What’s In A Name?

There is no shortage of weird place names in this vast country. I already mentioned Boring and Drain in Oregon, but let’s not forget the town of Why in Arizona.  I wish there was a town named Because somewhere but we must make do with Whynot in North Carolina.  Then there’s Slickpoo in Idaho, Climax in Georgia, Intercourse in Pennsylvania, Lick Fork in West Virginia, Hell in Michigan and Gas in Kansas (please, oh please let there be sign saying “You’ve just passed Gas!”)



The town of Truth Or Consequences, New Mexico (“T or C” to its residents) was high on my list of places to visit just because of its name.  It felt important somehow.  When I mentioned to that nice-but-crazy Death Valley cyclist from Albuquerque that it was one of our New Mexico destinations he just said “Why?”



Well, the first disappointment was how the town got its name.  Not from some weighty moral dilemma a century ago but from a radio and then TV game show of the same name that ran from 1940 through to 1988. It was one of those shows that would give Maytag dryers as prizes to the housewives who participated.  Here’s the show if you’re in the mood:






In 1950 the host Ralph Edwards announced he would broadcast the 10th anniversary show from the first town to change its name to Truth Or Consequences.  And he did.  He also came back to T or C every May after that for 50 YEARS and the town honored him with a parade, beauty contest and dance. Kind of sweet.  There’s a city park named after him, and the Fiesta is still held the first weekend in May.

Before the name change the town was known as Hot Springs and had 40 different spas.  Now there are but a handful and the town is one of the saddest places I have been so far.  If you listen to the Mayor (a transplanted New Yorker for sure) it’s a charming, warm, creative, retro, happening sort of place.  Perhaps it will be one day.  For now the Truth is that they’ve done a helluva job on PR.



We did stumble upon the one place in town that seemed to be doing well.  Beside the Rio Grande -which had quit carving gorges and was just strolling along here - was the Riverbend Hot Springs.  For a mere $35 we got a private pool for an hour.  




No arsenic in these waters but what a treat!  Perhaps they should change the name back to Hot Springs.  No disappointment there.  And Consequently Truthful.








Comments

  1. Jim BDecember 11, 2021 at 9:01 AM

    Thank you for the cool "blast from the past"! :) I watched some of the video, and it brought back good memories. I enjoyed watching Truth or Consequences. The shows back then were very light-hearted and fun--even more serious ones like "Badge 714" and "Boston Blackie". The most hard-core music was something like "How Much is that Dog in the Window?", "Harbor Lights", or "The Siamese Cat Song".

    Your comment on Gas, KS, made me laugh out loud. The sign you suggested WOULD make a great sign, be good PR, and get into media fast. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Diane WuJanuary 4, 2022 at 3:52 AM

    I missed this fun post.

    The game show Truth or Consequences immediately came to mind as I read what you wrote about the town. I vaguely remember the show. Housewives and Maytag washers where not as groovy to a 1960s kid as Twiggy, Petula Clark, and Saturday Night's Laugh -In.

    The $35./ hour pool looks divine! That view! What is the Italian Futurist looking painting near the pool?

    Love and Cheers.

    ReplyDelete

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