1. On June 28, 1862, the Battle of Mesilla took place in southern New Mexico during the American Civil War. Confederate troops under General Henry H. Sibley defeated Union troops and captured the town of Mesilla.

2. In 1906, the famous western outlaw Tom Ketchum was hanged in Clayton, New Mexico, for train robbery. He famously shouted "I'll be in hell before you start breakfast, boys!" to the executioners.

3. June 28, 1928, marked the dedication of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico. The park is home to over 100 limestone caves and is a popular tourist destination to this day.

4. On June 28, 1947, Roswell Army Air Field issued a press release announcing they had recovered a "flying saucer" from a nearby ranch. The incident sparked years of controversy and speculation about a government cover-up of extraterrestrial activity.

5. In 1996, the Cerro Grande Fire started in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and burned over 48,000 acres before being contained. The fire caused extensive damage to the Los Alamos National Laboratory and forced the evacuation of thousands of residents.