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Serving the Otero & Lincoln County areas.

Here you will find a little History of both Alamogordo and Ruidoso, plus some of the things that you can enjoy in our area of
The Land of Enchantment.

ALAMOGORDO

Although people have inhabited the Tularosa basin for about 11,000 years the town of Alamogordo was founded in 1898. Sitting at 4330 feet above sea level, it was initially formed as a Railroad Junction with a nearby mountain Lumber Railroad (Cloud-Climbing Railroad) and the Northeastern Railroad. However, after 1933 it became a little bit of a tourist destination with the formation of White Sands National Park and Monument.

 

Town founder Charles Eddy had a heavy hand both in the extension of the Railway from El Paso to Alamogordo, and in it's initial design and layout. When it was laid out in the beginning East - West streets were numerically designated, and North - South were assigned State names. What we now know as White Sands Blvd was historically Pennsylvania Avenue. John Eddy, Charles' brother, named the city Alamogordo after a grove of fat cottonwoods he remembered seeing in the Pecos River area. Alameda Park Zoo was established with the town in 1898, and it has the honor of being the oldest zoo in the Southwest.

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Oliver Lee State Park, located not too far south on Hwy54, was site to many historic battles between the Union Army and the Apache tribes. Loaded with rich history, it now appeals to hikers, campers, and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as historians. About 5 miles north of Alamogordo is La Luz, which boasts the claim of being the oldest settled area in the region. The Spanish built the first chapel in 1719, though the area wasn't fully settled until about 1860.

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One thing that put Alamogordo on the map historically are it's ties to the 1945 Trinity Test. In 1941 The White Sands Missile range was formed as the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery range. After WWII had ended the US began to explore using the gunnery range for research that was a bit more profound. On July 16, 1945, near the northern boundary of the range, "Trinity" became the first ever atom bomb to be detonated, seven days after the grounds were officially established as "White Sands Proving Grounds". The US had also brought over 100 German V-2 Long Range missiles that had been captured by US troops and over the course of the next five years test fired 67 of them. During the course of the five years of testing, Alamogordo residents had one close call. On May 15, 1947 one of the missiles veered off course and landed where we now have the Space Museum and New Mexico State University - Alamogordo. After testing the German missiles, the gear switched focus to the testing of American missiles and weaponry, and these tests continue to be conducted at WSMR to this day.

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So much history surrounds the area, and there are so many little hidden gems around.  Alamogordo may be little, but unless you're unsure where to look there is always something to do.

RUIDOSO

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Lincoln county was established in 1869, by Captain Saturnino Baca, who named it after the then recently assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Before Ruidoso was founded in 1885 the area was site to the Lincoln County war of 1878.  This war was centered on the competition for government contracts between McSween - Tunstall and Murphy - Dolan, and it ended with "The Five Day Battle" which helped to hurtle Billy the Kid to notoriety. Billy fought on McSween's side, mostly due to the murder of rancher John Tunstall whom he had been working for. After getting released from jail in late February 1878 Billy became part of a famously known deputized posse called "The Regulators". By March 9th, the Regulators had caught up to Frank Baker and William Morton, the two deputized individuals that were guilty of the murder of John Tunstall. Both Baker and Morton were killed, allegedly while trying to escape. That was just the start of Billy's fame. By the time Billy died by gunshot wound at the age of 21 (in 1881) he was charged with the murder of 21 individuals.

 

While all of this was going on, retired Captain Paul Dowlin of Ft. Stanton (one of the government contracts for cattle that Murphy, Dolan, and Riley held) was quietly building Dowlin's Mill, which is in the area that we now know as Ruidoso. He built the mill right where the Carrizo creek and Rio Ruidoso merge, as a General Store, Dancehall, and moonshine supplier. By the time 1885 rolled around, Dowlin's mill was joined by a blacksmith, a post office, and some cabins along the river. Combined with it's close proximity to the Chisum cattle trail, Ruidoso was born. By 1914 there were cabins in the Upper Canyon area, and by 1935 there was a small ski area by a slope near Cedar Creek. In 1947 the racetrack opened at Hollywood Park and visitors could play golf in the Gateway area. In 1963 the Mescalero Apache purchased what is now known as Ski Apache, and Ruidoso really hit it's stride as an escape from the heat for anyone close by.

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Ruidoso continues to thrive as a cool escape and a tourist hot spot. Nestled in the scenic Sacramento mountains, the climate is significantly cooler than the surrounding areas year-round. The scenic vista of Sierra Blanca greets you as you drive up the highway, surrounded by trees and meadows as far as the eye can see.  You get to pass through Tularosa and the Apache reservation if you're headed that way from Alamogordo, and it's amazing to watch how the scenery changes as the elevation increases.

Now, onto the fun!

History is great, but let's get into the fun stuff... what can you do in this "neck of the woods"?

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If you're coming from a Military background, you've experienced the world! Or at least more than this little corner of New Mexico.  If you're used to a bustling city full of nightlife, Alamogordo and Ruidoso may seem a bit tame. There really is quite a bit to do still, however, and even more so if you enjoy the great outdoors.

 

Lincoln National Forest, established in July of 1902 with 500,000 acres of land, now spans 1,103,897 acres and is famously the home of Smokey the Bear. ("Only YOU can prevent forest fires") It has a grand total of three major Mountain ranges in it: Sacramento, Guadalupe, and Capitan, with the Sacramento mountain range being the one in our own backyard... or front, depending. Elevation ranges from 4000 to 11,500 feet and you pass through five different ecozones, from Chihuahuan desert to sub-alpine forest. You can do a range of activities, including picnicking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, and quad and dirt-bike riding. Maps and guides can be downloaded at the forest service website, and you can check on current fire information and the pricing of passes for activities that do require a pass or permit (Firewood collection, Christmas tree cutting, filming, photography, guiding, outfitting, and holding events in the forest).

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Now what if you're not really a rough it and get dirty sort of person? There are definitely still plenty of activities for you to enjoy! It runs the range from boutique shopping, wine tastings, museums, and ski-resorts, all the way to Chuckwagon style dinners complete with Musical accompaniment. There is a Lake that houses a fun water playground, and there is even a Casino nearby if gambling strikes your fancy. There are spas if you crave a little staycation feel, and you can escape to a little cabin in the woods in several different areas if you desire to feel a little seclusion.

Let's dig in... what is there to do?

In all honesty, unless you're really not fond of driving, this is all accessible to you regardless of if you choose to settle in Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Tularosa, La Luz, Timberon, Cloudcroft, etc. If you're looking for more of a city shopping experience, Las Cruces and El Paso are within convenient driving distance as well.  

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Otero and Lincoln counties place you well within reach of anything you may need.  Depending upon your preferences, you can be as rural or urban as you wish.  You can choose your own little slice of desert paradise to build your private oasis or choose a cooler locale up the Mountains. Here at KA Realty LLC we want to listen to what YOU want, so we can get you situated where will suit you best. We listen to you.  Stop by and see what makes us different.

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