7 Moments Everyone Born In New Mexico Will Always Remember

Did you know this was one of the first TV stations to be established between California and the Mississippi? On November 29,1948, KOB-TV started operations, making it the oldest station in the state and one of the oldest in the western states.

Talk about delicious!

The very first passengers aboard the Sandia Peak Tramway boarded the tram on May 7, 1966, slowly ascending more than 7,700 feet. Since its construction, the tramway is the longest aerial tram in the country and one of the longest in the world.

Taking place in the days leading up to Christmas, New Mexico’s deadliest snowstorm covered much of the state in more than five feet of snow. Residents in rural communities and on reservations were stranded for days as they waited for the snow to melt and road conditions to return to normal. In severe cases, many required assistance from the National Guard and Air Force, who airdropped emergency kits, livestock feed, and other necessary supplies outside homes.

Watching the sky become speckled with colorful balloons is an annual treat for viewers and balloonists alike. The first Balloon Fiesta and inaugural balloon race took place in 1972 with just 13 hot air balloons outside the Coronado Center Shopping Mall in Albuquerque. This has since grown into the largest international balloon convention!

Stemming from overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, and no separation between non-violent and repeat violent offenders, the deadliest prison riot took place on February 2 and 3 in 1980. During the grisly 36 hours, 33 people were killed — some brutally murdered, mutilated, or incinerated — but some estimate that number to be higher based on the extreme violence that took place.