THE OTHER SIDE OF ROSWELL

When we talk about Roswell, NM there seems to be only one thought in anyone's head: Aliens. This does a disservice to a beautiful corner or New Mexico, which is flanked by rolling prairie and forested mountains, a place known for innovative chili pepper dishes, pecan creations, and locally produced dairy. That last bit might be because I'm writing while I'm hungry. Anyway, my point stands: there's more to Roswell than just aliens. In the literal "spirit" of that, here are some spooky things about Roswell that you mightn't have heard before.


The Chaves County Courthouse is reportedly haunted by not only those whose lives the course of justice ended, but also the sound of phantom children. Honestly, were the field trips THAT bad?


Cahoon Park has its own La Llorona legend. This weeping woman of Hispanic folklore has grown in popularity over the last 20 years and, like the Chupacabra, shows up all over the place these days.


There's a legless spectral boy who can be seen crawling along roads and paths in the vicinity of a pecan orchard off Country Club Road. He is said to be wailing, perhaps in pain for losing his legs? Was he hit by a car? There isn't much to the story.


The Pecan orchards around town are also the known haunt of a Goat man, similar to those legends in Texas, Maryland, and other places.


Pueblo Auditorium, which was the former Roswell High School that saw a Valentine's day performance from Elvis in 1955. Local legend is that you can hear Twinkle Twinkle Little Star played on a phantom piano at around 1:40 in the morning if you happen to be listening. A ghostly boy beckons visitors to the balcony of the auditorium before vanishing.


The New Mexico Military Institute has a legend about amphibious creatures in its swimming pool and the ghostly laugh of a child can be heard at half-past the witching hour near the clock tower. One account tells of a lieutenant who was checking on the cadets late one night when he was startled by the presence of two men in uniforms from the early 1900s standing guard over the sleeping boys.


The New Mexico Rehabilitation Center was built on the site of the Roswell Army Air Field Hospital, which if rumor is to be believed is where the alien bodies from the '47 crash were taken initially. It's claimed that there--get this--alien ghosts are still in residence on the property.


Rounding it off are your occasional Bigfoot sightings and a dinosaur-like creature dwelling in the depths of nearby Bottomless Lake a la The Loch Ness Monster.