Millions of visitors drive through White’s City on their way to one of America’s most famous natural wonders, Carlsbad Caverns. Legend has it Bonnie and Clyde stopped for gas in 1932, and Pat Boone stayed here while filming Journey to the Center of the Earth.

James Larkin White, the claimed discoverer of Carlsbad Caverns, did not establish the town of White’s City, NM. That distinction belongs to a Kentuckian named Charlie White. In the early 1900s, Charlie moved to Loving, New Mexico, and opened a mercantile store, bank, and fueling station with the first hand pump.

On a family trip to the caverns, Charlie had an idea to purchase the land adjacent to the canyon entrance of the famous cave. He founded White’s Cavern Camp with very little money and a lot of vision, digging artesian water wells and building visitor quarters to draw in tourists. As the area grew in popularity, the name changed to White’s City in 1927, and Charlie added a fueling station, garage, drug, and grocery stores.

White's City became the place for people to stay the night and gas up their autos. Other attractions sprang up, including a chair lift ride to the top of Walnut Canyon, the Million Dollar Museum, Granny’s Opera House, and the Velvet Garter Saloon. The 1960s television series Route 66 filmed an episode here. Famous visitors such as actor Val Kilmer, actress Lindsay Wagner, and presidential daughter Chelsea Clinton marveled at the historic richness of the area.