I drive through Carlsbad on my way from El Paso to Roswell and I hate all the red lights in that town! They need to build a bypass around Carlsbad.
The Mickey D's is right below the microwave tower on the main drag. LOL. The original name wasn't Carlsbad it was Rattlesnake Flats as I understand it. A drive on the roads outside of town speaks for itself. I saw lots of roadkill rattlers with their rattles cut off. My sister lived there for about 10 years. Her husband worked at the nuke waste plant. I went out there once. The best place is the Caverns. Nice and cool.
There were those stoplights back in 1961 when I lived there. I believe they are designed to slow down everyone and maybe cause you to spend a little more in town.
I lived at Roswell twice, Tatum, Carlsbad, Hope(I call it despair).
Ever notice that in the movie KING SOLOMON’S MINES with Stewart Granger, the entrance to the cave is Sitting Bull Falls and the interior of part of the cave is a remote area of Carlsbad Caverns.