Miners' colfax Medical Center history

The Ferguson Act of 1898 was the starting brick of what is now Miners’ Colfax Medical Center.

Construction of the facility began and was completed in 1905 at the cost of $20,000.

Miners’ Hospital – 1906

With the increase of patients and demands on staff, a set of bylaws, rules and regulations were adopted by the Board of Trustees on March 13, 1911.

Then in 1917 it came to the attention of the Board of Trustees that the “inmates” (as they were referred to) of the hospital were in the habit of getting intoxicating liquors in the City of Raton.

July 13, 1918 with an epidemic of Tuberculosis, Governor W.E. Lindsay sent a letter to Miners’ hospital requesting the use of the second floor of the hospital for treatemtn of Tubercular soldiers.

Along with the rest of the country by the late 1920’s Miners’ Hospital began to feel financial hardship brought about because of the great depression.

Proud to show off the accomplishments of Miners’ Hospital, a National Hospital Day celebration was held May 12th, 1939.

During the 1940’s Miners’ Hospital continued to thrive and evolve into a caring atmosphere that would draw miners’ from all over New Mexico to be admitted as residents.

The 1950’s brought forth many changes for the hospital with the nursing living quarters being built which would enable nurses living quarters being built which would enable nurses to live on the premises for $45.00 a month, which covered their room and board expenses.

Also the new surgical wing was officially dedicated in October 1955 to Mrs.

By July of 1956 Miners’ Hospital was a 93-bed hospital having 41 beds for the Miners and 52 beds for pay patients.

The 1960’s were the beginning of a long and unstable period for Miners’ Hospital.

The new hospital was a result of the support of Colfax County residents who, in 1967, approved an $800,000 bond issue for its construction.

Trouble for the hospital began in 1968 when during his administration, Governor David Cargo consolidated all of the state medical facilities under a new branch, the Department of Hospitals and Institutions.

Concurrent with the above, Northern Colfax County Hospital opened its doors on November 17th, 1970 to a crowd of approximately 1,800.

At first it appeared that the hospital would be closed down but UMWA local 7949 President Nick Halamandaris in 1971 contended the Miners’ Hospital was for the benefit of the Miners and questioned the State of New Mexico trying to close the institution.

Finally, the federal government filed suit and in 1974, the judge ruled that the trust funds had to be returned and not ever removed again.

A licensed 10 bed general hospital opened at the Miners’ facility in 1979.

In July of 1982 Governor Bruce King met with members of the Colfax County Commission, the Northern Colfax County Hospital Board and Miners’ Hospital to discuss the survival of both hospitals.

On December 1, 1986 the Colfax County commissioners signed the last of a series of agreements that leased the facility that used to be Northern Colfax County hospital to the state board overseeing Miners’ Hospital of New Mexico, thus creating Miners’ Colfax Medical Center (MCMC).

Throughout the 1990’s MCMC followed healthcare trends by adding more outpatient clinics.

In 1995 Raton native, Richard Pfiffer was hired as project manager for the MCMC LTC renovation.

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