FUN WITH MAPS ISSUE 2024-158

By Steve Kovacs (Introduction by Chuck Gibson)

LOVELAND, OH (August 21, 2024) – In this edition of Fun with Maps we celebrate the annexation of territory resulting from victory in war on this date in 1846.  

IT GROWS AS IT GOES: New Mexico Territory Motto

The United States annexed New Mexico on August 22, 1846 as a part of spoils to the winner of the Mexican-American War. The provisional government became a US Territory along with Utah to its north in 1850.

The large territory originally included parts of Kansas, Utah, Nevada, Colorado, and Arizona, as well as the current state of New Mexico.  The borders were in flux with Colorado and Arizona splitting off to be their own territories in 1861 and 1863. 

The quest for statehood was stymied by the need to balance slavery and free states while the territory gained and lost land as the western state boundaries were defined.  The area became a popular spot for Civil War soldiers looking to settle or working their way to California.

New Mexico became the 47th state in 1912, beating Arizona in the statehood race by 6 weeks.

Here is Gray’s map of New Mexico and Arizona from 1880.

Steve Kovacs and his wife Theresa reside in Loveland, Ohio where they raised their two children. He is a passionate collector of antique maps.

Visit his antique map boutique world-on-paper online. Watch for his daily feature Steve Kovacs: Fun with Maps here on Loveland Beacon.