1. Columbus Day is celebrated on October 12th each year in the United States to commemorate the arrival of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus to the Americas in 1492. In 1992, New Mexico renamed Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor Native American communities and their contributions to the state.

2. On October 12, 1680, the Pueblo Revolt occurred in what is now New Mexico. Native pueblo people successfully drove the Spanish out of their land, marking a significant moment in indigenous resistance against European colonization.

3. Roswell, New Mexico gained national attention on October 12, 1967 when Lonnie Zamora, a local police officer, reported seeing an unusual aircraft and two humanoid figures near the city. The incident has since become a famous UFO sighting and attracted countless visitors and curiosity-seekers to Roswell.

4. On this day in 1870, Albuquerque became an official town in the newly formed New Mexico Territory. The railroad was instrumental in the town’s growth and development, and Albuquerque quickly became a major transportation hub in the Southwest.

5. The El Santuario de Chimayó, a historic Roman Catholic church, holds an annual pilgrimage on October 12th. Thousands of people visit the church in Chimayó, New Mexico each year to ask for blessings and leave behind offerings. The pilgrimage is one of the most revered and popular religious events in the state.