New Mexico’s Nickname – The Land of Enchantment

According to the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office,

New Mexico, The Land of Enchantment Photo by kangotraveler/Flickr

Lillian Whiting first noted the phrase, “Land of Enchantment,” in the title of her book on New Mexico in 1906. In September 1935, Joseph A. Bursey, Director of the State Tourist Bureau, designed a brochure using this phrase. That same year New Mexico Magazine first advertised using “The Land of Enchantment” to encourage tourism in the state. The year this nickname first appeared on New Mexico license plates was in 1941. But it wasn’t until 1947 that the Tourist Bureau filed with the Secretary of State for exclusive right to use the phrase as their trademark. This phrase was adopted as the official nickname of the state June 18, 1999.

Another inspiration that helped to move the state legislature to choose The Land of Enchantment was, according to the New Mexico State Legislature, “a ballad titled “The Land of Enchantment” by songwriter and Taos resident Michael Martin Murphey was named New Mexico’s “official state ballad” in 1989,” ten years before the state of New Mexico finally chose it as the official nickname of the state.