By Staff Writer: Marcos Baltierrez
Eastern New Mexico University and the surrounding Portales area are places with many historical sites.
Roosevelt County has many museums that preserve and document its rich history. The first one to open was the Roosevelt County Historical Museum (RCHM). It is located near the Administration Building and the soon-to-be Student Academic Services (SAS).
RCHM is committed to preserving the history of the ENMU campus and the Roosevelt County as a whole. They offer tours, but you can just enter and look around the Museum at your own pace. Unfortunately, the RCHM is closed for now due to the remodeling of exhibits, but it should re-open soon.
The next museum is the Blackwater Draw Museum. It was built in 1969, and it is used to house the artifacts that are recovered from the Blackwater Draw location. It is managed by ENMU and is located by Lea Hall, and is open Thursday through Sunday.
And the final museum is Miles Mineral Museum. The Museum was open in 1969 and was originally in Lea Hall but is now located inside the Roosevelt Science Center. It was founded by Fred Miles and his wife, and in 1966 ENMU bought the collection from them and preserve it to this day. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
These three museums on campus not only house the rich culture of the Roosevelt County but also have a history of their own here at ENMU.