Roswell
The Roswell CourthouseRoswell is well known for the 1947 UFO crash that may (or may not!) have brought alien life to earth. The growing popularity of alien-themed films and TV shows, coupled with the 1997 conversion of an old theater into the International UFO Museum, and has helped to spur Roswell’s $5 million per year alien related tourism boom. But, if you visit Roswell and miss its magnificent museums, you will have missed the heart of Roswell.
Culture: Aliens and Artists
The Roswell Museum and Art CenterChief among these attractions is The Roswell Museum and Art Center (RMAC) (100 West 11th St.). It was opened in 1937 as a result of WPA efforts to promote public art. Today it is the only remaining art center started during that era that has had its doors open continuously and has continued to fulfill its original mission. The 50,000 sq-foot facility includes collections by Wyeth and Hurd, Robert Goddard’s rocket workshop and the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium. Additionally, the RMAC gift shop offers prints, jewelry, books and much more. Another good reason to visit the Museum!The RMAC’s courtyard on the corner of 11th and Main is undergoing a renovation which will include a large bronze statue of Goddard leaning in a door frame. The statue will be surrounded by space for art displays, seasonal flora, and will be nestled in the shade of trees planted in the WPA era.
The Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art (409 E. College Blvd.) has 17,000 sq-feet of exhibit space dedicated to students in the Roswell Artists-in-Residence Program. Since 1967, Donald Anderson has brought in fledgling artists to live for a year in a compound, providing them with studios, supplies and a stipend. The result is a unique jewel of a museum that should not be missed.
The UFO Museum on Roswell’s MainStreetFinally, the International UFO Museum and Research Center (114 N. Main St.) is “ground zero” for believers and skeptics alike. Take a tour through displays that outline events surrounding the UFO crash in Roswell or stop by the gift shop for an alien souvenir.
History
Van Smith and Aaron Wilburn came from Nebraska in 1869 and constructed two buildings: the community post office and a general store. The city was named in 1871 after Smith’s father, Roswell Smith. Van Smith became the town’s first postmaster.
The Chisum Statue Celebrates Roswell’s Wild West PastIn 1877, Captain Joseph Calloway Lea and his family bought out Smith and Wilburn’s claim and became the owners of most of the land of Roswell and the area surrounding it. The town was relatively quiet during the Lincoln county War (1877-1879) primarily due to the Lea family’s control. A major aquifer was discovered on the Nathan Jaffa Ranch near town in 1891, resulting in the area’s first major growth and development spurt. The growth continued when the railroad came through the town in 1893.
Roswell is also known for the work done by Robert H. Goddard in the science of liquid propelled rockets. Goddard came to Roswell in the early 1930s and did much to enhance the field of rocketry, contributing to New Mexico’s participation in space and aerospace development. Learn more about Goddard’s work at the Roswell Museum and Art Center.
Event: You will believe after attending the 4 day Roswell UFO Festival, first weekend in July! Speakers, live music, panels and parades promote everything unidentified and flying. Visit http://www.roswellufofestival.com/ for more information.
Contact:
Dusty Huckabee
MainStreet Roswell
114 N. Main
Roswell, New Mexico 88201
Phone: 575.420.5718
