Carlsbad, New Mexico is a senior vacation and retirement community.

Carlsbad NM History

Located along the banks of the Pecos River, Carlsbad was originally christened the Town of Eddy on September 15, 1888 and organized as a municipal corporation in 1893. With the popularity of the mineral springs north of town and their valuable medicinal qualities, the town changed its name to Carlsbad, after the famous European spa, Karlsbad. The Carlsbad reclamation project, begun in 1906, irrigates more than 20,000 acres and provides water recreation. On March 25, 1918, the Governor of New Mexico proclaimed Carlsbad a city.

With the discovery of the "Bat Cave" in 1901 and the establishment of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park on May 14, 1930, Carlsbad gained international recognition. Also nearby is the Living Desert State Park.

In 1925 potash was discovered near Carlsbad and for many years Carlsbad dominated the U. S. production of potash. With the decline in the potash market in the 1960s, the residents and leaders of Carlsbad lobbied for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Congress authorized the WIPP project in 1979 and construction of the project began in 1980. Located outside Carlsbad, the controversial Waste Isolation Pilot Plant is cut deep into rock salt formations as a storage facility for high-level nuclear wastes.

Carlsbad New Mexico – Home of Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad, New Mexico is now a popular southwestern senior vacation community. Seniors enjoy visiting the Carlsbad Caverns and nearby Living Desert State Park.