List of New Mexico state symbols

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 proscribed answer: "Red and green" or "Christmas", encouraging the use of both colors of pepper.

Location of the state of New Mexico in the United States
A New Mexico state quarter

Insignia
Further information: List of U.S. state, district, and territorial insignia

Capital

Music

Flora

Foods

Fauna

Geology

Other
Type Symbol Year
Historic railroad Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
Necklace Native American squash blossom
Guitar Pimentel (New Mexico sunrise guitar)[9] 2009
Ballad Land of Enchantment, Spanish: Tierra del Encanto, or Tierra Encantada 1989
Poem Spanish: A Nuevo México, To New Mexico 1991
Tie Bolo tie 2007
Ship USS New Mexico (BB-40) 1918–1946
USS New Mexico (SSN-779) 2008
Aircraft Hot air balloon, symbol of Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2005[5]
Aroma roasting of green chilis 2023[10]

Notes
  1. Crescit eundo was added to the territorial seal in 1882. This change was officially adopted by the legislature in 1887.[4]
  2. "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]
  3. 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.
  4. Santa Fe is the longest serving capital in the United States, since 1610.
  5. 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.

Further reading
  • "State Symbols". Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  • Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. "State Symbols" (PDF). New Mexico Centennial Blue Book 2012 (PDF). Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. pp. 138–168. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2012-12-27. (PDF)

References
  1. "New Mexico Statutes Annotated". New Mexico Compilation Commission. Retrieved 2013-05-11.
  2. "State Symbols". New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2009-05-09.
  3. 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.
  4. "Great Seal of New Mexico". State of New Mexico. Archived from the original on 2008-11-29. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
  5. Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. "State Symbols" (PDF). New Mexico Centennial Blue Book 2012 (PDF). Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. pp. 138–168. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2012-12-27. (PDF)
  6. "New Mexico State Answer, Red and Green or Christmas". www.netstate.com. NSTATE, LLC. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  7. "Under New Mexico Skies Declared Official State Cowboy Song". New Mexico Music Commission, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2009-07-20.
  8. "State Symbols: State reptile". Office of the New Mexico Secretary of State. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  9. Gallagher Roberts, Michelle. "New Mexico Sunrise". New Mexico Museum of Art. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  10. McKay, Dan. "Sweet smell of success". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
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