Tularosa, New Mexico: Shade Trees and Roses

Tularosa, New Mexico

Whereas there's no doubt Alamogordo is in the high desert, just 13 miles away is shady, tree-lined Tularosa.

Tularosa, New Mexico

I'm told that Alamogordo would be just as oasis-like as Tularosa, but for the fact it did away with its acequia system long ago, while Tularosa still has (some of) its system.

True or false or more complicated? Don't know.

Tularosa, New Mexico

If you swing through Tularosa on Highways 54 and 70 without stopping, you see a promise of its seductions - like a bit of ankle showing in Victorian English times - when you pass by San Francis de Paula's lush campus.

Tularosa, New Mexico

You wouldn't guess at the loveliness of the residential houses and yards behind the front lines of shops.











There's a trade-off. With the haven of mature trees, the nearby Sacramento Mountains recede into the background, whereas in Alamogordo they are as equal residents of the city.


A Tularosa slide show:

About the name, Tularosa. Its origin has nothing to do with roses, but the inhabitants have surrendered to the inevitable assumption and now calls itself the city of roses. Indeed, roses of all colors run promiscuously throughout the village.

An acquaintance of mine relocated here from Santa Fe for some very practical reasons: Tularosa shares some of the same charms as Santa Fe - traditional New Mexican architecture, proximity to mountains, and an arts community (albeit small) - while being far more economical to live because of lower real estate prices and energy costs. Being in southwestern New Mexico, Tularosa's winters are milder than in Santa Fe or Taos. I would add that one will find a much narrower income disparity amongst Tularosa residents than amongst Santa Fe or Taos residents.