1. On April 19, 1881, the famous outlaw Billy the Kid escaped from the Lincoln County Jail in New Mexico, where he was awaiting trial for murder. He managed to kill two guards, steal their firearms, and flee into the night. Billy the Kid's daring escape remains one of the most legendary events in Western history.

2. On April 19, 1934, three men attempted to rob the First National Bank in Hot Springs, New Mexico. The robbers were met with resistance from local law enforcement, resulting in a shootout that left two robbers and one police officer dead. The incident became known as the Hot Springs Gun Battle and is one of the bloodiest events in New Mexico law enforcement history.

3. In April 1942, during World War II, the U.S. government established the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. The facility was used for the development and testing of military missiles and is still in operation today. On April 19, 1956, a V-2 missile launched from the range became the first man-made object to reach the edge of space.

4. On April 19, 2013, a tragic event took place at the Boston Marathon, which also affected New Mexico. Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, two brothers from Chechnya, carried out a terrorist attack at the marathon, killing three people and injuring hundreds more. One of the victims, Krystle Campbell, was a native of Medford, Massachusetts, but had strong connections to New Mexico, where she had lived for a time.

5. On April 19, 2017, New Mexico celebrated 100 years of statehood. The Land of Enchantment was admitted to the Union on January 6, 1912, becoming the 47th state. New Mexico's centennial celebration included a variety of events throughout the state, including parades, concerts, and cultural exhibits. Governor Susana Martinez declared April 19, 2017, as New Mexico's official Centennial Day.