2006-02-25 T or C- Elephant Butte 08

Hot springs fountain designed to soak your feet in.- When we came to a town named Truth or Consequences we wondered how it got such an unusual name, so we stopped with the intension to ask at visitor services. Visitor Information is in the Geronimo Springs Museum. They're about to close so we look around for just a few minutes. The town got it's unusual name from the radio/TV show from the 1040's and 50's of the same name. Ralph Edwards, the show's host, made the announcement in 1949 it was seeking a city to change it's name to Truth or Consequences to celebrate the show's 10th anniversary. This was meant to be a stunt to for the very popular, family oriented, humorous show. Edwards' promised the anniversary show would be broadcast from the chosen city with national coverage of the name change, thus giving the city nationwide publicity. They received letters from several US cities, one being Hot Springs, New Mexico. After interviewing townspeople and officials, Hot Springs, NM was selected, but the final decision was left up to the residents for a vote. On April 1st, 1950, the city held a Fiesta with the radio show broadcast held at the newly named city being broadcast to a nationwide audience. The initial agreement was for only for one year, Mr. Edwards made the trip each year for the Fiesta for the next fifty years, 1950 thru 2000. The town voted two more times on the name, and each time voted to keep it.