Roswell, New Mexico is the seat of Chaves County in southern New Mexico. It is also the place that is etched in popular imagination as the site of the famous 1947 UFO incident, where an alleged UFO crashed near the city but was subsequently covered up by the US military. Conspiracy theories about this incident abound, and once you step foot in town you will know that the idea of aliens are still a popular topic in the area.

Local businesses have no scruples whatsoever to cash in on the ‘hot’ topic and you will find any number of storefronts, restaurants, and the like, where these little green critters find their place of honor. Yet, this city of about 50,000 residents has much more to offer than painted Martians on their walls.

Farming and ranching have been the traditional occupation of the city’s residents for a long time and they still play a major role in the town’s economy but banking and other new age commercial ventures have planted strong roots in the recent decades. Petroleum production, manufacturing and distribution are just some other sectors that have contributed to the growth of the city.

During the Second World War to around 1967, Roswell was also recognized as a location of military importance and the city is still the home of New Mexico Military Institute which was founded back in 1891. However, the military importance of the city has largely waned since the Walker Air Force Base was decommissioned in 1967. In the aftermath of it, Roswell has however reinvented itself as city of tourist and pleasure attractions, capitalizing as much on its pleasant climate that it receives all year round as on its proximity to the Bottomless Lake State Park and the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge—both very popular and coveted destinations for outdoor enthusiasts from the region of central and southern New Mexico.

The city has also vigorously pursued a campaign to draw more permanent residents to the town and the effort has evidently paid rich dividends since it has a large and still growing retirement community living in the town today.