DigitalRoadtrip: April Roadtrip, Day 8...Truth or Consequences

Day 8

Saturday April 9

Since I had hit Fort Craig the day before, my first stop was the town with the curious name of Elephant Butte. Construction began on a dam here in 1911. The dam would supply hydro-electric power to southern New Mexico. In a treaty with Mexico, the amount of water flowing across the border would also be regulated.

As with any construction project of this size, camps popped up for the workers, which led to a town. Once full, the lake would become the largest state park New Mexico. The town grew.

Driving into town, I didn't see anything that looked like an elephant. Instead, I followed a sign pointing towards the dam. After ditching the car, a path led out to what I thought was the dam.

I met a guy walking his dog and asked about it. He told me this isn't the main dam, just a wall to prevent erosion. I asked about the lake level and he said it hasn't been full since the mid-90's. When I asked about the elephant, he said to go back out the way I came and follow the signs towards Engle. And yes, there's a butte that looks like an elephant.

He was right. There's an overlook above the dam. With the morning shadows, the butte could look like a resting elephant.

Hwy 51 does take you out to Engle, there's just not much to see from the road. Though, somewhere out this way my old boss, Ted Turner, has one of his bison ranches.

Everything today was alongside I-25 as I drove south. For some reason, I felt compelled to make a drive through the town of Truth or Consequences, formerly known as Hot Springs.

In 1950, Ralph Edwards, host of the popular NBC Radio show Truth-or-Consequences, offered to host their tenth anniversary show from whichever town would be willing to change their name. Hot Springs changed its name, and the radio show came to town.

For the next fifty years, Edwards came back on the first weekend in May. The weekend became known as Fiesta and is still celebrated every year.

After a decent lunch at the Sunset Grill, I did make a quick stop at the Truth or Consequences Brewing Company. Janet was pouring when I walked in and the place was pretty quiet. Like me, she likes to sample as she travels around. So, we got to talking about the places I had already hit and some of our favorites, and least favorites.

On the wall inside...

My next stop was Fort Selden State Monument. Once the site of a Confederate Army camp, it was turned into a fort after the Civil War, housing regiments of African American Cavalry. The local Native-Americans referred to them as Buffalo Soldiers after their short hair and bravery.

Their mission was first to protect settlers travelling west, and eventually the crews building the railroads.

There's not much left of the fort, just a few adobe walls and the flagpole.

Just north of Las Cruces, I stopped for a brief visit to Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. Without a trail map, I had no idea where the myriad of trails went. I started up one trail, walked for fifteen minutes and turned around.

The afternoon was waning, so I made my last stop of the day, the central Plaza in Mesilla.

With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, the Mexican-American War was officially over. However, borders were still in dispute and Mesilla was still considered to be in Mexico. That was all sorted out in 1854, thus the 54 on the bandstand.

On the far side of the square sits the Basilica of San Albino. The original adobe church was built here by Mexico in 1851. The current church was build on it's foundation in 1907.

The same Confederate Forces that attacked Fort Craig had previously attacked and defeated a smaller Union force in Mesilla. The city was then declared the capital of the Confederate Arizona Territory, consisting of the southern third of New Mexico and Arizona.

Also on the plaza, a gift shop where the old capital building used to stand. It's also the place where Billy the Kid was tried and sentenced to hang.