Truth Or Consequences

[Voyager]

Who else thinks that this is the most awesome city name you've ever heard of? It is definitely a much better name than Hot Springs. Why did they rename it though?

[Terry Shea]

It was probably named after the old tv game show but I don't know why.  My question is why would they rename that city and not Elephant Butte?  What's the story behind that name?

[Bryant5493]

I didn't think that you were being serious, voyager, about the name of this city until I looked it up. Weird name. 


Be well,

Bryant

[Alex]

For any wrestling fans on the forum, Truth or Consequences was the "hometown" of Mick Foley's "Cactus Jack" gimmick. The first time I ever heard of that city was watching one of his introductions on WCW in the early 1990s.

[roadfro]

It was probably named after the old tv game show but I don't know why.  ...  What's the story behind that name?

It was named after the old game show, more specifically the earlier radio version.  From the city's website FAQ:

The town's name was changed from "Hot Springs" to "Truth or Consequences" on March 31, 1950, after Ralph Edwards, the host of the popular game show "Truth or Consequences," called for any town in America to do so - in celebration of the show's ten year anniversary.

To thank the town that renamed itself for his show, Ralph Edwards did the first live coast-to-coast broadcast of Truth or Consequences from the eponymous town later in 1950.

More info here from the T or C Chamber of Commerce.

[RoadWarrior56]

My 1960 Rand McNalley Road Atlas shows the town name as "Truth or Consequences" but below it in parenthesis is the town name of "(Hot Springs)".  Hot Springs must be the original town name.  I had never noticed two names for a single town in any map or atlas before.

[Terry Shea]

It was probably named after the old tv game show but I don't know why.  ...  What's the story behind that name?

It was named after the old game show, more specifically the earlier radio version.  From the city's website FAQ:

The town's name was changed from "Hot Springs" to "Truth or Consequences" on March 31, 1950, after Ralph Edwards, the host of the popular game show "Truth or Consequences," called for any town in America to do so - in celebration of the show's ten year anniversary.

To thank the town that renamed itself for his show, Ralph Edwards did the first live coast-to-coast broadcast of Truth or Consequences from the eponymous town later in 1950.

More info here from the T or C Chamber of Commerce.

So what's the story with Elephant Butte? 

[Voyager]

Yes, Hot Springs was the city's original name. I don't blame them for changing it.

[Terry Shea]

Yes, Hot Springs was the city's original name. I don't blame them for changing it.

What's wrong with Hot Springs?

[Voyager]

Nothing, it's just one of the most common.