Constructed 1892.
Located along the banks of the Pecos River, Carlsbad was originally christened the Town of Eddy on September 15, 1888 and organized as a municipality in 1893. With the improvement of the mineral springs north of town, and their valuable medicinal qualities, the town changed the name to Carlsbad, after the famous European spa, Karlsbad. With the discovery of the bat cave in 1901, and the establishment of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1930, Carlsbad gained international recognition and the the city’s tourism industry was assured.
In 1925 potash was discovered near Carlsbad, and for many years Carlsbad dominated the U.S. production until the industry declined in the 1960s. The more recent development of the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) has contributed to the local economy. The downtown historic district is anchored by the spine of historic commercial buildings that line Canal Street, along with two picturesque parks at the Eddy County Courthouse and Halagueno Art Park. The district’s architecture features Victorian, Pueblo Revival, Art Deco and Midcentury Modern landmarks.
Main St., Shaw St., Halagueno St., Greene St. and Canal St. Carlsbad, NM 88220
Photo by Amy M. Barnhart.
