1. In 1793, the village of Albuquerque was officially founded by Spanish settlers.

2. In 1846, the Battle of Santa Fe took place during the Mexican-American War. A small group of American soldiers, led by General Stephen W. Kearny, captured the city of Santa Fe without firing a shot.

3. In 1880, Pat Garrett, the famous sheriff who killed Billy the Kid, was born in Chambers, New Mexico.

4. In 1945, the world's first atomic bomb was tested in Alamogordo, New Mexico, as part of the Manhattan Project. The explosion was so massive that it was felt more than 100 miles away.

5. In 1952, a massive flood hit the town of Artesia, New Mexico, causing extensive damage and leaving the town underwater for several days. The flood was caused by heavy rains and a breach in a nearby dam.