Local Communities

CLOVIS
CITY HALL
321 N. Connelly
Clovis, NM 88101 (575) 769-7828
http://www.cityofclovis.org
Originally founded in 1907 as "Riley Switch," Clovis lies across one of the best known old Comanche trails about seven miles from Cannon's main gate. Before the coming of white settlers, the nomadic Comanche used Clovis as a stopping point in their relentless pursuit of bison. Today, visitors have it much easier with convenient access to some of the most exciting attractions for sightseers and such recreational activities as hunting, fishing, boating, swimming, horseback riding, hiking, mountain climbing and golf.

The population of this growing city is about 35,000 with most employed in one of the city's major industries—cattle ranching, government service, medical and wholesale trade. Clovis boasts a community college with a wide range of programs leading to degrees and vocational and industrial certificates. A dry climate and low humidity offer year-round comfort to enjoy some of New Mexico's finest annual rodeos in June. Top contenders from throughout the nation compete in Professional Rodeo Cowboys' Association sanctioned events ranging from bareback bull riding to precision horsemanship. Clovis is also home to the Pioneer Days, the Pioneer Days Chili Cook-Off, the Curry County Fair and the Clovis Music Festival.

The city also features 17 parks with 17 baseball/softball fields, 11 soccer fields, three football fields, 12 playgrounds, 23 open play areas, one archery range, one model airplane flying area, one off-road vehicle area and four sand volleyball courts.

SCHOOLS
Clovis Municipal School District
1009 N. Main St.
Clovis, NM 88101 (575) 769-4300
or (575) 784-4184
http://www.cms.k12.nm.us
Clovis Municipal Schools offer a wide variety of programs, activities and opportunities in 13 elementary and two middle schools, a freshman campus, one high school and an Early Childhood Development Center. All elementary schools also feature full-day, state-funded kindergarten sessions. An outstanding staff, dedicated Board of Education and supportive community combine for a winning partnership that focuses on students. Students are assigned to schools based on geographic location of their parent/guardian's residence. New students register at these respective schools.

COMMITTEE OF FIFTY
The Committee of Fifty is one of Cannon's strongest allies in the Clovis community. This group is the Military Affairs Committee of the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce. The committee came about in 1948, soon after the Defense Department closed what had been Clovis Army Air Base. Fifty chamber members formed a lobby group and convinced Congress to reopen the installation as Clovis Air Force Base in 1951.

Today, the committee serves a support role for the base and its people. The group, for example, was instrumental in acquiring the land for Cannon's Chavez Manor housing area and for the expansion of Melrose Air Force Range. The committee also sponsors an annual "Cannon Appreciation Day" picnic for base families, as well as an "Airmen's Christmas Dinner." Both events feature food, entertainment and prizes awarded through drawings.

PORTALES
CITY OF PORTALES
100 W. First St.
Portales, NM 88130 (575) 356-6662
http://www.portalesnm.org
About 12 miles southwest of Cannon, Portales resembles a picturesque university town with elm-lined streets and a history of cattle barons and an 11,500-year-old Paleo Indian culture. In the Blackwater Draw area, for instance, scientists have found bones and spearheads dating back 11,500 years. In the late 1800s, cowboys driving cattle north up the Fort Sumner Trail camped at a place where springs gushed from a series of caves similar to a front porch on a pueblo-style house, so the drovers named the place Portales (Spanish for porches) Springs. In 1898, a railroad settlement near the springs took the same name. Today, the thriving market town—population 11,200—retains its frontier charm. Built concentrically around the traditional courthouse square, Portales offers small town hospitality with some of the big city amenities and accommodations.

SCHOOLS
Portales Municipal School District
501 S. Abilene
Portales, NM 88130 (575) 356-7000
http://www.portalesschools.com
The Portales school district—four elementary schools, one each middle and high school, plus alternative and Christian schools, and an early childhood center—is large enough to offer a wide variety of strong academic programs, yet small enough to allow for individual attention and opportunity for most students. Vocational, computer, industrial arts, agricultural and distributive education programs also help serve the needs of a diverse student population. About 70 percent of the teachers have a master's degree or above.

PORTALES MILITARY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
The Portales Military Affairs Committee, a part of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce, formed in the late 1950s to support the mission and the Airmen of Cannon AFB. The committee was very active in locating the 801 Air Force Housing land adjacent to the campus of Eastern New Mexico University, which enables residents to enjoy the cultural and educational opportunities of a university community. The group also secured congressional and local support to expand the Melrose Bombing range in Roosevelt County. The committee plays host to Cannon personnel at various cultural events throughout the year.

WHITE SANDS NATIONAL MONUMENT
19955 U.S. 70
Alamogordo, NM 88310 (575) 479-6124
http://www.nps.gov/whsa
One of New Mexico's most popular attractions —227 miles from Cannon—is a gigantic sea of sparkling gypsum dunes that scientists say are a result of an extinct lake or inland sea which, with the help of the wind, piled into vast, white dunes speckled with white-colored plants and animals. More than a million visitors explore this 230-square-mile natural wonder. They spend the day picnicking or hiking in the sun where such notables as Billy the Kid and Geronimo once wandered. Holloman Air Force Base and the Army's White Sands Missile Range are nearby.

AMARILLO, TEXAS
CITY HALL
509 S.E. Seventh Ave.
Amarillo, Texas 79101 (806) 378-3000
http://www.amarillo.gov/index.php
The capital of the Texas panhandle's oil and gas industry was first settled in 1887 by railroad construction workers. Today Amarillo—104 miles northeast of Cannon—has become an important industrial and cultural center, with an excellent convention and civic center, ballet, little theater and dinner theaters. The 175,000 residents also enjoy the city's rich ranching heritage with a variety of rodeos and stock shows throughout the year, such as the Will Rogers Rodeo around Labor Day and the Tri-State Fair in September. The world-famous Palo Duro Canyon—40 miles southeast of Amarillo—is the site of the annual "Texas" outdoor play, critically acclaimed for its costumes and pageantry.

LUBBOCK, TEXAS
1625 13th St.
Lubbock, Texas 79401 (806) 775-3000
http://www.ci.lubbock.tx.us
Established in 1891 by rival town builders, Lubbock stands today as a city of industry, technology, oil, agriculture, medicine and culture. An educational center of the Texas plains about 98 miles from Cannon, the city is the site of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University. The more than 250,000 residents also enjoy such attractions as the Texas Tech University Museum, Science Spectrum, three wineries offering tours, Mackenzie State Park, Moody Planetarium and the Ranching Heritage Center.

The Lubbock Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Lubbock offer performances from September to May. And special events include the Lubbock Arts Festival every April, Lubbock Wine Classic every October, Panhandle South Plains Fair every September and collegiate sports throughout the year.

ALBUQUERQUE
400 Marquette Ave. Northeast
Albuquerque, NM 87102 (800) 284-2282
http://www.cabq.gov
Albuquerque was founded in 1708 when a small group of families from a nearby settlement built a chapel and named it for the Duke of Albuquerque, the Viceroy of New Spain. Throughout its history, the city—population 518,000, about 219 miles from Cannon—has served as an important business center: first as a way station for soldiers, traders and trappers and then, because of the centralized location and altitude, as a crossroads for transcontinental transportation. Albuquerque is also the home of the University of New Mexico, the innovative Albuquerque Academy, Kirtland Air Force Base, the New Mexico State Fair and the colorful "Old Town" community of shops and restaurants with a Latin flair. In addition, the state capital is the gateway to the cultural center of Santa Fe and to nearby Pueblo Indian communities of Santo Domingo, Taos and Zia. Also nearby are the Sandia Crest Winter Sports Area and the Los Alamos nuclear laboratories.

ROSWELL
CITY OF ROSWELL
425 N. Richardson
Roswell, NM 88202 (575) 624-6700
http://roswell-usa.com/city/index.html
About a 100-mile drive from Clovis, the town —population 48,000—most popularly known for the 1947 Roswell UFO incident features five museums displaying everything from modern eclectic art to the re-creation of crashed alien spaceships. Annual events include the UFO Festival and the world's biggest "Hike It & Spike It" four-on-four charity flag football tournament.

CARSLBAD CAVERNS
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, NM 88220 (505) 785-2232
http://www.nps.gov/cave
Many exciting activities await the Carlsbad Caverns National Park visitor. The park is the site of 88 known caves and 46,755 acres of rugged mountain terrain along the north slope of the Guadalupe Mountains. To explore the world-famous Carlsbad Caverns requires an elevator down for a one-mile, self-guided, underground stroll around the perimeter of the Big Room which is the size of 14 football fields, or a 75-foot walk down to the one-mile Natural Entrance self-guided route.  read more...

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