1. In 1862, the Confederate Army of New Mexico, led by General Henry Sibley, fought their final battle against Union forces at the Battle of Peralta. The Union forces were able to repel the Confederate advance and force them to retreat south.

2. September 1, 1910, marked the first day of construction on the Elephant Butte Dam, which was completed in 1916 and became the largest earth-filled dam in the world at the time. The dam was designed to control flooding on the Rio Grande and provide irrigation water for the surrounding area.

3. On September 1, 1923, New Mexico's famous archaeologist, Dr. Edgar Lee Hewett, discovered a 1,000-year-old Anasazi pueblo at Pueblo Bonito, part of what is now known as Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Excavations at the site continued for many years and revealed much about the ancient people who lived there.

4. In 1950, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park was officially established in southeast New Mexico. The park contains over 119 caves and is home to many unique and rare formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and helictites.

5. September 1, 1972, marked the beginning of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which has since become the largest hot air balloon festival in the world. Every year, hundreds of balloons take to the skies in Albuquerque for a weeklong event filled with competitions, exhibitions, and festivities.