Roswell

Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County, in the southeastern part of New Mexico, United States. Located along the Pecos River, the city serves as a regional center for government, commerce, and education, supporting agriculture, retail, and light manufacturing. The area was settled in the late 19th century, growing with the arrival of the railroad and the development of ranching and farming.

The city is widely known for the 1947 Roswell Incident, when an unidentified flying object was reported to have crashed near the town. The U.S. military initially stated that a flying disc had been recovered, but soon corrected the statement to say the debris was from a weather balloon project. In 1994, the Air Force published a report attributing the incident to Project Mogul and weather-related debris. The event has become a fixture of popular culture and has influenced local tourism and folklore.

Roswell hosts several cultural and educational institutions, including the New Mexico Military Institute, a private military boarding school established in 1891; the Roswell Museum and Art Center; and the International UFO Museum and Research Center. The city also holds the annual Roswell UFO Festival and maintains a network of historic buildings and museums that reflect its regional history.

Transportation and economy center on Roswell International Air Center (ROW), which provides air service and supports regional commerce. The climate is arid desert, with hot summers and cool winters and relatively low annual rainfall. In addition to tourism tied to the UFO story, Roswell’s economy includes defense-related activities, aerospace interests, agriculture, and services that serve the surrounding region.