Carrie Tingley

The hospital was modeled on Roosevelt's polio center at Warm Springs, Georgia, and built with WPA money after Governor Clyde Tingley pressed the president for it; Carrie pushed for Hot Springs so the children could use its waters. It took its first patients on September 1, 1937, and treated them with hydrotherapy in the mineral water. The novelist Rudolfo Anaya drew his book Tortuga from his own months there. The hospital left for Albuquerque on June 12, 1981, for want of staff, and the Territorial Revival buildings became the State Veterans Home in 1985.

What the plaque says

Official Scenic Historic Marker Carrie Tingley Advocate for Sick Children (1877-1961) Carrie Wooster Tingley came to the territory of New Mexico in 1910 seeking treatment for tuberculosis. By 1937, she was the state's first lady and a strong advocate for sick and dis- advantaged children. She established Carrie Tingley Hospital for children with polio in Hot Springs, now Truth or Consequences. The hospital moved to Albuquerque in 1981 where it is dedicated to children with orthopedic condi- tions. Carrie is remembered for her generosity and love of children. Official Scenic Historic Marker New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative The New Mexico Historic Women Marker Initiative was founded in 2005 by members of the New Mexico Women's Forum in a statewide effort to recognize women's contributions to New Mexico history on the state's Official Scenic Historic Markers. The Initiative ensures that women's diverse histories will be remembered and told, and will inspire and provide a guide for future generations. The 2006 Legislature funded the project.

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• "Magnificent Magnolia" (1893-1974) — 0.9 mi
• Elephant Butte Lake State Park — 1.1 mi
• Truth or Consequences — 1.3 mi
• Truth or Consequences — 1.8 mi