Area 51 Nevada. Bigfoot in Ohio. The beast of Gevaudan in France. Ghosts in Gettysburg. I enjoy tracing interesting, odd, or quirky history when I’m travelling. So when in New Mexico, a trip to Roswell seems in order.
Roswell Town History
In 1865, a group of European settlers from Missouri came to southern New Mexico. It was the ancestral land of the Mescalero Apache and Comanche and John Chisum has his ranch – the largest in the nation – in the area. Their attempts to create a new settlement failed rather quickly due to a lack of water. Four years later, Van Smith travelled from Nebraska and built a post office/general store and inn. He filed a claim for the land and, in 1873, named it Roswell for his father. In 1889, it was named the seat of Chaves County.
Three factors contributed to the growth of Roswell as a town: farming, the railroad, and the military. In 1890, a resident was digging a well when he came across an aquifer. The discovery boosted local agriculture and ranching, both of which were further helped by the arrival of the railroad in 1893. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) was established in 1891 and is still educating students today. (Notable alumni include actor Owen Wilson, news anchor Sam Donaldson, and football coach Hal Mumme.) Walker Air Force base further helped the economy after its creation just south of town in 1941. The base was decommissioned in 1967.
By the outbreak of World War II, Roswell had become a small, but thriving town of about 13,000. Little did its residents know that within a decade, the name would achieve international fame.
The Roswell Incident
By now the name Roswell has become synonymous with aliens and UFOs. For those who may be unfamiliar with the story, read on.
In 1947, Mac Brazel discovered some curious debris in one of his fields north of Roswell. He called the authorities in Roswell and they referred the matter to the Roswell Army Air Field. A statement was issued to the press claiming that it was part of a “flying disc”. The material was taken away, but the news had caught the public imagination. Just a few days later, a press conference claimed that it was not a “flying disc” but a weather balloon that had crashed. End of story… or so it seemed.
In the 1970s, UFO fever struck when a retired USAF major claimed that the weather balloon story was a cover and that it was indeed extraterrestrial. A number of books followed with witnesses claiming that they had been received threats not to tell what they had seen. Additional stories claimed that alien bodies had been recovered from the crash and that they had been spirited away for examination.
Despite the Air Force claim in the 1990s that the debris was part of a top-secret military spy project, the Roswell Incident continues to be a subject for debate among many in the UFO community.
Visiting Roswell
Regardless of whether the debris was a weather balloon or alien, Roswell has leaned into its history. The town is now a gathering point for all things out of this world, with museums, attractions, and festivals making the most of the Incident to bring in valuable tourist dollars. If you’re searching for little green men, here are some of the places that can offer a fun day of exploring.
The International UFO Museum
The obvious place to begin any trip to Roswell is the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Since we arrived in town fairly late in the afternoon, it was our first port of call the next morning. We were part of a small cluster of people waiting outside for it to open, which gave us the chance to eavesdrop on people talking about their own UFO sightings.
It’s an interesting museum, featuring a combination of news clippings and information about the 1947 incident and aftermath, UFOs and aliens in popular culture, and some stories of sightings around the world. (I would have liked to see more of the latter). There are lots of great photo opportunities as well.
The extensive library has more than 7,000 books, 1,500 DVDs, and 30,000 articles looking into the unknown. If I lived in Roswell, I’m sure I would spend many hours there, going down research rabbit holes.
Roswell UFO Spacewalk
Here’s one that the kids and young-at-heart are sure to enjoy. The Roswell UFO Spacewalk is (to use its own description) a walk-through black light adventure that transports you onto an alien ship, through a wormhole into an alien forest and then into a cave full of aliens. Who could resist? We eagerly paid our $6 entry fee, received our glow-in-the-dark bracelet, and had a blast.
We dove into the depths of outer space, had laser gun fights with alien invaders, and saw plenty of cows being beamed up to the mothership. After our first walkthrough, we encountered a young boy begging his mom and grandma to go through again. They were not as keen, and so we offered to accompany him, happily spending another hour of so helping him bravely fend off the unknown. I hope he had as much fun as we did.
Bricktown Alien Attack!
Next up is Bricktown, a world constructed with LEGO. We started with famous pieces of art, and then moved on to a funfair, Christmas town, pirates, and famous world landmarks, all painstakingly made with thousands of tiny LEGO bricks. There is a Scavenger hunt for kids to complete as they tour. And, the Bricklab lets you make your own creations after being inspired by the exhibits.
The highlight, though, is the Alien Attack display. Bricktown is under attack from flying saucers. Armies of little green men are marching into town. Cows are being beamed up (it’s a common theme!). Can the military save the day? Are the aliens peaceful or hostile? Run for your life? The giant tabletop display comes complete with interactive components so you can fire lasers from the world’s largest LEGO UFO and more. It’s very Roswell.
Bottomless Lakes State Park
Eventually, even I had to admit that I was getting tired of alien-related attractions. We’d been to museums, gift shops, and other outlets, all with little green men motifs. I was aliened-out. Moreover, it was incredibly hot, and my energy was wearing thin. It was time to get out of town for a while. So we got in the car and drove out to Bottomless Lakes State Park. The drive also gave us a chance to see a bit more of Roswell beyond Main St.
Bottomless Lakes State Park is a short drive (15 miles or so) from Roswell and borders the Pecos River. It also happens to be the oldest state park in New Mexico, dating back to 1933. It is named for the small lakes in one part of the park that are fed by underground water coming up through the rocks. Lea Lake has a beach area and is a popular swimming spot (indeed it is the only one of the lakes that allows swimming).
It was a beautiful peaceful spot by the time we got out there, but with good reason. A storm was blowing in. A heavy line of ominous grey clouds was moving in and so we had to cut our visit short, trying but failing to beat the storm back to the hotel. Hopefully next time, we’ll be able to more than drive there and turn straight around!
As the rains moved in, we ate at a Mexican restaurant with some of the best guacamole I’ve ever had (prepared at your table). We then returned to our hotel for the evening. By chance (or was it? Cue spooky music) an episode of Unsolved Mysteries was on, discussing the Roswell Incident, and so we went down a rabbit hole on YouTube of alien encounter videos. When in Roswell….
