Florinda Naranjo Ortiz - Springer, NM
Posted by: 
The Snowdog
N 36° 26.964 W 104° 42.110
13S E 526719 N 4033836
This memorial to Florinda Naranjo Ortiz, a blues singer, is on the reverse side of another historical marker describing vaudeville troops that once frequented this area; northwest of Springer, New Mexico
Waymark Code: WM133VM
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 09/09/2020
Views: 0
A small pull-out on the south side of NM 58 hosts a double-sided historical marker. One side describes vaudeville shows (known as revistas) that were once popular in this region. The other is a tribute to Florinda Naranjo Ortiz, a noted blues singer. She lived but 39 years but left a lasting impact. The memorial text is
Florinda Naranjo Ortiz
1900 - 1939
Born in the one-time coal town of Dawson, Florinda Ortiz was part of a family-based carpa known as La Compañía Hermanos Ortiz, which toured the Southwest in the early twentieth century. With her husband, Jose Ortiz, and five children as performers, Florinda sang blues songs, including "St. Louis Blues," and acted in comedy skits, while her husband performed magic acts dressed as El Gran Payaso Tamborín (Tamborine, the Great Clown). She was also a healer, selling herbs on her travels. Generations of her children became musicians and singers.
The reverse side of this marker describes vaudeville shows such as the
carpa described here. You can read more about the creation of this marker
here. A newspaper article about one of Florinda and Jose's children is linked below.