Alamogordo Museum of History facts for kids
| Former name | Tularosa Basin Historical Society Museum |
|---|---|
| Established | 1970 |
| Location | 1004 N. White Sands Blvd. Alamogordo, New Mexico |
| Type | History museum |
| Public transit access | Z-Trans stop across street |
The Tularosa Basin Museum of History is a fun place to learn about the past! It's a history museum located in Alamogordo, New Mexico. The museum collects and displays old photos, important papers, and historical items. These items tell the story of Otero County, New Mexico. The Tularosa Basin Historical Society owns and runs the museum.
Contents
Museum Collection
The Rare 47-Star Flag
One of the most special items at the museum is a very rare 47-star U. S. flag. You might wonder why it's so rare.
New Mexico became the 47th state on January 6, 1912. Then, Arizona became the 48th state on February 14, 1912. A law called the Flag Act of 1818 says that a new star is added to the flag on July 4th after a new state joins. So, on July 4, 1912, the official U.S. flag went straight from 46 stars to 48 stars. This means there was never an official 47-star flag!
We don't know exactly where the museum's 47-star flag came from. But it was probably made to celebrate New Mexico becoming a state. This flag hung for many years in a bar in Blue Lake, California. The bar owner, Wade Topping, used to live in Alamogordo. He knew how important the flag was and gave it to the museum in 1999.
These 47-star flags are super rare. No one knows exactly how many exist. Another one is at the Museum at the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There's also a reported 47-star flag at the Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2005, a man named Bob Adamowski gave a 47-star flag to the Smithsonian Institution.
Other Cool Museum Items
The museum has many other interesting things. You can see personal stories, old items, and photos from local history. There's a large bison head on display. You can also see pottery from the old La Luz Pottery Factory. The museum also has artifacts from ancient Native American tribes. These items were found in caves near Alamogordo.
The museum has over 3,000 historical photos of the area. It also keeps an archive of old documents. You can buy books about local history at the museum's gift shop. There's also a special collection of local history books and documents. Visitors can use these to learn more while they are at the museum.
The museum is now located in a beautiful, old adobe building. This building is at the corner of White Sands Blvd. and Tenth Street.
Tularosa Basin Historical Society
The Tularosa Basin Historical Society runs the museum. This group is made up of volunteers. They started in 1964 to help save the history of the Tularosa Basin. The society gets money from donations, special events, and people who become members. In 2005, they had 220 members.
The society publishes a series of books called The Pioneer (). These books come out twice a year and share stories about local history. They also sometimes publish other books. For example, they made a two-volume collection about the histories of pioneer families in the area.
