History of Alamogordo
- Alamogordo means big cottonwood or "fat tree", Gordo = fat; alamo = tree, poplar, or cottonwood.
- Our current population is approximately 35,582 based on the 2000 Census.
- This is a thriving city transformed from a railroad, ranching and farming hamlet into a progressive vibrant community, intertwined with our military neighbors of Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range.
- Our area is rich in history and natural wonders as the gateway to: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico Museum of Space History, Clyde W. Tombaugh Planetarium and Omnimax Theater, Lincoln National Forest, Oliver Lee State Park, Alameda Park Zoo, and the Toy Train Depot.
- Developed as a rail junction with nearby mountain lumber railroad in 1898
- Has the oldest zoo in the southwest: Alameda Park Zoo, which is AZA accredited
- Hosts the Toy Train Depot, some 90 years old, offering train rides around Alameda Park for kids of all ages
- Home of Tularosa Basin Historical Museum, with artifacts and memories from early man to Alamogordo's entry into atomic and space age.
- Adjacent to Holloman Air Force Base, home of the F-22A Raptor, F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, 49th Fighter Wing, 46th Test Group, allied fighter pilot training missions, and the German Air Force Flying Training Center
- We're neighbors with the oldest Tularosa Basin town - La Luz; founded in 1705, La Luz is a quiet village plaza surrounded by adobe homes and studios.
- Oliver Lee State Park, fifteen minutes South on Highway 54, is a historic site of numerous Union Army/Apache battles. Oliver Lee State Park is now enjoyed by campers, mountain climbers, photographers, and historians.
- Visit White Sands National Monument, 20 minutes West of Alamogordo. The vast field of brilliant white sand dunes encompasses 275 square miles of desert and is the world's largest gypsum dune field. Sledding, playing, picnicking, walking, biking, and relaxing at the dunes holds fascination for everyone. The Monument hosts many evening programs.
- Alamogordo is bordered on the East by the beautiful Sacramento Mountains, home to "The Lodge" at Cloudcroft, the Sacramento Mountains Historical Museum, and the Sunspot Solar Observatory where you can see into the center of the solar system, and home of Smokey Bear.
- Boasts a majestic four-story golden cube--the New Mexico Museum of Space History, where the focus is placed on "hands on experience".
- Tombaugh Omnimax Theater invites you to an unforgettable visual experience via the 2,700 square foot screen and 70mm Omnimax camera.
- Is the home of the friendliest, happiest folks--why not, they have it all--70 degree average annual temperature; the ability to ski in the mountains on the winter mornings and play golf that afternoon; natural beauty all around; small town atmosphere, conveniences of a larger one.
The Good Life is in Alamogordo!