1. On July 2, 1852, the first train arrived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from Kansas City, Missouri, marking a historic moment in the state's transportation history. The arrival of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad transformed New Mexico into a major transportation hub, connecting it to other parts of the country and facilitating economic growth.

2. In 1882, outlaw Billy the Kid was captured and jailed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. The infamous outlaw had been on the run for years and was finally brought to justice on July 2. While his notoriety has made him a folk hero in some circles, his criminal activities and violent end have cast a shadow over his legacy.

3. July 2, 1923, saw the premiere of the silent film version of The Ten Commandments, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The film, which featured an all-star cast and a massive set that included a replica of the Sphinx, remains a classic of the era and solidified DeMille's reputation as one of the leading filmmakers of his time.

4. On July 2, 1947, an unidentified flying object crashed near Roswell, New Mexico, sparking one of the most famous and enduring UFO conspiracy theories of all time. While the military maintains that the object was a weather balloon, many people believe that it was actually an extraterrestrial spacecraft, and the incident has been referenced in countless books, movies, and TV shows.

5. July 2, 1964, saw the signing of the Civil Rights Act into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The act was a landmark piece of legislation that prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and it ensured equal protection under the law for all Americans. In New Mexico, where Hispanic and Native American populations were significant and had faced discrimination for decades, the act represented a major step forward in the fight for civil rights.