Santa Fe was founded in 1610 as capital of Nuevo México, after it replaced Española as capital, which makes it the oldest state capital in the United States.

The Los Alamos Laboratory, also known as Project Y, was a secret research facility established by the Manhattan Project during World War II. Its mission was to design and build the first atomic bombs. The United States Department of War exercised eminent domain over the area so that the relatively isolated location could be used for the secretive project. Not until after the bombing of Hiroshima was information about the purpose of the Manhattan Project released to the public.

UFO proponents maintain that an alien craft was found near Roswell, that its occupants were captured, and that the military then engaged in a cover-up. The city has benefited from interest in the alleged UFO incident, with Roswell's tourism industry based largely on ufology museums and businesses, as well as alien-themed and spacecraft-themed iconography.

Lakes and Rivers make up only 0.2% of the state's total surface area--the lowest water-to-land ratio of all 50 states.

The greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) was designated the official state bird of New Mexico in 1949. Also called the chaparral bird, the iconic roadrunner inhabits desert and shrub country in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The Hopi and Pueblo Indian tribes believed that the roadrunner provided protection against evil spirits.

The flag of New Mexico consists of a red sun symbol of the Zia people on a field of gold. It was designed in 1920 to highlight the state's Native American Pueblo and Nuevo México Hispano roots.

The state has long enchanted visitors with its scenic diversity. In 1935, New Mexico's Tourist Bureau described the state as "the Land of Enchantment" in one of its brochures in an effort to attract visitors to the area. In 1941, the phrase was added to license plates.

In 2016, the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed an amendment ending the state's long-standing ban on "idiot" voters.

The road less traveled in New Mexico: the paved one. Nearly 3/4 of the state's roads are dirt or caliche.

Doc Holliday moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico in 1879 on the advice of his doctor, who suggested that the dry air of New Mexico might help his tuberculosis. Doc opened a dental practice, which quickly morphed into a saloon. He moved on after the New Mexico Territorial Legislature passed a bill banning gambling within the territory.