Prospectus #183 Miners Colfax Medical Center

Budget $58,750

The hospital’s history started over 100 years ago when Congress granted 5 million acres of public land to the Territory of New Mexico through the Ferguson Act of 1898 where 50,000 acres were designated for support of a miners’ hospital. Through the dedication and hard work of several community members Miners’ Colfax Medical Center proudly opened its doors to the public on November 10, 1906. The mission of Miners’ Colfax Medical Center is to be the leader in health care providing quality acute care, long term care, and related services to the people of the region.

The City of Raton was founded when the Maxwell Land Grant Company deeded 320 acres situated upon the line of the New Mexico and Southern Pacific railroads near the base of the Raton Mountains to the New Mexico Town Site Company. Cattle ranching and commerce on the Santa Fe Trail established the Raton area as a trade center. When the railroad route started over the Raton Pass in 1879 the city of Raton experienced an increase in economic opportunities. The first coal mine opened in Raton in 1879 and coal mining continued to be an economic factor in Raton for many years. The area is still supported by cattle ranches and the railroad.

Maye Torres,  from Taos New Mexico was selected to create the art, which was installed in 2008.

Maye installed artwork in multiple locations throughout the hospital. The landmark piece is a larger than life bronze sculpture of a miner located at the roadway entrance to the medical center.

The landmark sculpture commemorates the coal miner as the unsung hero of the modern age. This theme will be repeated in the art at the other sites as well. The secondary theme of the art is to illustrate the unique history of the area.