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The City of Carlsbad
—  City  —
Carlsbad Municipal Building
Seal
Location in the state of New Mexico.
Coordinates: 32°24′43″N 104°14′11″W / 32.41194°N 104.23639°W / 32.41194; -104.23639Coordinates: 32°24′43″N 104°14′11″W / 32.41194°N 104.23639°W / 32.41194; -104.23639
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Eddy
Founded	1888
Government
- Mayor	Dale Janway
Area
- Total	28.4 sq mi (73.6 km2)
- Land	28.4 sq mi (73.5 km2)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	3,295 ft (1,004 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	25,410
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP codes	88220-88221
Area code(s)	575
FIPS code	35-12150
GNIS feature ID	0887199
Website	City of Carlsbad

Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States.^[1] As of the 2000 census, the city population was 27,463. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 51,658. It is a center for potash, petroleum production, and tourism.

Carlsbad is located in the Chihuahuan Desert and the Pecos River Valley at an elevation of 3,295 feet (1,004 m). Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located eighteen miles (29 km) southwest of the city, with Guadalupe Mountains National Park lying forty miles further southwest across the Texas border. There are also three man-made lakes within fifty miles of the city, including Lake Carlsbad. Carlsbad has a mayor-council government type. The city has multiple recreational parks and facilities, including those for senior citizens.

Geography and Climate

Carlsbad is located at 32°24′43″N 104°14′11″W / 32.41194°N 104.23639°W / 32.41194; -104.23639 (32.411893, -104.236277).^[2] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.4 square miles (73.6 km²).28.4 square miles (73.5 km²) of the city is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) (0.18%) is water.

Carlsbad is part of the Interior West climate zone^[3]. It is classified as arid, meaning average annual precipitation is less than half of evaporation, and at least one month averages below 0°C(32°F). A moderate amount of rain falls each year, with the maximum occurring during September. 53 tornadoes have been reported in Eddy County since 1950.

History

Located along the banks of the Pecos River, Carlsbad was originally christened the town of Eddy on September 15, 1888 and organized as a municipal corporation in 1893. With the commercial development of local mineral springs for medicinal qualities, the town changed its name to Carlsbad, after the famous European spa Carlsbad, Bohemia (now Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic). On March 25, 1918, the New Mexican governor proclaimed Carlsbad a city.

The re-discovery of Carlsbad Caverns (then known as "Bat Cave") by local cowboys in 1901 and the subsequent establishment of Carlsbad Caverns National Park on May 14, 1930 gained the town of Carlsbad substantial recognition.

In 1925, potash was discovered near Carlsbad and for many years Carlsbad dominated the American potash market. Following the decline of the potash market in the 1960s, the residents and leaders of Carlsbad lobbied for the establishment of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Congress authorized the WIPP project in 1979 and construction began in 1980. The DOE Carlsbad Area Office opened in 1993 and the first waste shipment arrived in 1999.

Demographics

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there are 25,625 people, 9,957 households, and 6,949 families residing in the city. The population density is 903.3 people per square mile (348.7/km²). There are 11,421 housing units at an average density of 402.6/sq mi (155.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 77.40% White, 2.20% African American, 1.25% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.84% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. 36.75% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 9,957 households out of which 32.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% are married couples living together, 13.1% have a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% are non-families. 26.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 12.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.51 and the average family size is 3.03.

In the city the population is spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 38 years. For every 100 females there are 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 88.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $30,658, and the median income for a family is $35,640. Males have a median income of $31,214 versus $19,228 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,496. 16.5% of the population and 13.1% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 21.4% of those under the age of 18 and 11.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government

The City of Carlsbad has a mayor-council form of government. Voters elect both the mayor and the members of the city council, who pass laws and make policy.

Economy

The economy of the Carlsbad area is based primarily on the mineral extraction sector; the city overlies the rich oil and gas producing formations of the Permian Basin and produces more potash than any other location in the United States. Carlsbad is home to the DOE's Carlsbad Field Office which operates the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant to safely store the transuranic nuclear wastes from the nation's defense sites. The services sector is the newest growth industry in Carlsbad with several call centers and a large medical transcription center. Tourism is a major factor with two national parks, Lincoln National Forest, the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park and the annual Christmas on the Pecos Light Show all located within fifty miles of the city.

Media and Journalism

Radio Stations

Area Newspaper

• Carlsbad Current-Argus

Sports

The Carlsbad High School mascot is represented by a Caveman. Their 2008 season baseball record was 26-8. 2009 season baseball record was 21-9.

Notable high school baseball players

• Cody Ross: Major League Baseball outfielder, for the Florida Marlins.
• Shane Andrews: Major League Baseball third baseman. Played for three different clubs over eight years.

Transportation

Mass Transit

• Carlsbad Municipal Transit System provides public transportation within the city limits of Carlsbad and portions of Eddy County immediately adjacent to the city.
• New Mexico Transportation Services provides daily transportation to and from the WIPP site

Bus Service

• Greyhound Lines

Airports

Regional

• Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) is located just south of Carlsbad with New Mexico Airlines currently offering non-stop service to Albuquerque, Hobbs, and El Paso, Texas.
• Roswell International Air Center (ROW) is located three miles south of Roswell, New Mexico, which is served by American Airlines offering daily service to Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles, California.

International

• El Paso International Airport (ELP) is located in the northeastern part of El Paso, Texas, less than 3 hours from Carlsbad.
• Midland International Airport (MAF) is located southeast of Midland, Texas, approximately 3 hours from Carlsbad.

Major Highways

• US Highway 62/US Highway 180: Pierce Street/Canal Street
• US Highway 285: Greene Street/Canal Street

Railroads

• Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway: Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation

Healthcare

• Carlsbad Medical Center

Education

Carlsbad Municipal School District is public school system in Carlsbad. It is comprised of one kindergarten school, ten elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The district also operates a Jefferson Montessori Academy. Three private schools operate also operate in Carlsbad: Faith Christian Academy, Victory Christian Academy, and Saint Edwards School.

Carlsbad is home to New Mexico State University-Carlsbad, as well as Eddy County Beauty College. College of the Southwest and Northwood University both previously had branch campuses in Carlsbad.

Research, Development, and Technology Facilities

Carlsbad has several research facilities, such as the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center operated by NMSU, the National Cave and Karst Research Center operated by New Mexico Tech, units of the National Park Service, and the City of Carlsbad. The United States Department of Energy's Sandia National Labs and Los Alamos National Laboratory each have branch operations in Carlsbad. The Carlsbad Department of Development and the City operate the Aero-Tech Industrial Technology Park including the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Training Center.

Points of interest

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park
• National Cave and Karst Research Center
• The Cascades of Carlsbad
• Lincoln National Forest
• Project Gnome
• Project Playground
• Carlsbad Skate Park
• The Artist Gallery
• The Carlsbad Museum

Notable people from Carlsbad

• Bruce Cabot: actor who played Jack Driscoll in the 1933 film King Kong.
• Jason D. Cunningham: Air Force Pararescuemen who died saving the lives of ten fellow servicemen. Air Force Cross Recipient.
• Sam Etcheverry: former professional football player who played in the National Football League as well as the Canadian Football League.
• Cody Ross: Major League Baseball outfielder, for the Florida Marlins.
• Barry Sadler: American author, musician, and veteran. Best known for his series of novels focusing on Casca Rufio Longinius.
• Sonny Throckmorton: songwriter
• Linda Wertheimer: senior correspondent for National Public Radio.
• Jim White: the discoverer of Carlsbad Caverns.

References

1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ STRATUM Climate Zones, United States Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/images/ncz_map.jpg Retrieved 2010-03-11
4. ^ "Monthly Averages for Carlsbad, New Mexico". Weather.com. The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNM0046. Retrieved March 11, 2010. 
5. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 

External links

• National Park Service - Carlsbad Caverns
• City of Carlsbad
• Carlsbad Dept Of Development
• Carlsbad Chamber Of Commerce
• Eddy County Government Page
• Carlsbad History
• Christmas on the Pecos
• The Rant! Community News and Discussion Forum

Municipalities and communities of Eddy County, New Mexico County seat: Carlsbad Cities Artesia | Carlsbad Villages Hope | Loving CDP Carlsbad North

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From Wikitravel

A formation of stalactites found at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad [1] is a small city in New Mexico near the Texas border best known for the nearby Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Get in

By bus

Carlsbad is served by Greyhound and TNM&O bus lines.

By air

Commuter air service is available from Albuquerque. The nearest airport with full-service airline connections is in El Paso, Texas.

By car

US highways 285, 62 and 180 reach Carlsbad, the former being one of the main north-south routes through New Mexico and the other two (which share a common roadway in this area) passing through en route between the Panhandle and western regions of Texas. These are lonely roads; keep plenty of fuel in your vehicle.

• Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The town's main attraction is the nearby national park, which is home to a massive underground limestone cave, claimed to be the most beautiful in the world. If you're going there for the first time, rent an audio guide for $3; it has much more information than the boards (available in several languages). The deepest point of the cave is over 1500 feet below the surface, while the unguided tour descends to a depth of about 900 feet. More extensive ranger guided tours are available. The descent can be slightly taxing on the knees, so there's an elevator available that will take you down to a depth of 750 feet. Photography is allowed, food is not, except in the underground "lunch room."
• Living Desert State Park [2] is on the outskirts of town, near US 285. A small zoo/botanical garden dedicated to local flora and fauna, with a 1.5-mile trail through the (predominantly outdoor) exhibits. Open year round except Christmas, 8-8 in summer, 9-5 in winter; $3 fee.

Buy

Standard consumer goods are easy to get downtown or at a mall on the north side of town. Please do not patronize shops or vendors offering pieces of cave formations! They'll likely disintegrate before you get them home, won't look as good on a shelf as in the cave even if they do survive, and are likely to have been obtained illegally -- which means that your possession of them is likely to be illegal as well.

Eat

Unfortunately, the dining in Carlsbad is rather subpar for a moderate-sized town near an important national park. If you'd prefer an upgrade on the chains (Denny's, etc.), try:

• The Flume Restaurant, 1829 S. Canal St., +1 575 887-2851. Steaks, etc.; arguably the best restaurant in Carlsbad.
• No-Whiner Diner, 1801 S Canal St, +1 575 234-2815. Classic diner food and a clean atmosphere; not open on weekends.
• Happys, 4103 National Parks Hwy, +1 575 887-8489. Classic diner food and breakfasts; fast service.

• Best Western Stevens Inn, 1829 S. Canal St., +1 575 887-2851. Owned by a two-time mayor of Carlsbad. Full service restaurant and bar with frequent live entertainment.

• Guadalupe Mountains National Park is just across the Texas state line, if your adventures in Carlsbad Caverns leave you looking for more national-park recreation.
• Sitting Bull Falls is in an unexpected and pleasant little park about 15 miles northwest of town, reachable via SR 137. Nice for picnics, particularly during the spring when the falls have enough water to be scenic. SR 137 continues on into the Guadalupe Mountains, with interesting scenery and some ferociously rough jeep roads and hiking trails. The "Guads" are honeycombed with caves, including some of the world's most beautiful, but most are for the experienced caver only (serious vertical work), and all require permits from the National Forest Service.
• Brantley Lake north of town offers water sports (of a sort -- don't expect Lake Mead) and camping.
• If you happen to be fascinated by UFOs -- Unidentified Flying Objects, or "flying saucers" -- the quirky, schlocky UFO mecca of Roswell is about 80 miles north on US 285.

Guadalupe Mountains NP ← Carlsbad Caverns NP ←	W  E	→ Hobbs → Brownfield
Guadalupe Mountains NP ← Carlsbad Caverns NP ←	W  E	→ Hobbs → Lamesa
Santa Fe ← Roswell ← Junction ←	N  S	→ Pecos → Fort Stockton