Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Carlsbad, NM > Carlsbad Groups & Organizations > Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

address:302 South Canal Carlsbad, NM 88220 phone:505-887-6515 website:Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce

Carlsbad, NM is the seat of Eddy County. Situated in a semiarid climate at the northern tip of the Chihuahuan Desert, Carlsbad (elevation: 3100 feet) enjoys mild winters and endures hot summers. The city, with its tree-lined streets, public parks and recreation areas -- including the municipal beach and greenway along Lake Carlsbad - originated as an oasis, the "Pearl on the Pecos."

An extensive irrigation system comprising four upstream dams on the Pecos River and miles of canals throughout the Carlsbad area sustains agriculture and provides recreational opportunities, though the average annual precipitation is no more than 15 inches. This system, since 1932 known as the Carlsbad Irrigation District, is the foundation of Carlsbad and the key to its history. The town has had several different incarnations over a little more than a century -- from frontier settlement to boom town and tourist destination to retirement community and new technology center. (Dodier, V. A brief history of Carlsbad, NM, Carlsbad Museum & Art Center)