Today there are neither pronghorn (known regionally as antelopes) nor water wells in the area, but a local intermittent pond may have supported a population priorly.[3] The name comes from an old ranch, located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north of the current community.[4] The only inhabitants of the community are U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees.[4]
Geography
Antelope Wells is the southernmost settlement of New Mexico, situated in the region commonly known as the Bootheel of New Mexico.[5] It is the smallest and least-used border crossing of the 43 ports of entry along the border with Mexico. The crossing, which is open solely for non-commercial traffic, is open every day from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.[5]
History
The port was established by Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 and has been staffed since 1928.[4] In 1981, the community had a population of two, living in trailers behind the customs station, and averaged three people entering per day.[2] In 2005, 93 pedestrians crossed over the border in the community, which consisted of just four buildings: the port of entry building, two houses and a trailer.[4] Including domestic and international travelers, fewer than 500 buses and privately owned vehicles pass through the community each month, though traffic has been increasing as of 2006 with more international shuttle van service.[4] Despite its low usage, there is no move to close the port, which is the only port between Douglas, Arizona, and Columbus, New Mexico, and provides the most direct route from the United States to the Sierra Madre Occidental.[4]
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Antelope Wells has a cold semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Antelope Wells was 109 °F (42.8 °C) on June 27, 1994, while the coldest temperature recorded was −6 °F (−21.1 °C) on February 3, 2011.
Climate data for Antelope Wells, New Mexico (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1990–present)
