New Mexico's Quest for Statehood, 1846-1912

by Robert W. Larson

Why did New Mexico remain so long in political limbo before being admitted to the Union as a state?Combining extensive research and a clear and well-organized style, Robert W. Larson provides the answers to this question in a thorough and comprehensive account of the territorys extraordinary six-decade struggle for statehood.This book is no mere chronology of political moves, however. It is the history of a turbulent frontier state, sweeping into the current almost every colorful character of the territory. Not only politicians but ranchers, outlaws, soldiers, newspapermen, Indians, merchants, lawyers, and people from every walk of life were involved. This is a book for the reader who is interested in any aspect of southwestern territorial history.

416 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Stephen Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only true surprise in this was the 1907 offer of admission to New Mexico and Arizona as a single state, forty years after the territories had been split due to size. The degree of uncertainty within New Mexico early on regarding statehood was handled well. The continued internal tension between the Hispanos and the Anglos came through clearly, as well as the early political split within both ethnicities.