The site on the Pecos River, where the Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains, first appeared in 1865 as Aqua Negra Chiquita (little black water). In 1890 the name was changed to Santa Rosa (Spanish for holy rose) in honor of the chapel built by Don Celso Baca, the town's founder. Santa Rosa has an unusually large number of natural lakes for the desert climate, earning the city the nickname "City by the Lakes".
In addition to Tucumcari, Santa Rosa is also very interesting, especially at night, as there are still numerous colorful neon signs.