1. On October 8, 1846, the Battle of Embudo Pass occurred during the Mexican-American War. The American Army, led by General Stephen Kearny, defeated the Mexican Army, securing their control over New Mexico.

2. In 1879, New Mexico State University, originally founded as the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, opened its doors in Las Cruces. It was the state's first institution of higher learning.

3. On October 8, 1891, the Santa Fe Railroad officially opened the Raton Pass Tunnel, a major engineering feat that allowed trains to travel through the mountains of northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

4. In 1966, the Luna Fire broke out in the mountains near Datil, New Mexico. The fire burned thousands of acres and destroyed several homes before it was contained a few days later.

5. On October 8, 1980, the United States Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of Zia Pueblo v. United States. The case dealt with the federal government's use of land claimed by the Zia Pueblo tribe in New Mexico for military purposes during World War II. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the tribe.