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Deming
Nestled in the southwest corner of New Mexico, this historic town, with its unspoiled atmosphere, adundant sunshine, friendly faces and year-round out-door activities, is a delightful experience.
The city, founded in 1881 and incorporated in 1902, was an important port of entry on the US-Mexican border until the Gadsden Purchase of 1853. A nickname was given to the city at the time of its founding, "New Chicago". It was expected that with the surge of railroad usage, that the city would grow drastically and resemble Chicago, Illinois.
Deming is named after Mary Ann Deming Crocker, wife of Charles Crocker, one of The Big Four of the railroad industry. The Silver Spike was driven here in 1881 to commemorate the meeting of the Southern Pacific with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroads. This was the second transcontinental railroad to be completed in the United States.
There are numerous prehistoric Native American sites around Deming. The Mimbres and Casas Grandes cultures made pottery of remarkable quality, and the Deming area is (or was) rich in native pottery artifacts...as well as beads, stone implements, stone carvings, graves, etc.
The Mimbres River floods the Deming area once a decade or so, in periods of unusually heavy rainfall in the Cooke's Range and Black Range to the north.
Deming and its surrounding area is underlain by an aquifer of good-quality water. The aquifer is slowly recharged primarily by water from the mountains to the north. The water usually has a high sulfur content.
In the late 1960's, Select Western Lands Inc. ran full-page ads for land in Deming in The Saturday Evening Post. The ads proclaimed "Your Own Ranchette Only $299, Only $5 a Month", for a half-acre. Up to two acres were offered, those for "$1196. Only $15 a month."
Deming is located within the Upper Chihuahuan Desert climate zone. The climate is dry, hot, and breezy. Winters are mild, with occasional snow that usually melts within a day or two. Summer temperatures often exceed 100°F (37.8°C), but the altitude (4000 ft / 1219 m) and dry air make summer days more comfortable than one would expect given the high temperature.
Most precipitation occurs as thunderstorms and showers during the July-September monsoon period. Minor flooding sometimes occurs over large areas of flat ground. There are periods lasting from 5 to 20 years of relatively wet or dry years. Springtime is often windy, and during dry years dust storms can be severe--sometimes lasting for days. Snow is likely to fall in winter, but usually melts in a day or two. Temperatures in winter are sometimes below freezing at night, but winter days are generally mild and sunny.
CONTACTS: Film Liaison/Sharon Henderson: 546-8548 (State Police); Chamber of Commerce: 546-2674; 546-9569 Fax; chamber@zianet.com; www.demingchamber.com; City Administrator (Permits): 546-8848; 546-6442 Fax
Deming
Deming, NM 8803
Toll free: 800-848-4955
www.cityofdeming.org
www.demingchamber.com/
