Step into the Heritage Walkway and you will soon discover  how it received its name.  From the “cotton” fountain to the colorful murals that align the walls, each piece in the Walkway tells a story of our region’s history. The walkway itself took shape after a building fire left the lot vacant circa 1962.  In 1976, the Artesia Junior Women’s Club created two murals, with the assistance of local art teacher Helen Mapes. Artesia MainStreet began renovating the area in 1999, including installation of the water fountain series and thousands of hand-crafted tiles created by ceramics artist Shel Meymark of Embudo, NM.  The original murals were retouched with improved paints, and new gates were created and installed by welder and artist Debbie Rottman of Carlsbad, NM.  In 2004, a third mural depicting a New Mexico landscape was added to the north end of the Walkway by local muralist Noel Marquez. Detailed descriptions are contained on plaques displayed along the Walkway walls.