Artesia, NM

First settled in the 1800's, Artesia sits in the heart of the Pecos River Valley in the SE corner of New Mexico. Farmers were first attracted to the area by plentiful artesian water wells. With the arrival of cattle drives in the 1870's and the railroads in the 1890's, settlement continued in the area. After a couple town name changes, the community settled on the name Artesia in 1903, and was officially incorporated as a city in 1905. By the 1920's, the pioneering spirit of the community led to the discovery of oil and natural gas, thus setting the stage for a strong future built on minerals, agriculture and more.
Artesia's history is best told through our “History in Bronze” sculptures. Eleven larger than life bronze sculptures created by various famed artists are scattered throughout downtown. They represent our cattle drive era, the advent of the oil industry in Southeast New Mexico, our youth, veterans and some of the pioneers whose entrepreneurial spirit built the community. These sculptures are the highlight of our Downtown Walking Tour. As you walk through the stories, enjoy the art, explore the details of each piece and read more about what makes our community tick.
We are a natural resource rich area where agriculture and the oil & gas industry remain the backbone of the economy. Proactive diversification over the years has led to the development of refining, dairy farms, and federal law enforcement training. Artesia is the proud home of HollyFrontier’s Navajo Refinery, many dairies, Chase Pecans, and Horner Farms pinto beans, both of which are harvested and produced right here in Southeast New Mexico. Artesia is also home to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center - Office of Artesia Operations, where the Bureau of Indian Affairs trains all Indian police nationwide and Border Patrol agents start their careers with basic training. Many other federal agents also will pass through Artesia during their careers for advanced training.
It is the mom & pop shops across town that add to the special character of our town. From specialty gifts to clothing that you don’t find in big box stores, antiques and home décor, Artesia is a place to come when you are looking for something different and a local flare. Park in Heritage Plaza and walk through the artistic Heritage Walkway for direct access to Main Street. The Walkway is a serene breezeway full of color and beautiful handmade tiles created by New Mexico artist Shel Neymark.
Whether you are here to visit or looking to locate in Artesia, the public library is a must-see. Once voted New Mexico’s most beautiful library, not only is the building itself a work of art, but it houses special features such as the famed Peter Hurd mural “The Future Belongs to Those Who Prepare for It,” beautiful stained glass doors, and a bronze bench honoring our country’s Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and other documents that set the stage for democracy in America.
For a small town, Artesia might surprise you. Our local Kith + Kin has an extensive menu and roasts coffee beans in house to sell. The Wellhead is not just a restaurant but also a brew pub - in fact, the first in Southeast New Mexico - offering its own brews with names Like Indian Basin Wheat, Roughneck Red, and Crude Oil Stout celebrating oil & gas. Adobe Rose’s award-winning chef creates eclectic dishes that you won’t find elsewhere and you can sit on the patio for live music entertainment. The legendary La Fonda has been serving customers their brand of Mexican food for 55+ years. And Henry’s will sling barbecue with personality for you. It’s about more than just the food; it’s an experience. Artesia Public Library has a full calendar of events for any age throughout the year to encourage reading and learning. The Ocotillo Performing Arts Center is a 250-seat theatre offering a vast array entertainment from around the world and many educational programs for theatre, painting, music, yoga, and more. Stop by Artesia Historical Museum, housed in the historic cobblestone Moore-Ward home. The museum has an extensive collection of SW artifacts telling stories of our farm and ranch history, the Native American influence in the area, and life in the pioneer days. The museum’s Art Center next door features a rotation of exhibits throughout the year.
As the hub of Southeast New Mexico, Artesia is the place to start when you want to explore the region. Within about an hour, you can see the infamous UFO Museum in Roswell or the Carlsbad Caverns National Park. You will find horse racing and casinos in Hobbs and Ruidoso, and cool mountain air in Cloudcroft. Don’t miss Burnt Well Guest Ranch for a cowboy experience or the petting zoo and shop of Runyan Ranches. Relax and enjoy the drive, but always find your way home to Artesia. And, remember, if you don’t live here, it’s a great place to stay!

[@OldForestWitch]

The sound track is much too loud as it nearly matches the narration track. You could fix that and we'd all be grateful.

[@jcollins2826]

Why a the Roswell UFO museum infamous? That seems a little harsh.

[@youngsolo969]

Nice video until u really live there nothing but a bunch of drug addicts walking around all night it's crazy lmfao I like how they make it sound good tho 😂