1. In 1831, the Battle of the Brazito took place in what is now southern New Mexico. This battle was part of a larger conflict called the Fredonian Rebellion, which was a failed attempt by Anglo settlers to establish an independent state in Texas.

2. On January 17, 1912, New Mexico officially became a state of the United States. This followed years of effort by New Mexico's leaders to gain statehood, including several failed attempts to draft a state constitution and repeated visits to Congress to lobby for admission to the Union.

3. In 1941, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established. Located in southeastern New Mexico, this park features a massive underground cave system that is open to tourists year-round.

4. On January 17, 1989, Albuquerque hosted the first-ever World Hot Air Balloon Championship. The event attracted balloonists from around the world and helped establish Albuquerque as a hub for the sport of ballooning.

5. In 1994, a powerful earthquake struck the Las Cruces area of southern New Mexico. The quake, which registered 5.0 on the Richter scale, caused significant damage to buildings and roads in the area but resulted in no fatalities.