Artesia, New Mexico facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Artesia, New Mexico
City
Artesia City Hall
Seal
Nickname(s):  City of Champions
Location in the state of New Mexico
Artesia, New Mexico Location in New Mexico Show map of New Mexico Artesia, New Mexico Location in the United States Show map of the United States Artesia, New Mexico Location in North America Show map of North America
Country	United States
State	New Mexico
County	Eddy
Founded	1905
Area
• Total	11.37 sq mi (29.43 km2)
• Land	11.33 sq mi (29.35 km2)
• Water	0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation	3,379 ft (1,030 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,875
• Density	1,136.26/sq mi (438.73/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
ZIP codes	88210-88211
Area code(s)	575
FIPS code	35-05220
GNIS feature ID	0885911

Artesia is a city in Eddy County, New Mexico. It is located where two main highways, U.S. Route 82 and U.S. Route 285, cross. These highways are known as Main Street and First Street in the city. In 2020, about 12,875 people lived in Artesia.

History of Artesia

Artesia got its name in 1903. This happened after people found an artesian aquifer in the area. An artesian aquifer is a natural underground water source that can bring water to the surface without needing a pump. Many wells were dug to use this water for farming. However, by the 1920s, much of this water had been used up. The city officially became a city in 1905. Artesia is also home to one of only two meeting places for a special religious group called the Strangites.

Geography of Artesia

Artesia is located in the northern part of Eddy County. U.S. Route 82 goes east from Artesia about 64 miles (103 km) to Lovington. It goes west about 110 miles (177 km) to Alamogordo. U.S. Route 285 goes north about 40 miles (64 km) to Roswell. It goes south about 36 miles (58 km) to Carlsbad, which is the main city of Eddy County.

The United States Census Bureau says that Artesia covers a total area of about 11.37 square miles (29.43 square kilometers). A very small part of this area, about 0.03 square miles (0.09 square kilometers), is covered by water. The Pecos River is located about 4 miles (6.4 km) east of Artesia.

Population Changes in Artesia

In 2000, there were 10,692 people living in Artesia. About 30.3% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age of people in the city was 35 years.

Economy of Artesia

The main ways people in Artesia make a living are through the oil and gas industry, farming, and dairy farming. Some big oil and gas companies in the area include Wilbanks Trucking Services and EOG Resources. A large oil refinery, the Navajo Refinery, is also located in Artesia. It is the biggest refinery in New Mexico.

Artesia is also known for the former Abo Elementary School. This school, built in 1962, was special because it was built completely underground. It was designed to be a fallout shelter in case of a nuclear attack. The roof of the school was a concrete slab that also served as the playground. It had a large storage area with enough supplies for 2,000 people. This unique building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

The city also has one of the few training centers for federal law enforcement. This center trains people for groups like the United States Border Patrol and US Air Marshals. It is located on the old campus of the College of Artesia.

Artesia has a special power station that connects the eastern and western electric grids. This station, built in 1983, can transfer a lot of electricity.

The Artesia Restaurant and Hotel was featured in the movie The Man Who Fell to Earth, which starred David Bowie.

Immigration Center in Artesia

Artesia was once home to the Artesia Detention Center. This center helped process documents for people entering the U.S. It closed in December 2014.

Education in Artesia

Students in Artesia attend schools within the Artesia Public School District. The schools include:

• Artesia High School (grades 10–12)
• Artesia Junior High School (grades 8–9)
• Artesia Intermediate School (grades 6–7)
• Central Elementary School (grades 1–5)
• Hermosa Elementary School (grades 1–5)
• Roselawn Elementary School (grades 1–5)
• Yeso Elementary School (grades 1–5)
• Yucca Elementary School (grades 1–5)
• Grand Heights Early Child Ctr. (kindergarten)

The Artesia High School football team, the Artesia Bulldogs, is very successful. They play in the 5A football division and have won 30 state titles. This is one of the highest numbers of titles won by any high school team in the United States. Coach Cooper Henderson, who also played for the Bulldogs, has led the team to 14 of these championships.

Notable People from Artesia

Many interesting people have come from Artesia, including:

• Vernon Asbill (born 1945), an educator and former state senator.
• Mack C. Chase (born 1931), a successful businessman in oil and natural gas.
• Candy Ezzell (born 1953), a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives.
• Tanner Gray (born 1999), a professional race car driver.
• Taylor Gray (born 2005), also a racing driver.
• Ray Handley (born 1944), a former head coach for the New York Giants football team.
• Alexa Havins (born 1980), an actress who has won awards for her TV roles.
• Landry Jones (born 1989), a quarterback who played for the Oklahoma Sooners and the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers.
• Steve Jones (born 1958), a professional golfer.
• Cody Lambert (born 1961), a professional rodeo cowboy.
• Edgar Mitchell (born 1930), an astronaut who walked on the Moon during the 1971 Apollo 14 mission.
• Terry Lee Williams (born 1950), the first African American to serve in the Utah State Senate.

Climate in Artesia

Artesia has a cold semi-arid climate. This means it is generally dry with hot summers and cool winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Artesia was 116°F (47°C) on June 29, 1918. The coldest temperature recorded was -20°F (-29°C) on January 11, 1962.

See also

In Spanish: Artesia (Nuevo México) para niños