Clovis
American Heritage Dictionary:
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Clo·vis1
A city of eastern New Mexico near the Texas border. It is a trade center in a wheat and cattle area. Population: 33,300.
Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology:
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Clovis, New Mexico, USA
[Si]
A town in eastern New Mexico which gives its name to the Clovis Culture because numerous Clovis points have been found nearby at kill sites associated with the remains of butchered mammoth.
[Rep.: J. L. Cotter, 1938, The occurrence of flints and extinct animals in pluvial deposits near Clovis, New Mexico, Part VI: Report on the Field Season of 1937. Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Science, 90, 113–17; J. Warnica, 1966, New discoveries at the Clovis Site. American Antiquity, 31, 345–57]
Columbia Encyclopedia:
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Clovis, New Mexico, USA
Clovis City (1990 pop. 30,954), seat of Curry co., E N.Mex., near the Texas line; inc. 1909. It is a railroad division point, the trade center of a cattle and irrigated farm area (with large stockyards), and the home of Cannon Air Force Base, a tactical air command facility. A state park is nearby. A huge county fair and a rodeo are annual events. The Clovis Complex, an archaeological find near the city, has provided the unearthing of ancient spearhead remnants.
AccuWeather:
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Clovis, NM
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Clovis, New Mexico
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2007) |
| The City of Clovis | |||
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| — City — | |||
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| Coordinates: 34°24′45″N 103°12′17″W / 34.4125°N 103.20472°WCoordinates: 34°24′45″N 103°12′17″W / 34.4125°N 103.20472°W | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | New Mexico | ||
| County | Curry | ||
| Incorporated | 1909[1] | ||
| Government | |||
| • Mayor | David Lansford | ||
| • City Manager | Joe Thomas | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 22.5 sq mi (58.2 km2) | ||
| • Land | 22.4 sq mi (58.0 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 4,268 ft (1,301 m) | ||
| Population (2010) | |||
| • Total | 37,775 | ||
| • Density | 1,458.9/sq mi (563.3/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) (UTC-7) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) | ||
| ZIP code | 88101 88102 | ||
| Area code(s) | 505, 575 | ||
| FIPS code | 35-16420 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0915815 | ||
| Website | www.cityofclovis.org | ||
Clovis is the county seat of Curry County, New Mexico, United States.[2] with a population of 37,775 as of the 2010 census.[3]
Clovis is located in the New Mexico portion of the Llano Estacado, in the eastern part of the state. A largely agricultural community it is also noted for its role in early rock music history.[4] as well as nearby Cannon Air Force Base.
It is the principal city of the Clovis Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the larger Clovis-Portales Combined Statistical Area.
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Contents
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Geography
Clovis is located at 34°24′45″N 103°12′17″W / 34.4125°N 103.20472°W (34.412509, −103.204611).[5] at 4,281 feet (1,305 m) above sea level (1304 m) when located at its geographic center.[6]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.5 square miles (58 km2), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.44%) is water from the several artificial ponds in Clovis' multiple public parks.
Portales, 17 miles (27 km) south, is home to Eastern New Mexico University and has a small variety of restaurants, furniture stores, and specialty shops. Medical care in Clovis is primarily provided by the Plains Regional Medical Center and in Portales by Roosevelt General Hospital.
History
The eastern New Mexico region was home to the prehistoric Clovis culture, an anthropologically significant early group of Native Americans. Several remains have been found at the Blackwater Draw site (south of Clovis, near Portales) which remains a historical and tourist site.
Clovis began in 1906, when the Santa Fe Railroad was being constructed through the area and railway engineers were ordered to choose a town site. At first known as Riley's Switch, it was renamed Clovis by the station master's daughter, who was studying about Clovis, the first Catholic king of the Franks, at the time.[7][Full citation needed] The settlement built up quickly and in 1909 was incorporated.[7]
Demographics
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 32,667 people, 12,458 households, and 8,596 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,458.9 people per square mile (563.3/km²). There were 14,269 housing units at an average density of 637.3 per square mile (246.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.3% White, 7.32% African American, 1.02% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 14.98% from other races, and 3.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino were 33.44% of the population.
There were 12,458 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was 30.0% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were ages 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,878, and the median income for a family was $33,622. Males had a median income of $26,586 versus $20,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,561. About 17.2% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.
Events
• On August 24, 2008, eight prisoners escaped from the Clovis Jail by shimmying up plumbing pipes. The escape was highlighted on the television show America's Most Wanted.[9]
• Clovis celebrated its Centennial in 2009, a century after its founding
Economics and industry
Like most of east-central New Mexico and west Texas, the vicinity plays host to significant agriculture and ranching activities, including peanut and cotton farming and cattle ranching used for both meat and dairy production. Several processing plants exist for these products; in 2004 construction began on the Southwest Cheese Company plant geographically located between Clovis and Portales. The plant commenced operations in late 2005 and provided a small boost to the local economy by employing over 200 personnel. It is one of the largest plants of its type in the world, processing milk provided by the numerous local dairies in excess of 2.3 billion pounds of milk annually.
A high proportion of local residents are employed in the services sector. Allsup's convenience store is headquartered in Clovis and is the single largest employer in the area. The local Dillard's and Wal-Mart stores also have a large impact among retail consumption in the community, though smaller stores including regional and a national supermarket chain does exist. Though it's contribution has diminished significantly, rail transport and operations still maintains an important role in the local economy. A few Large national institutions, such as Bank of America and Wells Fargo, as well as several regional financial institutions manage a large portion of the financial needs of local businesses and individuals. The Curry County Chamber of Commerce hosts many events annually that seek to contribute to local economic growth, while the Clovis Industrial Development Corporation works toward the successful union of development and industrial expansion. Cannon Air Force Base and a small Army National Guard unit also exist in Clovis.[citation needed]
Clovis' location adjacent to Cannon Air Force Base, a special operations base has had a large impact on the community. Clovis hosts a local organization, the Committee of Fifty, whose stated purpose is to lobby to keep Cannon AFB open and subsequently helped coordinate the successful which resulted in the realignment of Cannon to the new special ops mission.[10]
BRAC 2005
The DoD Base Realignment And Closure process selected Cannon and its complement of F-16's for closure in 2005 as part of a round of closures. Supported by the Committee of Fifty (known as the "Shifty Fifty" for their questionable free access to the base[citation needed]) Clovis mounted a successful letter writing campaign known as Operation Keep Cannon. Banners and stickers can still be seen on several business including Applebees, in Clovis, and Combs Properties, in Portales. The congressional BRAC committee modified the DoD BRAC recommendation, directing the redistribution of fighter aircraft and placing the base in "enclave" status. Enclave status did not legally exist, making the decision even more questionable as the intent of the BRAC is to eliminate excess resources; keeping open a base with no mission fails that. As a testament to the economic impact Cannon has on the Clovis economy real estate prices exploded, despite an actual decline in the base population and global economic downturn. Cannon now has a special operations mission and aircraft and is operated by the 27th Special Operations Wing.[citation needed]
Health care
Plains Regional Medical Center is the primary hospital serving Clovis. It is part of the Presbyterian Hospital system based in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[citation needed]
Architecture
Southwest, Spanish Mission, or Adobe architectural styles are prevalent, being considered representative of New Mexico. Much of Clovis architecture is indistinguishable from the group of styles prevalent throughout most small towns and suburbs since the 1930s.
The Hotel Clovis, a local landmark, opened on October 20, 1931. At the time of its construction it was the tallest building between Albuquerque and Dallas, Texas. The hotel was designed by architect Robert Merrill, combining an Art Deco exterior with Southwestern Indian interior. The elegant ballroom hosted such names as Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Hank Williams, however the nearby train depot supplied the hotel with most of its business. As such the hotel closed shortly after the Santa Fe Railroad discontinued passenger train service to Clovis. The building is currently[when?] being renovated into "affordable housing."[citation needed]
Climate and landscape
The climate is relatively temperate with low humidity and high winds. Summers are warm with occasional extreme heat and winters are cool with frequent, extreme cold. Severe thunderstorms are often in the spring with rainstorms prevalent during summer evenings. Tornados are known to happen and Clovis resides on the southern edge of Tornado Alley. Several inches of snowfall frequently occur each winter, typically for several weeks in January–February, often resutling in minor flooding due to the non-existent runoff system. High winds are common due to the flat, open land and regularly gust well above 30 MPH and average 12 MPH .[11]
| Climate data for Clovis, New Mexico | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °F (°C) | 51 (11) |
56 (13) |
64 (18) |
72 (22) |
80 (27) |
89 (32) |
91 (33) |
88 (31) |
82 (28) |
73 (23) |
60 (16) |
52 (11) |
71.5 (21.9) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 25 (−4) |
29 (−2) |
34 (1) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
60 (16) |
64 (18) |
63 (17) |
55 (13) |
44 (7) |
33 (1) |
26 (−3) |
43.8 (6.6) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 0.48 (12.2) |
0.41 (10.4) |
0.66 (16.8) |
1.03 (26.2) |
1.92 (48.8) |
2.62 (66.5) |
2.59 (65.8) |
3.43 (87.1) |
2.17 (55.1) |
1.75 (44.5) |
0.74 (18.8) |
0.70 (17.8) |
18.5 (469.9) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[12] | |||||||||||||
Education
Private schools
- Clovis Christian School
- Eastern Plains Early/Head Start
Public education
Clovis is served by several public schools making up the Clovis Municipal Schools:
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- Arts Academy at Bella Vista
- Barry Elem.
- Cameo Elem.
- Highland Elem.
- James Bickley Elem.
- La Casita Elem.
- Lockwood Elem.
- Los Ninos Pre-School
- Mesa Elem.
- Parkview Elem.
- Ranchvale Elem.
- Sandia Elem.
- Zia Elem.
- 2 Middle schools
- Marshall Middle School'and Yucca Middle School
- 1 Junior High
- Clovis High School Freshman Campus
- 1 High school
- Clovis High School
- 1 Private School
- Clovis Christian School
Post-secondary education
For post-secondary education, there is one community college, Clovis Community College (CCC). Eastern New Mexico University is the nearest in nearby four-year college/university located in nearby Portales, New Mexico. Local high school graduates typically attend the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas (90 miles away), or New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.
- Clovis formerly had a Catholic K-8 school as part of Sacred Heart Parish
Culture
Clovis gave its name to stone-age spear points that were found locally in 1929. Clovis points are the characteristically-fluted projectile points associated with the North American Clovis culture. These artifacts date to the Paleoindian period, approximately 13,500 years ago.[13]
The arts
Performances including music and drama often take place at Clovis Community College, Eastern New Mexico University, the Lyceum Auditorium as well as the Special Events Center, located adjacent to the county fairgrounds. The Clovis Music Festival is, locally, a high-profile event held annually at the beginning of September. The Festival has featured a few artists who recorded at the Norman Petty Studios and generally 50s Rock'n'Roll or Country acts, however it mostly consists of dull cover bands playing oldies and doo-wop. The Clovis Civic Center is also known to host this and other entertainment events. The Special events center holds events such as rodeos, auctions, and concerts.
Popular music
The town achieved some local fame in the 1950s being home to the Norman Petty Recording Studio, founded by early pop musician Norman Petty. Early rock acts such as Buddy Holly & The Crickets and other pop music artists were known to record there. The Crickets trademark #1 song, "That'll Be The Day" was recorded in Clovis.
Currently there are several local musicians performing in the area: Johnny Mulhair (engineer and producer on LeAnn Rimes first hit "Blue"), Andy Mason, and Sansietch (known for songs written about the Clovis area). It is also the home to Blues Farm Records supporting several local acts including Sansietch, Gary Gorence, Mark Kelley and Tim O'Rourke.
Radio
Local radio stations have a small variety of content relatively typical of most of the United States, including music and talk broadcasting, but consists mostly of country and Spanish language music. Due to religious demographics of the area Contemporary Christian music, as well as gospel (typically Protestant Christian) and other religious-themed broadcasts are common on local radio. Several Spanish-language stations are tunable, broadcasting largely Mexican music and a proportion of Christian-themed content, also mostly music. Several stations are rebroadcast to Clovis including Albuquerque's M88 (KLYT) found at 88.1 MHz.
Notable natives
- Hank Baskett, former NFL football player and married to Kendra Wilkinson from The Girls Next Door[14]
- Fred K. Mahaffey, United States Army general
- Jerry Nuzum, former NFL player for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1948–1951
- Norman Petty, musician, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Norman Petty Recording Studios[15]
- Angela Rockwood-Nguyen, actress who appeared on The Fast and The Furious (un-credited) and V.I.P.[16]
- D.J. Brigman, professional golfer who had played in the PGA Tour[when?]
- Carl Hatch, was a United States Senator for the state of New Mexico from 1933-1949.
- Matt Othick, retired Basketball Player who played for the San Antonio Spurs[citation needed]
- Jaye Crockett, forward for the Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team[17]
- Shane C. Thurman, United States Air Force, co-founder of NBDz (Benjamin Carney).
References
- ^ "About Clovis, NM". http://www.cityofclovis.org/aboutTheCity.htm. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in New Mexico, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007 (SUB-EST2007-04-35)". US Census Bureau, Population Division. December 3, 2008. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2007-04-35.csv. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
- ^ "History of Petty Studios, Clovis, NM". http://www.superoldies.com/pettystudios/pettytour.html.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ Fallingrain.com
- ^ a b Clovisnm.org
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Johnson, Sharna. "'America's Most Wanted' to air inmate escape Saturday." Clovis News Journal, September 3, 2008. Retrieved on Sep. 21, 2008.
- ^ "Operation Keep Cannon"
- ^ "Average Wind Speeds". Historical Climate Information. Western Regional Climate Center. 2006. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/htmlfiles/westwind.final.html.
- ^ "Average Weather for Clovis, NM – Temperature and Precipitation". http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNM0070. Retrieved April 4, 2011.
- ^ "A Clovis Spear Point". Archaeological Research Center. South Dakota State Historical Society. February 13, 2004. http://www.sdsmt.edu/wwwsarc/collectn/stone/clovis.html.
- ^ Eonline.com
- ^ CNJonline.com
- ^ IMDb.com
- ^ http://www.texastech.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/crockett_jaye00.html
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Clovis, New Mexico |
- City Of Clovis (official government website)
- Clovis News Journal
- A resource for the Clovis/ Portales/ Curry/ Roosevelt and Cannon Air Force Base Community
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Copyright © 2002, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
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