1. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 15, 1848, officially ending the Mexican-American War and ceding the territory that later became New Mexico to the United States.
2. On February 15, 1862, Confederate forces led by General Henry Hopkins Sibley won the Battle of Valverde in New Mexico, but were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempt to capture the territory.
3. The founding of the city of Lovington, New Mexico, is celebrated on February 15th each year. The city was officially incorporated on this date in 1947.
4. On February 15, 2011, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples in the state had the right to marry, making New Mexico the 17th state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage.
5. The world-renowned Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which draws thousands of visitors to New Mexico each year, traditionally begins on the first Saturday in October. However, in 1996, the fiesta was postponed until February 15 due to unusually strong winds. This marked the first time the fiesta was held in the winter, and it attracted over 600,000 visitors.