog Canyon in the Sacramento Mountains, and provides opportunities for camping, hiking, picnicking, wildlife viewing, a nature trail, and a...
is about 10 miles south on U.S. Route 54
U.S. Route 54
U.S. Route 54 is an east–west United States highway that runs northeast-southwest for 1,197 miles from western Illinois to El Paso, Texas. It enters and leaves Texas twice...
, offers camping, hiking, and picnicking. The White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
, a U.S. National Monument
U.S. National Monument
A National Monument in the United States is a protected area that is similar to a National Park except that the President of the United States can quickly declare an area of the United States to be a National Monument without the approval of Congress. National monuments receive less funding and...
, is located about 15 miles (24.1 km) southwest of Alamogordo along U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
. The area is in the mountain-ringed Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
valley area and comprises the southern part of a 275 square miles (712.2 km²) field of white sand dunes composed of gypsum
Gypsum
Gypsum is a very soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO4·2H2O. It is found in alabaster, a decorative stone used in Ancient Egypt. It is the second softest mineral on the Mohs Hardness Scale...
crystals. The Lincoln National Forest
Lincoln National Forest
The Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
, whose headquarters are in Alamogordo, is a mountainous area that starts about 10 miles (16.1 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.
Government
Charter city
A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city's own charter document rather than by state, provincial, regional or national laws. In locations where city charters are allowed by law, a city can adopt or modify its organizing charter by decision of its administration...
(also called a home rule city
), and the charter is included as Part I of the Code of Ordinances.
It has a Council-manager government
Council-manager government
The council–manager government form is one of two predominant forms of municipal government in the United States; the other common form of local government is the mayor-council government form, which characteristically occurs in large cities...
form of government (called Commission/Manager in New Mexico). There are seven city commissioners, each elected from a district within the city, on staggered 4-year terms. The city manager is considered the chief executive officer of the city and is tasked to enforce and implement the City Council's directives and policy. The mayor is a member of the City Council. Currently, Ron Griggs holds the position of mayor.
Alamogordo's fiscal year ends on June 30 each year; thus Fiscal Year 2008 runs from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008. The FY 2008 budget projects income of $61,454,402
and expenditures of $73,655,777. Sources of City government income and their percentages of the whole were: gross receipts tax
Gross receipts tax
A gross receipts tax or gross excise tax is a tax on the total gross revenues of a company, regardless of their source. A gross receipts tax is similar to a sales tax, but it is levied on the seller of goods or service consumers...
(31%), miscellaneous (23%), grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
(22%), user fees
User fees
People pay user fees for the use of many public services and facilities. At the federal level in the US, there is a charge for walking to the top of the Statue of Liberty, to drive into many National parks, and to use particular services of the Library of Congress.States may charge tolls for...
(19%), and property tax
Property tax
A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...
(5%).
Education
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
at Alamogordo is a two year community college established in 1958. It currently has approximately 1,800 students. There are two high schools, three middle schools, and 11 elementary schools in the Alamogordo Public School District. Prior to 2008 there were two private schools in Alamogordo: Legacy Christian Academy and Father James B. Hay Catholic School. A third private school, Imago Dei Academy, opened in August 2008 and provides a classical Christian education
Classical Christian education
Classical Christian education is an approach to learning which emphasizes biblical teachings and incorporates a teaching model known as the Trivium, consisting of three parts: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. According to Douglas Wilson, this method of instruction was developed by early Christians as...
. Kindergarten through eighth grade is taught with plans to gradually expand to the 12th grade.
The German government operates the Deutsche Schule (German School) for children of Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
(German Air Force) personnel stationed at the German tactical training center at Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
. The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is a state special education school with a residential campus in Alamogordo, New Mexico and a preschool in Albuquerque, New Mexico...
is a state school located in Alamogordo.
Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library
Alamogordo Public Library is the public library serving Alamogordo, New Mexico and Otero County, New Mexico. The library has extensive collections of Spanish-language and German-language books and of materials related to the Western writer Eugene Manlove Rhodes.-History:Alamogordo Public Library...
serves Alamogordo and Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
.
The library at New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University
New Mexico State University at Las Cruces , is a major land-grant university in Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States...
's Alamogordo campus is also open to the public.
Media
The main newspaper in Alamogordo is Alamogordo Daily NewsAlamogordo Daily News
Alamogordo Daily News, founded in 1898, is a daily newspaper published in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It carries local news as well as syndicated content from Associated Press and others.- History :...
(ADN), owned by MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group
MediaNews Group, based in Denver, Colorado, is one of the largest newspaper companies in the United States. It is privately owned and operates 56 daily newspapers in 12 states, with combined daily and Sunday circulation of approximately 2.4 million and 2.7 million, respectively...
. ADN is published six days a week; on Monday, when it does not appear, subscribers receive the El Paso Times
El Paso Times
The El Paso Times is the English-language newspaper for the U.S. city of El Paso, Texas. The paper was founded in 1881 by Marcellus Washington Carrico. It originally started out as a weekly but within a year's time, it became the daily newspaper for the frontier town.The newspaper has a daily...
.
ADN also publishes Hollogram, a free weekly newspaper distributed at the nearby Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
and covering happenings on base.
There are no alternative newspapers published in Alamogordo but The Ink, a free Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
monthly newspaper devoted to the arts, is distributed in the city. The city government publishes City Profile, a monthly print newsletter that is mailed to all households in the city and is published electronically on the city web site,
and Communiqué, a blog with city news.
One television station, KVBA-LP, broadcasts from Alamogordo. It has a religious format, and a weekly local news magazine broadcast Thursday through Saturday.
Several Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
, Albuquerque, and El Paso
El Paso
El Paso, a city in the U.S. state of Texas, on the border with Mexico.El Paso may also refer to:-Geography:Colombia:* El Paso, CesarSpain:*El Paso, Santa Cruz de TenerifeUnited States:...
stations have relay transmitters in Alamogordo. Cable television service is provided by Baja Broadband.
There are two commercial radio broadcast companies, WP Broadcasting and Burt Broadcasting; each operates several stations in several formats.
There are two "listener-supported" radio stations that do not carry advertising but depend on sponsorships and donations. KUPR-FM
KUPR
KUPR is a radio station licensed to serve Alamogordo, New Mexico. The station is owned Southern New Mexico Radio Foundation. It airs a Community radio format....
has a gospel music radio format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
and some live coverage of local events, including many remote broadcast
Remote broadcast
In broadcast engineering, a remote broadcast is broadcasting done from a location away from a formal television studio and is considered an electronic field production . A remote pickup unit is usually used to transmit the audio and/or video back to the television station, where it joins the...
s from civic events.
KALH-LP
KALH-LP
KALH-LP is a low-power FM radio station broadcasting a variety format. Licensed to Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA, the station is currently owned by Southwestern Trails Cultural Heritage Association.-History:...
is a low-power FM station that carries a variety
Variety (radio)
The term variety as a radio format is loosely defined as a format that plays music across numerous genera.Freeform variety is associated with a wide range of programming including talk, sports, and music from a wide spectrum. This format is usually found on smaller, non-commercial...
radio format, network news on the hour, and local news on some hours.
Neither station is an NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
affiliate. The local NPR outlet is KRWG-FM
KRWG (FM)
KRWG is a National Public Radio-affiliated station in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It primarily features National Public Radio programming.-External links:*...
in Las Cruces, which reaches Alamogordo through a local relay transmitter.
Several major motion pictures were filmed in or near Alamogordo. The 2007 film Transformers was shot primarily at White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
, with additional filming at Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, both in the Alamogordo area.
Its 2009 sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a 2009 American science fiction-action film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Steven Spielberg. It is the sequel to the 2007 film Transformers and the second installment in the live-action Transformers series...
also prominently featured these two military bases.
The 2009 film Year One was shot partly at White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
, near Alamogordo.
Alamogordo was one of the fourteen cities profiled in the 2005 documentary 14 Days in America.
The Otero County Film Office maintains a list of films shot partly or wholly in Alamogordo and Otero County.
Major highways
The major intercity surface routes from Alamogordo are U.S. Highways 54, 70, and 82, all of which are four-lane roads. The major north-south street within the city is White Sands Boulevard. The Charlie T. Lee Memorial Relief Route, which is designated as U.S. Route 54 and 70, is a bypass roadBypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
constructed to the west of the city in 2001 to relieve congestion on White Sands Boulevard.
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70
U.S. Route 70 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,385 miles from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. As can be derived from its number, it is a major east–west highway of the Southern and Southwestern United States...
and U.S. Route 54
U.S. Route 54
U.S. Route 54 is an east–west United States highway that runs northeast-southwest for 1,197 miles from western Illinois to El Paso, Texas. It enters and leaves Texas twice...
traverses through the north and south ends of the city. At the south end of the city, White Sands Boulevard is a the major named street that merge into U.S. Route 54/Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route, running south to El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. In the south part of the city, U.S. Route 70 splits from U.S. Route 54 in a southwestern direction to Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
, White Sands National Monument
White Sands National Monument
The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Dona Ana County in the state of New Mexico, at an elevation of 4235 feet...
, and White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range
White Sands Missile Range is a rocket range of almost in parts of five counties in southern New Mexico. The largest military installation in the United States, WSMR includes the and the WSMR Otera Mesa bombing range...
prior to reaching Las Cruces
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Las Cruces, also known as "The City of the Crosses", is the county seat of Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 97,618 in 2010 according to the 2010 Census, making it the second largest city in the state....
. At the north end of the city, White Sands Boulevard and the Charles T. Lee Memorial Relief Route become a merged U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 70 running north to Tularosa
Tularosa, New Mexico
Tularosa is a village in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It shares its name with the Tularosa Basin, in which the town is located. To the east, Tularosa is flanked by the western edge of the Sacramento Mountains. The population was 2,864 at the 2000 census...
. U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82
U.S. Route 82 is an east–west United States highway in the southern United States. What started as a 1932 addition to the system across central Mississippi and southern Arkansas eventually became a 1,609 mile route extending from the White Sands of New Mexico to Georgia's Atlantic coast.The...
starts at the same point and runs east to Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
and the mountain communities of Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, and then to Artesia
Artesia, New Mexico
Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States, centered at the intersection of U.S. Route 82 and 285; the two highways serve as the city's Main Street and First Street, respectively...
.
Other transportation
Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport
Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. It was formerly known as Alamogordo Municipal Airport.It is served by one commercial...
is the municipal airport located in the Alamogordo area. It is primarily used for general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
.
There is also scheduled commercial service from New Mexico Airlines
New Mexico Airlines
New Mexico Airlines is an American commuter airline brand founded by Pacific Air Holdings to operate flights in New Mexico after the airline was awarded an Essential Air Service contract to serve Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico. The airline started flights on July 1, 2007 and uses the airline...
, operated under a subsidy from the Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service
Essential Air Service is a U.S. government program enacted to guarantee that small communities in the United States, which, prior to deregulation, were served by certificated airlines, maintained commercial service. Its aim is to maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service to these...
program.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
offers intercity bus service to Alamogordo.
There is daily shuttle van service between Alamogordo and El Paso International Airport
El Paso International Airport
El Paso International Airport is a public airport located four miles northeast of the central business district of the City of El Paso, in El Paso County, Texas, USA....
.
Z-Trans is the mass transit system, providing paratransit
Paratransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
and scheduled service within the city center and to White Sands Mall, Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
and Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino in Mescalero
Mescalero, New Mexico
Mescalero is a census-designated place in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mescalero is located at ....
. Z-Trans is unusual in that it is privately owned (by Zia Therapy Center, a non-profit), although it does get some local and state subsidies.
The Alamogordo city government is building a network of bike routes and walking routes. More information and maps are in the Alamogordo Comprehensive Plan.
The New Mexico Rails-to-Trails Association operates a Rails to Trails project to convert old railroad beds to walking trails. Its trail system in Otero County, the Cloud Climbing Rail Trail, is planned to eventually surround Alamogordo.
Utilities
Electric power is supplied within the city by PNM ResourcesPNM Resources
PNM Resources is an energy holding company based in the U.S. state of New Mexico. The acronym PNM by itself usually refers to the PNM Resources subsidiary Public Service Company of New Mexico...
. PNM also provides electrical power in the Tularosa Basin
Tularosa Basin
The Tularosa Basin is a graben basin in the Basin and Range Province and within the Chihuahuan Desert, east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, in the Southwestern United States.-Geography:...
, while Otero County Electric Cooperative, a member cooperative of Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and of Touchstone Energy
Touchstone Energy
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives is a cooperative federation composed of over 660 local, consumer-owned utility cooperatives in 46 of the 50 United States. Touchstone Energy co-ops serve more than 30 million members. Electric utility cooperatives distribute power for 75 percent of the U.S. land mass...
, serves other areas of the county. Natural gas is supplied within the city by New Mexico Gas Company, a subsidiary of Continental Energy Systems. Severn Trent operates both the water and sewage treatment
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
facilities for the City of Alamogordo. Severn Trent maintains all water storage facilities, booster pump stations, city wells and treats the waste water to be re-used by the city to water the parks, Desert Lakes Golf Course and is sold to construction companies for dust control. Rural houses have individual wells.
Alamogordo has a dark sky
Dark-sky movement
The dark-sky movement is a campaign by people who want to reduce light pollution so people can see the stars, to reduce the effects of unnatural lighting on the environment, and to cut down on energy usage....
ordinance to reduce the amount of light pollution
Light pollution
Light pollution, also known as photopollution or luminous pollution, is excessive or obtrusive artificial light.The International Dark-Sky Association defines light pollution as:...
in the night skies. The ordinance was passed in 1990 to promote the growth and scientific productivity of Apache Point Observatory
Apache Point Observatory
The Apache Point Observatory is located in the Sacramento Mountains in Sunspot, New Mexico 18 miles south of Cloudcroft. The observatory consists of the Astrophysical Research Consortium's 3.5-meter telescope, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey 2.5-m telescope with a 20" photometric telescope,...
.
City streetlights are high-pressure sodium vapor lamp
Sodium vapor lamp
A sodium vapor lamp is a gas discharge lamp that uses sodium in an excited state to produce light. There are two varieties of such lamps: low pressure and high pressure...
s.
Healthcare
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center
Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center is a general hospital, owned and operated by the non-profit Otero County Hospital Association, that serves the Alamogordo, New Mexico area...
is a private not-for-profit 99-bed general hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
that serves the Alamogordo area. The hospital is a shared military/civilian facility that is also the hospital for nearby Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base
Holloman Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located six miles southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo, a city in Otero County, New Mexico, United States. The base was named in honor of Col. George V. Holloman, a pioneer in guided missile research...
.
The Otero County Community Health Council prepares a detailed health profile
each year with many facts and figures about health in Otero County
Otero County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.7% White*3.5% Black*6.7% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.2% Two or more races*11.2% Other races*34.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. Otero County is ranked in the middle of most health rankings within the state. New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
is near the bottom of most national rankings, for example it was 38th in the United Health Foundation 2007 report, but has been slowly improving (it was 40th in 2005).
When health-promoting features are considered, instead of the healthiness of the population, Alamogordo is ranked as one of the 50 healthiest places to live in the United States, among six in New Mexico.
Civic boosters such as the Chamber of Commerce
publicize this ranking.
Notable natives and residents
Among scientists, Edward CondonEdward Condon
Edward Uhler Condon was a distinguished American nuclear physicist, a pioneer in quantum mechanics, and a participant in the development of radar and nuclear weapons during World War II.-Early life and career:...
, a physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
and a past director of National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
, was born in Alamogordo.
Alan Hale
Alan Hale (astronomer)
-Biography:Hale was born in Tachikawa, Japan in 1958, but he grew up in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He served in the United States Navy from 1976 to 1983, graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1980. His next job was at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked until 1986. While at the JPL, he...
, an astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and co-discoverer of Comet Hale-Bopp
Comet Hale-Bopp
Comet Hale–Bopp was perhaps the most widely observed comet of the 20th century, and one of the brightest seen for many decades...
, grew up in Alamogordo and lives in nearby Cloudcroft
Cloudcroft, New Mexico
Cloudcroft is a village in Otero County, New Mexico and is within the Lincoln National Forest. The population was 749 at the 2000 census. Despite being located in an otherwise arid region, its extremely high elevation allows for a relatively mild summer that makes it a popular tourist attraction...
.
Among politicians, Edwin L. Mechem
Edwin L. Mechem
Edwin Leard Mechem was a prominent Republican politician from New Mexico. He served as the 15th, 17th and 19th Governor of New Mexico and represented the state in the United States Senate...
, a past Governor of New Mexico and past United States Senator from New Mexico, was born in Alamogordo, as was Cindy Chavez
Cindy Chávez
Cindy Chavez served as Vice Mayor of the City of San Jose, California. While a member of the San Jose City Council, she represented Council District Three . Chavez was first elected to the Council in 1998 and re-elected in 2002...
, a past member of the San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
City Council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
.
Other, Edward Lee Howard
Edward Lee Howard
Edward Lee Victor Howard was a CIA case officer who defected to the Soviet Union....
, a formed CIA Case agent who allegedly gave classified material to the Russians who later defected to the Soviet Union.