When I am traveling and people find out I live in New Mexico, I often get questioning looks. People will think I am from Mexico—the country—or they just think of it as that fly-over state that is between Arizona and Texas. As someone who has moved around a bit in the last 10 years, I can tell you, New Mexico is so much more. The Land of Enchantment is truly magical! Here are 10 surprising facts about New Mexico that you should know.
1. New Mexico is neither “New” or “Mexico.”
It’s surprising how often you have to tell people New Mexico is part of the USA. All joking aside, though, New Mexico was named Nuevo México all the way back in 1561 by Spanish colonizers. To put this in perspective, this was a whopping 260 years before modern Mexico, the country, was named Mexico (1821). These Spanish colonizers went with the name Nuevo México likely as an ode to the Aztec God of War, and because they were hoping to find riches.
And here’s another history nugget: We are home to the oldest State Capitol in the US. Santa Fe was founded all the way back in 1610. To give you an idea of what that means, this was an entire decade before the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock.
We may have the oldest State Capitol, but we were one of the very last states to join the Union. We became the 47th state on January 6, 1912.
2. We are home to the highest State Capitol.
Eat your heart out, Denver! I can say that as a born-and-raised Coloradan. Santa Fe has the highest elevation of all the capitals in the United States, coming in at a whopping 7,000 feet above sea level.
3. We have been producing wine in New Mexico for a very long time.
Did you know that New Mexico is the oldest wine-producing region in the United States? We have been making wine here in the Land of Enchantment since 1629. That is over 230 years longer than they have been growing wine in the Napa Valley region. The variety that was planted all those years ago is currently known as the Mission Grape. We still grow it in New Mexico today.
Want to check out some of this local antiquity for yourself? Check out our Guide to Wineries in New Mexico!
4. We really are the chile capitol of the world.
New Mexico is known for green chile. But did you know that our state produces approximately 77% of all the green chile grown in the US? It’s no wonder our cuisine here is so good and hard to replicate anywhere else.
5. Smokey the Bear is from New Mexico.
Did you know that Smokey the Bear was modeled after a real-life bear cub? Back in 1950, there was a fire in the Capitan Mountains of New Mexico. This five-pound, three-month-old black bear was rescued from the blaze. He became something of an overnight celebrity and has been in the collective zeitgeist ever since.
6. New Mexico is the birthplace of the atomic bomb.
Whether you knew this from history class or from the movie Oppenheimer, New Mexico, and White Sands in particular, is the birthplace of the atomic bomb. On July 16, 1945, the world moved into a new age. The first atomic bomb was detonated at the Trinity Site.
The Trinity Site is closed to the public except once a year. The US Army hosts a Trinity Site Open House when the public may visit the site on the third Saturday of October every year. This is something that has been on my New Mexico bucket list for a very long time. If this seems like something you or your family would be interested in, you can find out more here.
7. New Mexico has diverse and unique ecosystems.
Contrary to popular belief, New Mexico isn’t just desert. We do have high desert, but we also boast 13,000-foot mountain peaks. We have the world’s largest gypsum dunefield (White Sands), hundreds of extinct and dormant volcanoes, and vast underground limestone caves (Carlsbad Caverns). New Mexico also has the largest riparian cottonwood forest in the southwestern United States, otherwise known as the bosque.
It’s hard to believe, but in one day you could go from a ski resort, to sledding on gypsum dunes, to spelunking in a cave, to soaking your feet at the banks of the river. New Mexico is truly a great place for anyone who loves to spend time outdoors.
8. TV and film are a thriving NM industry.
In pop culture, everyone always associates New Mexico with Breaking Bad. But not many people know that we have a growing and flourishing film and TV industry right here in New Mexico. Between our diverse settings (see point above), existing infrastructure of large studios, and economic incentives, New Mexico is a prime locale to film a TV show or movie. We also have a long-standing history of filmmaking in New Mexico. Back in 1898, the Edison Company shot a short documentary-style film called “Indian Day School.” You can watch a preserved version of the film from the Library of Congress and see how much things have changed in 128 years.
9. Albuquerque is home to the largest hot air balloon festival in the world.
Okay, maybe this isn’t a surprising fact. Many people around the country and the world know about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. But I was surprised to find out that our balloon fiesta is the largest hot air balloon festival in the world. There is nothing quite like waking up in the wee hours of the morning to see hundreds of balloons ascend over the horizon as the sun rises. And how lucky are we that we don’t have to travel to see a transcendent moment?
Thinking about bringing your family to Balloon Fiesta this year? We have a guide for you!
10. New Mexico has some (other) extremely unique festivals.
So maybe you knew about Balloon Fiesta, but did you know about the other really cool and unique festivals we hold in New Mexico? We truly have a little something for everyone here. You can find a more comprehensive list of the festivals happening in New Mexico here, but these are a few of my favorite:
Roswell UFO Festival
This festival is in honor of the controversial July 1947 mysterious object crash in Roswell, New Mexico. Every July 4th weekend, you can head down to Roswell and live out your intergalactic dreams. Get beamed up and learn more about the fun here.
Deming Great American Duck Race
Flock on over to Deming, New Mexico, to celebrate all things quacky. Want to race real-life ducks or try your hand at the lucky duck rubber duck race? What about the Great American Tortilla Toss or the hilarious Great American Outhouse Race? This festival is really fun and unique with so many family-friendly activities. The 47th annual festival is happening in August. Find a full breakdown of the happenings here.
Pie Town Annual Pie Festival
Did you know there is a Pie Town, New Mexico? Did you know they have an annual Pie Town Festival where you can enter your own pie in a pie baking contest? They also have games, races, music, food, and arts and crafts. The annual pie festival is always the second Saturday in September. Find the details here.
There will also be some really fun and unique festivals happening this year in honor of Route 66 turning 100 years old. I wrote about them here.
The nickname of Land of Enchantment is truly an appropriate moniker for New Mexico. We have beautiful scenery, rich history, cool and unique industry, and fun and exciting festivals. What is your favorite little known fact about New Mexico? Let us know in the comments.
