1. In 1885, the Santa Fe Ring conspiracy, which had controlled politics and commerce in New Mexico since the early 1870s, was broken up when grand jury indictments were issued against 101 individuals, mostly Democrats. This marked the beginning of a reorganization of the territory's political and economic systems.

2. In 1917, Luna Park, a popular amusement park in Albuquerque, was destroyed by fire. The blaze started when a gasoline tank exploded during a demonstration of a Ford automobile.

3. In 1942, the United States Army established the White Sands Proving Ground, a testing site for military weapons and vehicles located near Alamogordo. The facility was later renamed the White Sands Missile Range and has been the site of many important missile and space vehicle tests.

4. In 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy delivered a campaign speech in Albuquerque just hours before he was assassinated in California. Kennedy's speech, which touched on themes of justice and equality, is widely considered one of his most inspiring.

5. In 1989, the New Mexico State Senate defeated a proposal to repeal a state law that prohibited abortion except to save the life of the mother. The vote marked a significant victory for abortion rights advocates in the state, who had fought to preserve the law.