One Hundred Years of Statehood

Inside the Capitol - SANTA FE – What were the most important events of New Mexico's first 100 years of statehood? Mine appear below. The state Department of Cultural Affairs has a list, available in poster form. The New Mexico Blue Book has a list available from the Secretary of State's Office.

Jay Miller

1912 – Any such list must beginning with Jan. 6 when President William Howard Taft signed the statehood proclamation and Gov. William C. McDonald, a Democrat, is elected to office.

1916 – Pancho Villa's troops raid Columbus, NM. A massive Punative Expedition into Mexico, headed by Gen. Black Jack Pershing, ensued. It involved the first tactical use of air craft . A state park museum in Columbus tells a good story.
1926 – Route 66, the much celebrated "Mother Road," from Chicago to L.A., provides many with their first view of New Mexico and gave tourism a big boost..

1928 – Oil discovered near Hobbs. The Spanish had found insufficient gold, silver and copper to make New Mexico worth much to them but oil soon became New Mexico's biggest moneymaker.

1930 – Dr. Robert Goddard is convinced by Charles Lindbergh to move his rocket testing to the vast expanses of New Mexico. His many successful experiments earn him to title "father of rocketry."

Los Alamos National Lab

1940 – Milton "Doc" Noss claims to have discovered a huge storehouse of gold at Victorio Peak, very near what is now Spaceport America. The Army later closed the area for Alamogordo Bombing Range. Noss never could retrieve the gold he claimed but stories have persisted of government excavation of the hill. It became a topic of the Watergate hearings.
1941 -- New Mexico National Guard activated and shipped to the Philippines.
1942 – 1800 New Mexico Guard troops were surrendered on Bataan Peninsula. Half died on Death March, Hell Ships and Japanese work camps.
1943 – Manhattan Project locates in Los Alamos on secret mission.
1944 – Navajo Code Talkers distinguish themselves for development of unbreakable code.
Read full list here: News New Mexico

One Hundred Years of Statehood