City of Alamogordo—the word “Alamogordo” literally means fat cottonwood tree. The City is named after the Alamo Gordo Spring in Alamo Canyon.

The Eddy brothers established Alamogordo in 1898 as a base for their El Paso and Northeastern Railroad. Alamogordo’s economy revolved around the railroad, and expanded with logging, tourism and a tuberculosis sanitarium. The Eddy’s planned community layout was visionary and innovative; utilizing a grid system like in the east, but the model offset the main avenues from the central street to slow traffic. Water was carried into town through acequias (ditches) from two canyons—La Luz and Alamo, still an integral part of today’s water supply. Trees planted along the acequia banks provided shade. Early photos depict a lush green oasis. There was an anti-alcohol sentiment an anomaly for a railroad town. Only one location was allowed to dispense alcohol. Businesses were encouraged to establish policies against employees gambling and drinking. Town boomed from 1898 through 1905. However, several downfalls occurred from 1905 until 1912. The railroad company was sold and its offices relocated to El Paso. Timber cutting in the nearby Sacramento Mountains was federally restricted. The sanitarium burned and the Baptist College closed. The founding fathers faced a juncture at which the town could have easily shriveled up like so many other railroad boomtowns. As New Mexico attained statehood, Alamogordo’s business community regrouped, initiated incorporation of the town and established a formal government. The community’s attitude that Alamogordo was here to stay prevailed.  Young Alamogordo was able to rebound.

Alamogordo today has some parallels to the Alamogordo of 100 years ago. The economy is largely dependent on one entity but today it is Holloman Air Force Base (HAFB). Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range was opened in 1942 and is known today as Holloman Air Force Base. Alamogordo experienced a large growth spurt in the 1950s due in large part to the military.  HAFB is the home of he F-117A Stealth Fighters, the German Air Force in the United States and the High Speed Test Track. White Sands Missile Range, the world’s second largest overland testing range is nearby.

 

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