Something strange happened in July of 1947 in Roswell New Mexico….
Carlsbad KOA Entrance
We checked into the Carlsbad KOA and were greeted by these two aliens . Needless to say, Alien paraphernalia is all around as you get close to Roswell.
Carlsbad KOA
This KOA is very clean and relatively new. The sites are gravel but very level and clean. They offer free wi-fi and cable, which is nice. However, above all the main selling point is it’s location. From this KOA you can visit a number of National Parks and Roswell; The UFO capital of the world. Actually that is just skimming the surface of things to do here. For more information about this KOA click here. Their website also lists a multitude of things to do in the area. My personal feeling about this KOA is that it is overpriced. You will spend around 46.00 per night for full hook-up; and this is not a deluxe site. Even with the KOA discount – that is expensive. However, they have a great location which gives them a corner on the market.
One of the fun parts of the trip was going to Roswell to check out the Roswell International UFO Museum and Research Center. The ticket price is $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children. There are discounts for seniors and military. The museum itself looks as if it were once a movie theater on Main Street. Once inside you are surrounded by a multitude of documents and displays. All regarding the events of July 1947.
Shortly after we arrived the staff informed us that a film describing the 1947 incident was about to start. Of course we thought this was going to be a short ten minute film about the Crash, and subsequent government cover-up. Instead it was actually a full length motion picture entitled “Roswell: The UFO Cover-Up” starring Martin Sheen. I will say that the movie does a good job of provided background information on the event, and the information you will see in the museum. The only draw-back; no pop-corn.
Inside the International UFO Museum – Roswell
The thing that I found the most interesting; the sworn affidavits from people who were intimidated into silence by the government. I think reading these are probably worth the price of admission alone. They cover an entire section of one wall.
What happened that July night during a thunderstorm outside Roswell New Mexico? Was it a thunderstorm, a weather balloon, a secret government project, or something else? Why did the Government tell these people to be quiet “or something would happen to their families?”. What happened to the bodies that were recovered? Lastly, why did the local funeral home provide tiny caskets? These are some of the questions the museum attempts to explore. This is a good side trip if you’re in the mood to delve into the Roswell incident. I thought it was well worth the hour trip from our campground. In my opinion it’s probably not a place you would visit twice but its worth seeing at least once.
After our stop at Roswell we headed back to the campground but not without stopping in Artesia first. The town Artesia derived its name from an artesian aquifer found in the area around 1903. It is located between Carlsbad and Roswell.
One thing that struck my almost immediately is that there are a lot of folks walking around downtown for such a small place, and parking is a problem. This city has a reputation of being artsy. All of the street sculptures confirm this artsy reputation. These metal sculptures include cowboys, cattle, oil rigs, and a school teacher and her students.
After we finished a brief walk in their downtown area we decided to have lunch at the Adobe Rose Restaurant. Tammy had seen some great reviews about this restaurant on-line so we decided to check it out. The Adobe rose is located at 1614 N. 13th Street, perhaps a five-minute drive from the downtown area.
There was street construction blocking their main driveway. However, we found access to a side lot. Although crowded, they seated us immediately. The service was great, the beer was cold, and the food was even better. Therefore, we highly recommend this restaurant. If we lived in Artesia the Adobe Rose would be a frequent stop for us.
For more information on the International UFO Museum and Research Center visit: http://www.roswellufomuseum.com/
For more information on Artesia, New Mexico visit: http://www.artesianm.com/
Lastly, to continue reading about this trip click here.
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