Skip to main content

New Mexico State Route 2001 and the New Mexico Museum of Space History

Back in 2012 I was working out Central New Mexico with great frequency.  That being the case I had a chance to drive the oddly numbered New Mexico State Route 2001 to the New Mexico Museum of Space History.






NM 2001 is an extremely short State Route entirely located within the City of Alamogordo in Otero County.  NM 2001 starts at Scenic Drive and ascends eastward into the foothills of the Sacramento Mountains. 0.3 miles to the New Mexico Museum of Space History.  NM 2001 appeared at some point in the 1990s according to Steve Riner's New Mexico Highway Map and exists an orphan route not connecting to any other state highways.  The number of "2001" is an obvious reference to the movie and novel of the same name.

Steve Riner on NM 2001

One thing I can confirm is that at least one NM 2001 shield was present in 2012 but I didn't take a picture of it.  Presently it is unclear if NM 2001 still exists as a highway, it is not referenced on the New Mexico Museum of Space History website tab for directions.  NM 2001 does appear on topographical maps of Alamogordo as of 2013 which can be found on historicaerials.com

New Mexico Museum of Space History directions tab

The New Mexico Museum of Space History opened in 1976 and overlooks the Tulorosa Basin.  The museum facilities are dedicated towards the role the state of New Mexico played in the development of U.S. based space flights.  Despite being located in what is largely considered a somewhat back water city like Alamogordo the displays are quite elaborate and fully detailed.  There is indoor and outdoor exhibits, many which display actual machinery and vehicle.











Comments

Popular posts from this blog

North Carolina Continues to Move Forward with Rail

2023 and the first half of 2024 have seen continued growth in North Carolina's passenger rail system.  From increased daily trains from Raleigh to Charlotte, federal funds for studying additional corridors, and receiving a historic grant to begin the construction of high-speed rail between Raleigh and Richmond, the last 18 months have been a flurry of activity at NCDOT's Rail Division.  And that's just the tip of the iceberg. As ridership and routes increase - the engine of North Carolina passenger rail trains will become a more common sight. (Adam Prince) Increased Passenger Train Service: On July 10, 2023, a fourth Piedmont round-trip rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte commenced.  The four Piedmont trains plus the daily Carolinian (to Washington, DC, and New York) bring the total of trains serving the two cities daily to five. The current daily Piedmont and Carolinian schedule between Charlotte and Raleigh (NCDOT) The result was over 641,000 passengers utilized pa

US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway

The communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway can all be found along US Route 101 within southern Humboldt County.  The former surface alignment of US Route 101 in Garberville and Redway once crossed the Garberville Bluffs along what is now Redwood Drive via a corridor constructed as part of the Redwood Highway during the 1910s.  US Route 101 through Benbow, Garberville and Redway was modernized by 1935.  US Route 101 would eventually be upgraded to freeway standards in Benbow, Garberville and Redway by extension of the Redwood Freeway during 1966-68.  As the cover photo the original grade of US Route 101 and the Redwood Highway can be seen at the Garberville Bluffs during 1934.  US Route 101 can be seen in the communities of Benbow, Garberville and Redway on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Humboldt County .   The history of US Route 101 in Benbow, Garberville and Redway Benbow, Garberville and Redway lie on the banks of the South Fork Eel River of southern Humboldt County.  D

The Midway Palm and Pine of US Route 99

Along modern day California State Route 99 south of Avenue 11 just outside the City limits of Madera one can find the Midway Palm and Pine in the center median of the freeway.  The Midway Palm and Pine denotes the halfway point between the Mexican Border and Oregon State Line on what was US Route 99.  The Midway Palm is intended to represent Southern California whereas the Midway Pine is intended to represent Northern California.  Pictured above the Midway Palm and Pine can be seen from the northbound lanes of the California State Route 99 Freeway.   This blog is part of the larger Gribblenation US Route 99 Page.  For more information pertaining to the other various segments of US Route 99 and it's three-digit child routes check out the link the below. Gribblenation US Route 99 Page The history of the Midway Palm and Pine The true timeframe for when the Midway Palm and Pine (originally a Deadora Cedar Tree) were planted is unknown.  In fact, the origin of the Midway Palm and Pine w