Carlsbad is a city in and the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Eddy CountyEddy County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of 2000, the population was 51,658. Its county seat and largest city is Carlsbad.Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in Eddy County.-Geography:According to the U.S...
,
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S...
, in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 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.
Carlsbad is located in the
Chihuahuan DesertThe Chihuahuan Desert is a desert that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border. On the U.S. side it occupies the valleys and basins of central and southern New Mexico, Texas west of the Pecos River and southeastern Arizona; south of the border, it covers the northern half of the Mexican state of...
and the
Pecos RiverThe Pecos River or Rio Pecos, as it is sometimes known in New Mexico, arises near Pecos, New Mexico, United States, and flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it empties into the Rio Grande near Del Rio...
Valley at an elevation of .
Carlsbad Caverns National ParkCarlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave, Carlsbad Caverns...
is located eighteen miles (29 km) southwest of the city, with
Guadalupe Mountains National ParkGuadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at in elevation. It also contains El Capitan, long used as a landmark by people traveling along the old route later followed by the Butterfield Overland...
lying forty miles further southwest across the
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
border.
Carlsbad is a city in and the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Eddy CountyEddy County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of 2000, the population was 51,658. Its county seat and largest city is Carlsbad.Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in Eddy County.-Geography:According to the U.S...
,
New MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S...
, in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the
2000 censusThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 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.
Carlsbad is located in the
Chihuahuan DesertThe Chihuahuan Desert is a desert that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border. On the U.S. side it occupies the valleys and basins of central and southern New Mexico, Texas west of the Pecos River and southeastern Arizona; south of the border, it covers the northern half of the Mexican state of...
and the
Pecos RiverThe Pecos River or Rio Pecos, as it is sometimes known in New Mexico, arises near Pecos, New Mexico, United States, and flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it empties into the Rio Grande near Del Rio...
Valley at an elevation of .
Carlsbad Caverns National ParkCarlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave, Carlsbad Caverns...
is located eighteen miles (29 km) southwest of the city, with
Guadalupe Mountains National ParkGuadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at in elevation. It also contains El Capitan, long used as a landmark by people traveling along the old route later followed by the Butterfield Overland...
lying forty miles further southwest across the
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
border. There are also three man-made lakes within fifty miles of the city, including Lake Carlsbad.
Geography
Carlsbad is located at (32.411893, -104.236277).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, 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.
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 VaryKarlovy Vary is a spa city situated in western Bohemia, Czech Republic, on the confluence of the rivers Ohře and Teplá, approximately 130 km west of Prague. It is named after King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV, who founded the city in 1370...
,
Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe that is sometimes considered to be Eastern European. The country borders Poland to the northeast, Germany to the west and northwest, Austria to the south and Slovakia to the east. The capital and largest city is Prague...
). 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 ParkCarlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave, Carlsbad Caverns...
on May 14, 1930 gained the town of Carlsbad substantial recognition.
In 1925
potashPotash is the common name given to potassium carbonate and various mined and manufactured salts that contain the element potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains....
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 PlantThe Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, is the world's third deep geological repository licensed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste for 10000 years that is left from the research and production of nuclear weapons...
(WIPP). Congress authorized the WIPP project in 1979 and construction began in 1980. The
DOEThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
Carlsbad Area Office opened in 1993 and the first waste shipment arrived in 1999.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there are 25,625 people, 9,957 households, and 6,949 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
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 couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
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 incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
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.
Economy
The economy of the Carlsbad area is based primarily on the mineral extraction sector; the city overlies the rich
oilAn oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and is hydrophobic but soluble in organic solvents. Oils have a high carbon and hydrogen content and are nonpolar substances. The general definition above includes compound classes with otherwise unrelated chemical structures,...
and
gasNatural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills...
producing formations of the
Permian BasinThe Permian Basin is a sedimentary basin largely contained in the western part of the U.S. state of Texas and the southeastern part of the state of New Mexico. It reaches from just south of Lubbock, Texas, to just south of Midland & Odessa, extending westward into the southeastern part of the...
and produces more
potashPotash is the common name given to potassium carbonate and various mined and manufactured salts that contain the element potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains....
than any other location in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Carlsbad is home to the DOE's Carlsbad Field Office which operates the
Waste Isolation Pilot PlantThe Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, or WIPP, is the world's third deep geological repository licensed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste for 10000 years that is left from the research and production of nuclear weapons...
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 ForestThe Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
, the
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State ParkThe Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park , formerly the Living Desert Zoological and Botanical State Park, is a zoo and botanical garden displaying plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert in their native habitats. It is located off U.S...
and the annual Christmas on the Pecos Light Show all located within fifty miles of the city.
Education, Research, Development, and Technology Facilities
Education in Carlsbad consists of the Carlsbad Municipal School District,
New Mexico State UniversityNew Mexico State University, or NMSU, is a major land-grant university in New Mexico, with campuses in Alamogordo, Carlsbad, Doña Ana County , Grants and Las Cruces and with extension and research centers across New Mexico...
-Carlsbad, a branch of the
College of the SouthwestUniversity of the Southwest is a private non-denominational four-year educational institution located in Hobbs, New Mexico. It was incorporated under its current name in 1962, although the college existed several years prior to that as a two-year Baptist institution.The college offers baccalaureate...
, and
Northwood UniversityNorthwood University is a private university with multiple locations. The school has four residential campuses: Midland, Michigan , Cedar Hill, Texas , West Palm Beach, Florida and a joint program with Hotel Institute Montreux in Montreux, Switzerland began in 2001...
. 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, and units of the
National Park ServiceThe National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the city of Carlsbad. The
United States Department of EnergyThe United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
's Sandia National Labs and
Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
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.
Carlsbad High School, New Mexico{Articleissues| cleanup = January 2009| tone = January 2009| unreferenced = January 2009{Articleissues| cleanup = January 2009| tone = January 2009| unreferenced = January 2009{Articleissues| cleanup = January 2009| tone = January 2009...
is the largest campus (area) in the United States.
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
Cody Joseph Ross is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Florida Marlins. He was traded to the Marlins from the Cincinnati Reds for cash or a player to be named later. He previously played with the Detroit Tigers in , as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds...
: Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
outfielder, for the Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
- Shane Andrews
Darrell Shane Andrews is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball.From through , Andrews played for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox...
: Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
third baseman. Played for three different clubs over eight years.
Transportation
Carlsbad is crossed by two major highways US 62/180 & US 285.
Cavern City Air TerminalCavern City Air Terminal is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles southwest of the central business district of Carlsbad, a city in Eddy County, New Mexico, United States...
is located just south of Carlsbad with
New Mexico AirlinesNew Mexico Airlines is an American commuter airline brand founded by Pacific Air Holdings to operate flights in New Mexico after the airline was awarded an Essential Air Service contract to serve Hobbs and Carlsbad, New Mexico. The airline started flights on July 1, 2007 and uses the airline...
currently offering non-stop service to
AlbuquerqueAlbuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 521,999 as of July 1, 2008, according to U.S. census estimates, and ranks as...
,
HobbsHobbs is a city in Lea County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 28,657 at the 2000 census.Hobbs is the principal city of the Hobbs, New Mexico Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lea County.-Geography:...
, and
El Paso, Texas-Geography:* El Paso, Texas, a city in the United States on the border with MexicoColombia:* El Paso, CesarUnited States:* El Paso, Arkansas* El Paso County, Colorado* El Paso, Illinois* El Paso, Missouri, an early name for Exeter, Missouri...
.
Points of Interest
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave, Carlsbad Caverns...
- Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at in elevation. It also contains El Capitan, long used as a landmark by people traveling along the old route later followed by the Butterfield Overland...
- Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park , formerly the Living Desert Zoological and Botanical State Park, is a zoo and botanical garden displaying plants and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert in their native habitats. It is located off U.S...
- National Cave and Karst Research Center
- The Cascades of Carlsbad
- Lincoln National Forest
The Lincoln National Forest is a protected national forest in the State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. It was established in 1902 and covers 1,103,828 acres...
- Project GNOME
Project Gnome was the first nuclear test of the Plowshare program and was the first continental nuclear weapon test since Trinity to be conducted outside of the Nevada Test Site...
- Project Playground
- Carlsbad Skate Park
- The Artist Gallery
- The Carlsbad Museum
Notable People from Carlsbad, NM
- Shane Andrews
Darrell Shane Andrews is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball.From through , Andrews played for the Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox...
: former Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
third baseman. Played for three different clubs over eight years.
- Bruce Cabot
Bruce Cabot was an American film actor. Tall and athletic looking, he is best remembered as Jack Driscoll in King Kong .-Early life:...
: actor who played Jack DriscollJack Driscoll is the name of two fictional characters that are part of the King Kong property. In the original 1933 film he was the first mate of the ship The Venture, while in its 2005 remake he was a playwright . He was played by Bruce Cabot in the original and by Adrien Brody in the remake...
in the 1933 film King KongKing Kong is a fictional movie monster that has appeared in several films since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 film King Kong, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels...
.
- Jason D. Cunningham
Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham was a United States Air Force pararescueman who was killed in action on March 4, 2002 while taking part in Operation Anaconda during the US war in Afghanistan...
: Air Force Pararescuemen who died saving the lives of ten fellow servicemen. Air Force Cross Recipient.
- Sam Etcheverry
Sam "The Rifle" Etcheverry was a professional American and Canadian football player and head coach. Etcheverry played the quarterback position, most famously with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, and was named that league's Most Outstanding Player in 1954...
: former professional football player who played in the National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
as well as the Canadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located entirely in Canada.Its eight teams, which are located in eight cities, are divided into two divisions of four teams each . The league's nineteen-week regular season runs from mid-June to early November. Each team plays...
.
- Cody Ross
Cody Joseph Ross is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Florida Marlins. He was traded to the Marlins from the Cincinnati Reds for cash or a player to be named later. He previously played with the Detroit Tigers in , as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds...
: Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
outfielder, for the Florida MarlinsThe Florida Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami Gardens, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
- Barry Sadler
Barry Sadler was an American author and musician. Sadler served as a Green Beret medic and Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War...
: American author, musician, and veteran. Best known for his series of novels focusing on Casca Rufio Longinius.
- Sonny Throckmorton
James Fron Throckmorton is an American country music singer and songwriter. Known primarily for his songwriting, Throckmorton has had more than 1000 of his songs recorded by various country singers...
: songwriter
- Linda Wertheimer
-Background and education:Wertheimer was born on March 19 1943 in Carlsbad, New Mexico. She graduated from Wellesley College with the class of 1965.-Career:...
: senior correspondent for National Public Radio.
- Jim White
James Larkin White , better known as Jim White, was a cowboy, guano miner, cave explorer, and park ranger for the National Park Service...
: the discoverer of Carlsbad Caverns.
External links