| For a long time, being the governor of New
Mexico didn’t bring with it any special dispensation when it came to
assignment of license plate numbers. When the state first began issuing
license plates in 1912, plate #1 and other low numbers went not to the
governor, but to wealthy merchants, bankers and other movers and shakers
of the business world. Finally, in 1924, plate #1 was reassigned to the
governor, who in that year was James F. Hinkle. This was the regular
passenger car plate which had been previously assigned to one of the
rich guys and it wasn’t until 1928 that the governor’s plate was
embossed with the word “GOVERNOR.” Some years later a special plate #2
was made for the Lt. Governor. |
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| The plates shown here belonged to the following
governors: |
1927 Arthur Hannett (D)
1928 Richard C. Dillon (R)
1929 Richard C. Dillon (R)
1930 Richard C. Dillon (R)
1934 Andrew W. Hockenhull (D)
1938 Clyde Tingley (D)
1939 John E. Miles (D)
1940 John E. Miles (D)
1945 John J. Dempsey (D)
1947 Thomas J. Mabry (D)
1959 John Burroughs (D)
1960 John Burroughs (D)
1963 Jack M. Campbell (D)
1967 David E. Cargo (R)
1974 Bruce King (D) |
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| The Governor plate shown immediately below,
though it is undated and does not have the “USA” designation on it, is
otherwise in the style of the regular 1974 Governor plate, and was
clearly a prison-made plate of that era. It may have been made as a
front plate for the Governor's official vehicle, something for the
Governor to give away as a souvenir, or some other similar purpose. |
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| The Lt. Governor plates shown here belonged to: |
1936 Luis C de Baca (D)
1945 James B. Jones (D)
1977 Robert E. Ferguson (D) |
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Photo Credits: 1936 and 1977 Lt. Governor courtesy
Michael Wiener and John Barth. All others by Bill Johnston.
