© 2009 by Michael Swickard, Ph.D.
Today marks the 97th anniversary of New Mexico statehood. President William Howard Taft signed the bill making New Mexico the 47th state on Saturday, Jan. 6, 1912. For more than 60 years New Mexicans had strived to gain statehood.
On Aug. 21, 1911 Taft signed the resolution starting our statehood process. The first election was on Nov. 7, 1911. William McDonald was New Mexico’s first elected governor and owner of the Bar W Ranch outside of Carrizozo.
In 1977, the 65th anniversary, I decided to interview someone who was living in the state about statehood day. In 1912 William Gallacher was living on his ranch 20 miles from Carrizozo as he was in 1977. When he died years later at age 98, he was NMSU class of 1908’s last surviving member.
From living in White Oaks before the turn of the century, he lived to see the landing of the space shuttle 60 miles from his ranch. He was 35 miles away from the first atomic explosion at Trinity Site on July 16, 1945. He was also one of the few who could look up in the sky and say, “Halley’s Comet, what do you know, there it is again.”
As I drove out to his ranch I pictured writing a story about firecrackers going off, dogs barking and people toasting statehood at the local bar while politicians gave speeches. At least that was the picture I had of statehood day.
Bill greeted me warmly and we sat over coffee at the kitchen table. We started off discussing the happenings of the day. Bill was like that, more interested in today than yesterday. After awhile I told him my perception about the celebrations of Jan. 6, 1912. In fact, I felt sure he celebrated since the first elected governor was his neighbor.
He thought a moment and then leaned closer, as a schoolmaster would a student who was a slow learner. “Celebrations?” he asked. He thought back all of those years.
“On the day we became a state I got up about an hour before dawn, had a little breakfast and at first light went out to tend to sick animals, kill coyotes and do all of chores that used up the entire day so that, about an hour after sunset, I came back and had a little supper and went to bed. I was cold, tired and hungry. I would not have gone into town for a celebration.
“The truth is we never even noticed statehood for the first 25 years or so. Most of us were too busy just trying to stay alive, to feed ourselves and to carve out a place that would become our home, to notice any politicians, or even a fine man like McDonald. Every day I got up early and worked late. I had no other energy and did not come into town for months at a time.”
He noticed my lack of comprehension so he continued. “Politicians and celebrations were a luxury most of us working people back then could not afford. For 30 years on this land I worked with all of my energy. It was not 40 hours a week, it was seven days a week, or we just would not have made it. Only after the ranch was on solid footing did I notice the government and in fact became part of it as a member of the Lincoln County Commission and the school board.”
I was thankful Bill brought me back to reality before I wrote something silly about the statehood celebrations by real New Mexicans. It was a hard time back then, more so than most of us can even realize. Jan. 6, 1912 was, for most of the citizens of New Mexico, just one more working day. The way to celebrate the anniversary correctly is by going to work early and working late.
Swickard is a weekly columnist for this site. You can reach him at michael@swickard.com.