Southeast Region

Constructed 1911. The Chaves County Courthouse was built in 1911, and designed by Isaac H. Rapp of the distinguished Rapp and Rapp architectural firm of Trinidad, Colorado. The Courthouse is one of the most imposing civic buildings in New Mexico, an outstanding example of the monumental civic Beaux-Arts style. Chaves Read more…

Constructed 2004. Artesia MainStreet commissioned sculptor Vic Payne to create a life-size sculpture of a “Derrick Floor” drilling rig featuring a four-man crew. The 125 percent life-size sculpture puts the emphasis on the individuals who built the oil patch. A landscaped plaza, featuring a relaxing fountain, trees, decorative brick work, Read more…

Carlsbad is home to a variety of murals throughout town. The downtown area has three of those murals. One, at 418 W. Fox St., depicts the people of the Carlsbad-area from several periods and the ways they made their living (mining, farming, caving, etc.) The mural located at the southeastern Read more…

Constructed 1900. Original houses in the Roswell area were made of adobe or even sod. Log cabins were rare as the closest trees grew in the mountains 75 miles to the west, until settlers began planting them around their new homes. The arrival of the railroad in 1894 allowed building Read more…

Constructed 1939. The original courthouse built in 1891, was a Victorian structure built for $21,000 with a steeple and dark colored locally-made brick; later additions were built similarly. When New Deal funds ($185,000) became available in 1939, the architecture of the building was drastically changed to the early Spanish style Read more…

Constructed 1948. The Fiesta Drive-In originally opened in 1948 with a single screen. The massive original screen tower had a mural of a Mexican man and woman dancing and was animated with neon lighting. Above them was the theater’s name in streamlined style lettering. The Fiesta Drive-In closed in 1970 Read more…

Constructed 2006. The Halagueno Arts Park is a phased project to create an intercity arts park located in the historic MainStreet district, to serve the community, visitors and tourists as an instructional arts and botanical garden site. The project began with clearing the park area and updating the infrastructure in Read more…

Constructed 1976. Heritage Walkway took shape after a building fire left the lot vacant circa 1962. In 1976, the Artesia Junior Women’s Club created two murals, with the assistance of a local art teacher, in celebration of our country’s bicentennial year. The Artesia Garden Club maintained the Walkway for years Read more…

Constructed 1912. The Center serves as a repository for historical items from Southeast New Mexico. Contained within the collection are bronze busts by John Raymond Terken in 1937. The busts are of prominent citizens John S. Chisum, Joseph Lea, John J. Hagerman and Amelia Bolton Church. — Source: “Public Art Read more…

Constructed 2007. Several monuments are located in the Artesia MainStreet District that celebrate the history of the community. The monumental sculptures that comprise the History in Bronze public art project, depict scenes from the cattle drive era to the later discovery of oil in the area. The monuments include: The Read more…