Description

New Mexico’s path to statehood was the longest in U.S. history, spanning 66 years and over 50 unsuccessful bids before finally achieving success in 1912. This presentation, Trains, Tuberculosis, and Tourism: The Road to New Mexico’s Statehood, explores the key economic, cultural, and political forces that played a role in overcoming long-standing resistance to admission. By examining Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, the influx of health seekers battling tuberculosis, the expansion of the railroad, the influence of Fred Harvey’s tourism empire, and the emergence of Santa Fe Style architecture, this presentation uncovers how these seemingly disparate elements converged to reshape New Mexico’s image in the eyes of the nation. From military service to marketing campaigns, and from economic development to cultural reinvention, each factor played a vital role in transforming New Mexico from a rugged frontier into a viable candidate for statehood.