Great stop on your way into town for photos to mark the start of your experience in Roswell.read more

Just before getting to the core of Roswell, this roadside historical marker on the south side of…read moretown on US-285 is worth a stop to learn about this city which does predate all of the UFO stuff. There is plenty of space to stop. The marker reads, "Roswell. Population 50,000. Elevation 3,612. Roswell was a watering place for the Pecos Valley cattle drives of the 1870s and 1880s. It was incorporated in 1891 and is the seat of Chaves County, named for Francisco Chaves, Civil War soldier and delegate to the U.S. Congress from the Territory of New Mexico. In the 1930s, Dr. Robert Goddard conducted experiments in liquid fuel rocket flights here." The reverse of the marker has a map with a number of different points of interest including the lakes, national wildlife refuge and fish hatchery. Roswell is the fifth-largest city in New Mexico. The tourism industry here is based on aerospace engineering and ufology museums and businesses, as well as alien-themed and spacecraft-themed iconography. The city also relies on New Mexico and Americana related tourism. The Roswell Invaders play in the Pecos League of professional baseball clubs. The Invaders wear lime-green uniforms to represent the city's extraterrestrial connections. [Review 17445 overall - 58 in New Mexico - 963 of 2022.]

A fun little pitstop right when you get into town! There is ample road space to pull over safely to…read moretake a fun photo with the sign. Be wary, as it's next to a farm and might carry a heavy smell once you exit your car. Happy travels :)

We HAD to stop at this sign and I'm glad we can share our experience and tips with other Yelpers…read moreafter our trip. This was a must visit on our trip to Roswell and though the fast was stop I'm so glad we did it! VERY important, there are two distinct stops at the North and Southside of town. Both have the famous "Roswell" sign and our favorite part was right up on top, if you look closely at the cow graphic the one closest to the UFO is being sucked up by the flying saucer. North Side Sign: This one had a historical placard you can read and it's own designated small parking lot. This was the first one we went to and though its covered in graffiti and stickers we still found it charming. The South Side Sign: No placard and you have to go further down the freeway going south toward Carlsbad to see the small diorama with a crashed UFO and Rockwell style classic small town folk withe their broken down car. These are covered in grafitti and some of the

This is a very nice park, kinda in the middle of the historic downtown area right off of Main…read moreStreet. I noticed a parking area behind it. It has the Goddard rocket on one end. The bull and rider sculpture in the middle and the visitors center on the other end. The grassy area was lush and green. Ready to be mowed but with the rain it's getting really thick. Was a nice place to sit and watch the cars go by.

This marker is located just north of the city center of Roswell and is along a rather wide street…read more No problem stopping to check it out. The marker reads, "Roswell Pioneer Plaza. This plaza incorporates two of downtown Roswell's most historic buildings. East of this location is teh Chaves County Courthouse, built in 1911. It is one of the best surviving examples of courthouses built in the Beaux Arts REvival "monumental civic style" architecture. The nearby Conoco service station was built in the 1920s. It is one of the few remaining architecturally intact gasoline stations from this early period of New Mexico's transportation history." It has the same text on the reverse. [Review 17448 overall - 61 in New Mexico - 966 of 2022.]

South of Roswell on US-285, this historical marker points out some slightly more recent history. I…read morehad no idea this happened, but now I know. On the front, the marker reads, "Camp Roswell was one of the first and largest base camps built in the United States and was located on Orchard Park Road. The camp operated from August 1942 to February 1946 and interned 4,816 German POWs at its peak. Camp construction was similar to Army training centers with the addition of watchtowers and fences. Most POWs performed agricultural labor, particularly during cotton season. Associated smaller side camps were located in Fort Sumner, Artesia and Dexter." On the reverse, "During World War II, 155 prison or war (POW) base camps and 511 branch camps were constructed in 46 states. By 1945, over 425,000 German, Italian, and Japanese POWs were held in the U.S. including more than 371,000 Germans. POWs worked in farms, mills, canneries, public works projects, and other low-risk jobs that alleviated labor shortages during the war. New Mexico's larger camps were located in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Lordburg, Roswell, and Santa Fe." [Review 17442 overall - 55 in New Mexico - 960 of 2022.]

The Roswell Rocket is on display in Pioneer Park located on Main Street in Rowell. It's a great…read morephoto op spot and has a sitting area and grassy park where you can stop and take a break. Nothing fancy, just a cool item to look at.

L.J. Reischman Memorial Park is a small municipal park in downtown Roswell, New Mexico, named after…read moreLester James (L.J.) Reischman, father of prominent local businessman Owen Armagene "Gene" Reischman. Located near Main Street, it's a public space listed among the city's facilities, offering a quiet area for community activities.

Incredibly helpful, informative, and friendly. Maps, free campsites, sightseeing advice & more…read more Jan is a gem. Also there is a really impressive gem / mineral collection in the office.

Located in a public park (originally known as Iron Cross Park, now it's POW/MIA Park), this artwork…read morewas built by German prisoners of war who were interred here in Roswell during World War II. As part of a flood control program, the city paved the banks of the Spring River with local stones. It was during that project that a number of the prisoners cleverly arranged the rocks here in the outline shape of the German Empire's Iron Cross. You absolutely can't miss it and so when the townspeople noticed, the artwork was covered in concrete. In the 60+ years since then, the water has peeled away the concrete and the artwork is now uncovered. A testament to soldiers who were captured and I hope interred here in New Mexico humanely. There is parking in the park and a viewing platform across from the Iron Cross. [Review 17459 overall - 69 in New Mexico - 977 of 2022.]