Moments of Enchantment; 124; New Mexico Almost Named Montezuma

The University of Montezuma, the Montezuma State Capitol Building in Santa Fe, the Montezuma State Fair in Albuquerque. These names ring oddly, but if it wasn't for a stubborn contingent of New Mexicans during the 1800s, Montezuma would be the land of enchantment, not New Mexico, more in a moment. New Mexico joined the United States as a territory in 1846, but it wasn't until 1912, 66 years later that statehood arrived. New Mexico's movement from territory to first-class citizenship was filled with quarreling politics, cultural distrust and scores of determined people. The obstacles were numerous, from Texas claims to New Mexico's eastern border, to the issue of free or slave state, to the selfish motives of special interest groups.

A small but cumbersome roadblock to New Mexico's entrance into the union was the question of a name, New Mexico's name. There were many easterners who wanted New Mexico to change its name to Montezuma upon joining the union. Proponents of the change argued that the name New Mexico was puzzling to foreigners and even to Americans from the east. Did the ignorant confuse it with the Republic of Mexico? One force behind the name changed to Montezuma was the noted lawyer of the time, David Dudley Field. He wrote letters to national periodicals and even took the trouble to visit Washington and interview members of Congress. New Mexicans angrily disagreed with the name Montezuma, and citizen groups drew up resolutions demanding that the historic name be kept. To learn more about New Mexico's long and winding struggle for statehood, visit the Palace of the Governor's History Museum in Santa Fe. Moments of Enchantment brought to you by the New Mexico Office of Cultural Affairs. For Moments of Enchantment, I'm David Griffin.