This is a list of the officially designated symbols of the U.S. state of New Mexico. Most such designations are found in §12.3 of the New Mexico Statutes.[1][2] The majority of the items in the list are officially recognized after a law is passed by the state legislature. New Mexico is the first state to adopt a state question: "Red or green?," referring to chile peppers. The state also has a prescribed answer: "Red and green" or "Christmas," encouraging the use of both colors of chile.
^Crescit eundo was added to the territorial seal in 1882. This change was officially adopted by the legislature in 1887.[4]
^"Land of Enchantment" was first coined by Lillian Whiting in a book on the state in 1906. The slogan later appeared on New Mexico license plates in 1941; a trademark was obtained by the state in 1947. It was not until June 18, 1999, that the phrase was adopted as the official nickname.[5]
^The official state question refers to a question commonly heard at restaurants, where waiters will ask customers "red or green?" in reference to which kind of chili pepper or chile sauce the customers wants served with their meal.
^Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in United States and the oldest European community located west of the Mississippi. While Santa Fe was inhabited on a very small scale in 1607, it was truly settled by the conquistador Don Pedro de Peralta in 1609-1610. [7]
^No species name is listed in state statutes, however the New Mexico Centennial Blue Book from 2012 references the soaptree yucca (Yucca elata) as one of the more widespread species in New Mexico.
^"State Symbols". New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
^Rick Wyatt; Joe McMillan; Nick Artimovich; William E. Dunning; Nathan Lamm; Sascha Zimmer (2011-06-10). "New Mexico (U.S.)". CRW Flags Inc. Store. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
