1. In 1793, a group of Comanche Indians, led by their chief Guiterre, were attacked and killed by Spanish soldiers near present-day Springer, New Mexico. This event marked the beginning of a long and violent conflict between the Comanche and the Spanish in New Mexico.

2. In 1862, Union forces under the command of Colonel Edward Canby captured Albuquerque during the Civil War. The city was an important supply center for Confederate troops in Arizona and Texas, and its capture helped to secure Union control of the region.

3. In 1903, the first car was driven across the state of New Mexico. Driven by Horatio Nelson Jackson and his mechanic, Sewall K. Crocker, the car traveled from San Francisco to New York in just over two months, proving that automobiles could be used for long-distance travel.

4. In 1955, the United States Air Force established the White Sands Missile Range in southern New Mexico. The range, which covers over 3,200 square miles, is used for weapon testing and missile development.

5. In 2013, a massive wildfire swept through the mountains near Los Alamos. The fire, which burned for over a week, destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands of residents to evacuate. It was one of the largest and most destructive wildfires in New Mexico history.