1. The Battle of Río Grande in 1846: On October 22, 1846, the U.S.-Mexican War saw its first major clash at the Battle of Río Grande near present-day Brownsville, Texas. New Mexico was a territory of Mexico at the time and played a vital role in the war as a critical gateway to the west.

2. Billy the Kid's first arrest: On October 22, 1875, a young outlaw named Henry McCarty, later known as Billy the Kid, was arrested for stealing food from a Chinese laundry in Silver City, New Mexico. This was his first arrest, and he would go on to become one of the most notorious outlaws in the American Old West.

3. The opening of the State Normal School: October 22, 1893, marked the opening of the New Mexico State Normal School in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The school was founded to train teachers for the state's public schools and is now known as New Mexico Highlands University.

4. The founding of the Atomic Energy Commission: On October 22, 1946, President Harry S. Truman signed the Atomic Energy Act, which created the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The AEC played a crucial role in the development and regulation of nuclear technology, including the testing of atomic bombs in New Mexico.

5. The first female governor of New Mexico: On October 22, 2018, Michelle Lujan Grisham was elected as the first female governor of New Mexico. She took office on January 1, 2019, and made history as the first Democratic Latina governor in the United States.