Mixed New Mexico Trivia

1. Who was the first sitting president to visit New Mexico?

From Quiz The State of New Mexico

Answer: Rutherford B. Hayes

President Hayes was known during his presidency for his wide travels of the United States. His most ambitious tour was an extended trip to the West Coast and return in the fall of 1880 - "The Great Western Tour". This was the first time a sitting president had crossed the continent. U.S. Grant made it as far as Utah in 1875. The journey, originally planned for the spring of 1879, was not particularly political in its motivation and Hayes gave few formal speeches. The trip also gave Hayes a way out of Washington politics in late 1880 and effectively removed him from the Republican machinations of the 1880 presidential campaign. Army Chief-of-Staff General William T. Sherman planned the trip's route and modes of transportation. Accordingly, Hayes' party stopped at military posts and seldom used hotels - sometimes lodging with well-known local business men. The Hayes' party started west from Chicago in September 1880. For the next two months the travelers logged about ten thousand miles on train, ship, and horse-drawn carriage. On the way west, stops were made in Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, finally ending the journey west at San Francisco Bay. From here they went northward to Oregon and the Washington Territory. They returned to San Francisco by ocean steamer and visited Yosemite National Park. Hayes' party caught the Southern Pacific Railway via Los Angeles and headed into Arizona and New Mexico. In Arizona and New Mexico, the Army posted pickets and stationed fresh horses along the route. Field ambulances were used for the perilous two-day journey across the Arizona and New Mexico desert. Hayes arrived in Santa Fe on October 28, 1880 and then went back to Ohio by train (aborting a planned stop in Denver) to cast his vote for James A. Garfield for president on November 2, 1880. Author James Garvey described the New Mexico portion of the trip as follows: "At dawn they left Fort Cummings by army ambulance and wagons, for Palomas, sixty miles away, and camped there overnight. On Wednesday the caravan covered another twenty-eight miles up the Rio Grande River near Fort McRea, and then a final twenty miles to the railhead, where an Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe special waited to take them the final two hundred miles to Santa Fe. On Thursday morning, about ten o'clock, the presidential train pulled into Santa Fe, and the rest of that day and evening the travelers witnessed a great celebration culminating in an evening concert and fiesta. From Santa Fe their special train headed northeast, reaching Kansas early Saturday, October 30." A fact lost to history is if Hayes ordered red or green chile on his enchiladas. Ref: 1. Davison KE. "Travels of President Rutherford B. Hayes", Ohio History, 1971(80)60-72 2. James J. Garvey, "Rutherford B. Hayes: The Great Western Tour of 1880," (Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois, January 1966) pgs 55-60

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: Detonation of the world's first atomic bomb

At the Trinity Site in the White Sands Testing Range, the first detonation of an atomic bomb occurred. Subsequently, atomic bombs were released on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan bringing about the end of World War II. Today, there is a visitors center at White Sands where you can learn more about the area and tours are conducted out to the Trinity Site.

From Quiz The State of New Mexico

Answer: The Deming Duck Races

In 1980, over beers, a group of Deming locals came up with the idea for duck racing as a tourist attraction. The races are held in a park near the Luna County Courthouse and are now known as The Great American Duck Race of Deming, Inc. For years, participants trained their own ducks for the races. Later, to stop unscrupulous duck trainers from spoiling the fun, participants were assigned a duck from the pool of Deming's own racing ducks, cared for throughout the year specifically for use in the two day event. The ducks "race" (really they kind of waddle) down an eight lane track to the delight of onlookers. Although absolutely no skill is involved on the part of the participating people, the winning duck nets about $1500 for his assigned participant.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: Deming

Dudley the Duck, the mascot of the festival, welcomes visitors from far and wide to Courthouse Park in the center of Deming on the fourth weekend in August every year. Participants can race a duck (provided by a duck wrangler) on a wet or dry track. Prize money is available for the top qualifiers. The entire park is transformed into a carnival with food vendors, booths, rides and live entertainment throughout the three day event. Prior to the beginning of each festival there is a royalty contest with folks of all ages dressing up in duck attire that goes with that years' theme.

From Quiz The State of New Mexico

Answer: Copper and Aluminum

The chemical formula for turquoise is: CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O. It's usually found near copper deposits and its impurities are what give it character as New Mexico's state gem. In the 1920s, New Mexico was the leading producer of turquoise in the US, but it's pretty well mined out now although, the Lost Mine of Enchantment has still produced some medium to high grade turquoise. There's a fun story here. What is now known as The Lost Mine of Enchantment was first identified on an 1895 map of the region as old Indian diggings. The mine was rediscovered as a turquoise source in the Sacramento Mountains in 1958 by a gold miner prospecting in the region. The exact location of the mine remained a well kept secret until 1997, when the miner visited the Turquoise Museum in Albuquerque and wondered aloud why the museum didn't have any turquoise from Lincoln County, New Mexico. He was told that there weren't any turquoise deposits in Lincoln County. "Poppycock!" he said, and later returned with samples from the old Indian Diggings. The secret was out, and the owners of the Turquoise Museum later acquired the claim. It is reportedly the first new turquoise mine discovered in New Mexico since the days of Coronado in the 1500s and opened for mining in May, 1997.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: Rockhounds

Near Deming, one can find the state park known as Rockhound State Park. There is a visitors center which relates interesting facts about the area. Also, in Deming each Spring, one can attend the annual Rockhound Round-up where vendors, crafters and those knowledgeable in all things rocks share their love of the hobby.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: public education

It wasn't until the late 1880s that the first public high school or university was founded. There are approximately 200 high schools in the state and close to 100 colleges and universities.

From Quiz The State of New Mexico

Answer: Albert Fall

Albert Fall was New Mexico's second senator. He was involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal in 1921. This scandal involved Fall leasing California and Wyoming oil fields to Henry Sinclair and Edward Doheny without competitive bidding and accepting in return for an interest free $100,000 "loan". Oops. When caught, Fall later spent a year in prison and paid a fine. Manuel Lujan, Jr. was also a congressman from New Mexico who went on to be the secretary of the interior. Unlike Fall, Lujan was a conscientious and ethical leader.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: scientists and engineers

There are numerous laboratories located around the Albuquerque area. The highest percentage of people with PhDs are located in New Mexico. The National Laboratories is even located there as well.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: Lordsburg

The hard stagecoach journey through Apache country undertaken by the characters in "Stagecoach" travels from Tonto in Arizona territory to Lordsburg. Each person is on his or her own mission, and most have secrets they are keeping. As the movie progresses, the secrets come to light. This is one of John Wayne's early hit movies propelling him to superstar status on the silver screen.

From Quiz Neat Stuff About New Mexico

Answer: Rio Grande

The Rio Grande is a much-celebrated river, referenced in numerous stories, songs and movies. It doesn't always have much water in it, but does provide water to locations that otherwise would not have water. The river runs 1,885 miles and is the third largest river system in the contiguous US states. On occasion, when the water levels are down, I teasingly call it the "Rio Not-So-Grande". The folks south-of-the-border call it the Rio Bravo.

From Quiz The State of New Mexico

Answer: Coal

New Mexico has produced three times the revenue from coal annually than the second place contender, copper. Coal may well remain the number one mineral produced in the state. In fact, in 2007 the Navajo Mine in northwestern New Mexico was the seventeenth highest coal producing mine in the US with production of 8,529,955 short tons. Of note is that New Mexico has the highest production of perlite in the US. This is a volcanic glass used for insulation and bricks. In 2007 New Mexico produced about 12,800 troy ounces of gold (400 kilograms). This all came as a byproduct of copper mining. New Mexico ranked seventh in state gold production in 2007 and probably lower - some states' data is incomplete as mines withhold this data to avoid disclosing company proprietary information.

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