Humans have lived in the Alamogordo area for at least 11,000 years. The present settlement, established in 1898 to support the construction of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad, is an early example of a planned community. The city was incorporated in 1912. Tourism became an important economic factor with the creation of White Sands National Monument, which is still one of the biggest attractions of the city today. in 1934. During the 1950–60s, Alamogordo was an unofficial center for research on pilot safety and the developing United States' space program.