1. In 1871, the first railroad train arrived in Santa Fe, New Mexico, marking a new era of transportation in the state.

2. On May 16, 1883, the infamous outlaw William Bonney, also known as Billy the Kid, escaped from the Lincoln County Jail in New Mexico.

3. In 1929, the New Mexico State Legislature designated the turquoise as the official state gemstone, highlighting the importance of the gemstone to the state's culture and economy.

4. May 16, 1995 saw the establishment of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of New Mexico's wilderness areas.

5. In 2020, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an executive order declaring May 16 as the State of New Mexico Day of Prayer, in recognition of the state's diverse spiritual traditions and their importance in times of crisis.