New Mexico for Experts Trivia Quiz

Answer: blue

We all know the contemporary flag of New Mexico was designed by Dr. Harry Mera, a doctor and archaeologist. This flag displays the Zia sun symbol in red on a yellow background.

Who knew that the original flag was blue with the words "New Mexico" diagonally across it? It also featured the US flag, the state seal, the state nickname, and "47", as New Mexico is the 47th state. It was reportedly made by New Mexico historian Ralph Emerson Twitchell for the World's Fair in San Diego and never received widespread use. (The flag can be seen here: http://fotw.vexillum.com/flags/us-nmx17.html )

Did you know: New Mexico's original nickname - "The Sunshine State" - also appeared on the original flag?

Answer: About 2 miles

There's an interesting story here. When Texas was being surveyed, its western border with New Mexico was to be the 103rd meridian. Well, Texan surveyors headed by John H. Clark started from the south and north, and didn't meet in the middle. They settled what they thought was the 103rd meridian and that became the border.

In 1911 this error was realized. It was found that they were off by about two miles west at Texas's northern border with Oklahoma, but the border was confirmed by the United States Congress anyway. Oklahoma's eastern border with New Mexico (the Cimarron meridian) conforms to a truer representation of the 103rd meridian (it's really about one tenth of a mile too far west), and therein lies the two mile difference.

Interestingly, when the different surveyors did their work, they left behind monuments at important points. The Macomb Monument is the tristate corner of New Mexico, Colorado and Oklahoma. It is about two miles west of the Preston Monument, the tristate corner of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

Answer: False

Here we go again: If you look at detailed maps of the northern border you will see that the border has a small diagonal portion between Rio Ariba County, NM and Archuleta County, CO. In reality, the border is nowhere near straight because it conforms to a man-made survey of the 37th parallel, which is far from a straight line.

True New Mexico trivia buffs will delight in reading the Supreme Court decision regarding which surveyor's line is most correct (Google: New Mexico, Colorado, Supreme Court). In effect the Supreme Court said that although the Darling and Major-Preston lines were likely not on the 37th parallel, everyone should live with it because those were the borders when the states were admitted to the Union.

Also see: Baldwin, P.M. "A Historical Note on the Boundaries of New Mexico," New Mexico Historical Review 5 (2): 117-137, 1930

Answer: Thomas Catron

Catron was a territorial politician and in 1894 was New Mexico's Congressional delegate. He was a crucial force for statehood and was elected by a wide margin to be the first senator. He took the oath of office on March 27, 1912.

Catron made a strategic alliance with Albert Fall, and got him elected as the second senator from New Mexico. Fall turned out to be extremely corrupt and resigned in the wake of the Teapot Dome scandal when he was Secretary of the Interior. Catron's fortunes, and those of the New Mexico Republican party, mirrored that of Fall. Catron was asked not to seek re-election by the Republican Party, who despised Fall and held Catron partially responsible for his election and conduct.

All of the other choices were indeed New Mexico senators. Catron County is named for Thomas Catron. Interestingly, the name is really pronounced CAT-ron with emphasis on the first syllable, although most people pronounce it cat-RONE.

Answer: Geococcyx californianus

The greater roadrunner is Geococcyx californianus.

Coelophysis bauri is New Mexico's state fossil, a small dinosaur.

Campephilus principalis is the Ivory Billed Woodpecker.

Sorex neomexicanus is a shrewd shrew that lives in New Mexico.

Answer: W.C. Kruger

New Mexico's capitol building is the second newest - finished in 1966 - and was designed by W.C. Kruger. It's a mix of several different architectural styles including New Mexico territorial, Greek revival, and Pueblo Indian. It's shaped roughly like the Zia sun symbol on New Mexico's present flag.

Answer: Jornada del Muerto Valley

Reportedly J. Robert Oppenheimer uttered this phrase from the Hindu scripture "The Bhagavad Gita" after watching detonation of the first atomic device near Alamogordo.

Fittingly enough, Jornada del Muerto translates from Spanish as Journey of the Deadman. The Trinity site, where the detonation took place, is in the northeastern part of the valley.

Who Knew: The nickname of the first nuclear device detonated was "the gadget"? (The second and third were "Fat Man" and "Little Boy".)

Answer: Dennis Chavez

Dennis Chavez is the subject of New Mexico's first statue donation to the collection. He was a well-liked senator from New Mexico from 1935-1962. Chavez was the first native New Mexican elected to the Senate and he's best remembered for being good orator and a warm and likable person. He was also featured on a U.S. postage stamp in the Great American Series.

Answer: Fourth

Only Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming have higher mean elevations than that of New Mexico's average of 5700 feet.

Answer: Colfax County

Schuyler Colfax was the 17th vice president of the United States - U.S. Grant was his president. He was not re-elected to this post in 1872 due to charges of corruption - ironically a central theme in New Mexico politics to this day.

Grant county is named after U.S. Grant, who is widely thought to have presided over one of the most corrupt executive branches in the history of the presidency.

Curry county is named for George Curry, a Rough Rider with TDR and a territorial governor from 1907-1910.

Quay county was named after Matthew S. Quay, a Pennsylvania senator instrumental in New Mexico statehood. He was also tried on charges associated with a banking scandal.