Blackwater Draw Museum. Photo by Phyllis Eileen Banks.

Blackwater Draw Locality No. 1, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of the most important archeological sites in the New World. The Blackwater Draw Museum has wonderful displays of bones and artifacts to educate adults and children in the history of New Mexico as well as the New World.

The museum is located on U. S. Highway 70 five miles northeast of Portales, New Mexico and may easily be bypassed if you are unaware that it is there. It was opened in 1969 primarily to display artifacts discovered at the Blackwater Draw Site. Although a state museum, it is under the direction of Dr. John Montgomery of Eastern New Mexico University-Portales. The Archeological Site is five miles north of U. S. 70 on NM 467, and Dr. Joanne Dickenson is the on-site curator and archeologist there.

Much controversy has existed over the peopling of the Americas and the search for physical evidence in the form of tools and bones. Evidence was literally washed up in 1908 when torrential rains fell near the tiny town of Folsom, west of Clayton, New Mexico. The flood scoured deep channels and killed many families and livestock. George McJunkin, a ranch foreman, checking flood damage, found fossil bones sticking out of an exposed section of Wildhorse Arroyo. He knew these were not bones of cattle but thought they were of Bison.

This, and much later excavations, became the turning point in proving that the first Americans had arrived by the end of the Pleistocene period. An excavation in 1926 found a delicately made spear point with a central groove or flute among the Bison bones.

Many events led to the discovery of the numerous sediment layers, giving cultural sequences for the last 12,000 years. Ridgely Whiteman, in 1929, found a "Clovis" point and a piece of mammoth bone. He sent them with a letter to the Smithsonian Institute but there was minimal interest by those checking out the site.

In the December 2000 National Geographic magazine it lists Ridge Whiteman as the discoverer of the Clovis Man Site in its story "Hunt for the First Americans". Whiteman is mentioned on page 45. A. W. Anderson was a go-between to bring Edgar B. Howard and Whiteman together. At long last the discoverer is properly identified, thanks to Don McAlavy, historian of Curry County.

However, in 1932 during the construction of the highway between Portales and Clovis, there was a new development. The State of New Mexico had secured a portion of privately owned property as a right of way and as a location for its material pit. The sand and gravel at this spot were quarried with a horse-pulled scraper and screened by hand. Many prehistoric bones were uncovered. They were displayed in the windows of Ed J. Neer’s store in Portales, according to the Portales Valley News of Thursday, October 20, 1932, but were not considered an earth-shaking event but rather a curiosity.

Enter Dr. Edgar B. Howard, who was excavating at Burnett Cave in the Guadelupe Mountains near Carlsbad. On his return to Philadelphia he stopped at the Blackwater Draw because his curiosity had been aroused by a fluted projectile point A. W. Anderson of Clovis had shown him. Dr. Howard’s examination of the gravel pit area about 20 feet deep and covering several acres convinced him there was a connection between the mammoth bones and the projectile points. He determined to return the following summer.

He and Dr. John Cotter, also from Pennsylvania, were the first professional investigators. From 1932 to 1936 they excavated The Clovis Site as it was then known. (E. H. Sellards, excavating from 1948 to 1956, renamed it the Blackwater Site.) The site is famous for its sediment layers, giving a unique rain-gauge of cultural sequences for the last 12,000 years. It is unsurpassed in its cultural periods dating from the earliest Paleoindians to Ceramic times, as each level contains critically important evidence hidden in the deposits.

The cultural sequence is unique from most paleoindian sites in that it is layer upon layer, one on top of another. The dates range from 11,300 to 11,000 B.P. at the Clovis level. The Folsom level dates from 10,800-10,000 B.P. The ceramic level identified in 1996 excavations is still under analyses.

Clovis age and Archaic age wells were found indicating a climate fluctuation and variable water tables. The hand dug wells are the earliest water control system in the New World. The Clovis Type Site at Blackwater Draw is the oldest accepted culture in the New World. Their remarkable fluted points, other stone and bone weapons, tools and processing implements are found at this site. These implements are associated with extinct mammoth, ancient bison, horse and large turtles. Other Pleistocene age animals that visited the site for food and water were tapir, camel, four-prong antelope, llama, deer, dire wolf, ground sloth, short-faced bear, saber-tooth tiger, shovel-toothed mastodon, coyote, deer, armadillo and muskrat.

Human remains have not been found, even though the massive deposits of bone, tools, spear points and other evidence suggests future excavation may reveal such remains. Intact deposits on the site remain to be explored and excavated even after 63 years of sporadic scientific investigation.

Fees are very reasonable and payment at either the Museum or Site is sufficient for admission to both if receipts are kept. The fourth Sunday of each month will be a FREE DAY with no admission charge. Fees for civic and educational group tours will be arranged before arrival and will depend on the number of persons in the tour group.

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No vanishing mirage, Oasis State Park is true to its name.

Tall cottonwoods and a shimmering pond sit among the shifting sand dunes. An abundance of birds and anglers are drawn to this watering hole, which the New Mexico State Park Division keeps stocked throughout the year.

The fishing pond may be the main attraction but with hiking trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, a ballfield, and a playground, Oasis State Park has something for everyone.

Planted in 1902 by a homesteader, the cottonwoods provide shade to the picnic tables and shelters scattered around the park after it was established in 1962. The three acre blue-green pond was created in 1972 and is sealed with a bentonite clay liner. The fishing pond is busiest November through March when it is stocked every other week with rainbow trout. In the summer the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish stock channel catfish.

For birding, the best month is May, when there is the greatest variety. April is second best for bird-lovers. Over 80 species of birds have been seen at Oasis. Visitors may see brown-headed cowbirds, western meadowlarks, Bullock’s orioles, house sparrows, mourning doves, great herons, lesser yellowlegs, scaled quail, blackchinned hummingbirds, redheaded woodpeckers, scissor-tailed flycatchers, western bluebirds, and mockingbirds, as well as ducks and geese.

Hiking trails meander through the dunes spotted with prairie grasses, cacti, desert wildflowers and yucca. A nature trail is marked with explanations of the desert ecology. While most of the trails are sandy and flat, the path from the parking area to the pond is paved and wheelchair accessible.

Electrical hook-ups, modern bathroom facilities, and heated showers also make Oasis State Park a comfortable stop for overnight camping. Each picnic or camping site contains water and a dump station is available for RV dumping.

Picnicking is allowed in designated areas while the park is open from 7 a.m. to sunset for Day Use. Any use of the park after 9 p.m. is considered overnight camping. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. No hunting, no littering, and no tunneling in the dunes is allowed. All pets must be kept on leashes less than ten feet long.

Located off Highway 70 between Clovis and Portales, Oasis State Park can be a good-night’s sleep on a long road trip or an afternoon’s diversion. This watering hole has just what you need.

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A church at Crossroads. Photo by Phyllis Eileen Banks

Nine miles north of Crossroads on NM 206 is another settlement at another crossroads, Milnesand. The first store was opened in 1910 by Mrs. Lillian Curl. Settlers from Texas and Oklahoma had arrived around 1913 and homesteaded in the area. In 1915, Mrs. Curl became the first postmistress. A merchant named Parker had a Model T chain driven truck, and he hauled freight between Milnesand and Portales. He would also take passengers at $5 each per trip. The unusual name, Milnesand, is due to the deep sandy soil and windmills on a nearby ranch; hence, it was called Mill-in-sand.

Pep is the next settlement as you go north on NM 206. The name implies energy and filled with vigor. However, it appears instead to be a laid-back community of ranchers. A latecomer, the post office was established in 1936. Some credit the name to a popular cereal called Pep. Others say it was transferred from Pep, Texas. T. M. Pearce, a place name researcher, concluded it was named by Edward Cox because he wanted it to reflect a lively place for his home and store.

Founded in 1905, a mile west and 3/4 mile south of the present site, Dora was on the homestead of the Lee sisters, the oldest of whom was named Dora. Others think the first postmaster in 1906, Frederick Humphrey, named it for his daughter Dora. New Mexico 206 was originally NM 18 and when it came through the territory in 1915, the settlement moved to yet another crossroads, NM 114. Each of these four settlements continue to have their post offices, an indication that there are many ranchers’ homes scattered among the wide open spaces of the Llano Estacado.

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The area around Arch, New Mexico. Photo by Phyllis Eileen Banks.

When everyone in a community doesn’t agree as to the origin of its name, it makes for interesting information. Arch, New Mexico, on NM 88, 16 miles southeast of Portales, is one of those places. Some think it was named for President Theodore Roosevelt’s son, Archibald.

After all, the county was named for this president in 1903. Others say it was named for Arch Gregg, an early County sheriff. Some say it was named for Arch Williams, an early settler. The post office existed from 1903 to 1967, but now mail goes to Portales. Arch is yet another farming community on the plains of eastern New Mexico you can pass through without knowing it is there.

Rogers is more certain of the origin of its name. Located on NM 235, 20 miles southeast of Portales, it was settled by one of the homesteaders who often came to New Mexico for reasons of health. The Rev. Andrew J. Maxwell from Rogers, Arkansas, laid out a townsite in 1908, and named it for his hometown. He also established the post office, and it is still in existence. One source says he sold his ranch to someone named Pitts in 1909. However, he lived in Rogers until his death in 1929. Potatoes were produced, as well as other agricultural crops. Roads were unpaved at that time, and the rains often made them impassable. However, in the early days of the automobile, people made the 20-mile trip from Portales in less than an hour, as reported by the Portales paper.

Causey, at the junction of NM 114 and 321, near the Texas border, was actually founded by Ezra Ball after World War I, and was located three miles south of the first settlement. The post office was established in 1907 and continues. The Causey Brothers, George and John, although not located in Roosevelt County, but rather south in Lea County, are credited with opening this part of New Mexico to settlement. They originally came to the state to hunt buffalo. However, when the buffalo became scarce they became ranchers. It is reported that George built the first permanent house in Lea County, "planted the first trees, imported the first windmill, opened the first general store, established the first ranch and opened the first post office." He dug the first well and tapped the underground water supply that was vital to the area’s development. Even though he had contributed so much to the growth of this part of eastern New Mexico, his health was impaired and he took his own life when he was 54. The Lea County trading point of Causey has vanished and the Causey in Roosevelt County has usurped its place.

Lingo, originally named Need, is on NM 114 seven miles south of Causey, just 5 miles from the Texas border. The name of Need only lasted from 1916 to 1918, because the postal authorities thought it might be confused with Weed in Otero County. Again the origin of the name Lingo is one of speculation. Some say it was named for a person, but others think it refers to the speech pattern of the area – or lingo. The post office has existed since 1918 as Lingo. It is an agricultural community, as is most of this area.

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Downtown Portales, 2nd Street. Photo courtesy Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce.

Spring waters gushing from a series of caves shaped like porches across a hacienda home gave Portales its name. It is also a door to human history with the discovery of artifacts and skeletons of mastodons dating back 11,000 years. Originally it was known as "Los Portales," portals to the Southwest United States.

Established in the 1800s, irrigation has made agriculture the major industry. Peanuts are a leading crop along with cotton, wheat, corn, milo, hay and potatoes. The dairy industry is also a part of the local economy. Cannon Air Force Base is located fifteen miles north of the city.

The third largest university in the state, Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) is located on a 400 acre campus in the southwestern quarter of Portales. The almost 4,000 students come from the region, all 50 states and 16 foreign countries. Many Cannon Air Force personnel partake in the broad curricula of the classes. Blackwater Draw Museum, under the auspices of the University and seven miles northeast of Portales, features artifacts and mastodon skeletons found in the archeological digs at the Blackwater Site, located ten miles from the Museum on State Highway 467.

Portales is on U. S. Highway 70 where State Highways 88, 167 and 235 converge. The 12,000 people who live there enjoy the 4,000 foot elevation and sunny, mild climate of 58 degree average temperature and rainfall of 18 1/4 inches per year.

The annual Peanut Valley Festival brings visitors to the city, as does its Living History Pageant. The College of Fine Arts at ENMU presents many musical and dramatic programs. A symphony orchestra provides additional culture.

Recreational activities include swimming, tennis, golf, baseball, softball, rodeos, bowling and hunting. Oasis State Park, just a short distance outside the city on State Highway 467, offers fishing, hiking, picnicking, camping and play in the sand dunes.

Portales is located 18 miles from the Texas border, 19 miles from Clovis, 90 miles from Roswell and 165 miles from the mountain community of Ruidoso, places to explore when adventure calls.

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