1. In 1968, New Mexico State University became the first college football team to win a game in the newly constructed Sun Bowl stadium in El Paso, Texas. The Aggies defeated North Texas State University 29-13.

2. On October 11, 1824, the first American fur trader, William Becknell, crossed into New Mexico from the Santa Fe Trail, opening up a new route for trade and commerce between the United States and Mexico.

3. In 1862, during the Civil War, Confederate troops led by General Henry Hopkins Sibley occupied Albuquerque and established a temporary capital in the city. This was part of their attempt to gain control of the Southwest and gain access to the gold and silver mines in the region.

4. On October 11, 1887, the first New Mexico State Fair opened in Albuquerque. The fair featured exhibits showcasing the state's agricultural and industrial products, as well as horse races and other entertainment.

5. In 1947, the United States Air Force's first supersonic aircraft, the Bell X-1, piloted by Chuck Yeager, made its first flight in New Mexico. The plane was launched from the bomb bay of a B-29 bomber, and Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier in level flight.