Independent Spirit

From the mid-1860s until the barbed-wire era of the early 1900s, men driving cattle from Texas along the Pecos River were known for toughness, independence, and courage. Those who settled to ranch on the surrounding plains and in the rugged Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains kept that same independent spirit, which was needed to endure difficult terrain, harsh climate, and lawless conditions. After the railroad arrived in 1894, Artesia became both a cattle shipping point and economic base for area ranchers and a home for determined farmers who irrigated with artesian water. After oil was discovered in 1924, risk-taking wildcatters joined these strong-willed farmers and ranchers, and together they set the stage for Artesia’s development and growth. Artesia has remained home to risk-takers and entrepreneurs involved in wide-ranging business ventures and committed to making the community a better place to live, reflecting an independent spirit well known throughout New Mexico.

Artesia, New Mexico · United States