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Downtown Artesia with refinery in backgroundArtesia, New Mexico
In 1903 when artesian wells were discovered in the area, the town was named "Artesia." Artesia became an agricultural oasis until the early 1920s when many of the area's artesian wells began to dwindle. Fortunately, in 1924 another kind of well was discovered when the Illinois #3 oil well came in, opening up the Artesia oil fields locally, and the Permian Basin regionally. Today, the population is 12,000, and the oil & gas industry continues to flourish in the Artesia area, along with farming, ranching, dairies, and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. This is the Chamber of Commerce website.
FFA stands for "Future Farmers of America."
