Statehood The 47th state Jan. 6, 1912 Captial Santa Fe State Motto It grows as it goes Origin of State Name The region north of Mexico was named Nuevo Mexico by a Spanish explorer in the 1560s. State Nickname Land of Enchantment The state's nickname refers to its natural beauty and numerous recreational opportunities. Interesting Facts The first atomic bomb was tested in 1945 near Alamogordo in White Sands National Monument, a huge desert of pure-white gypsum dunes. Santa Fe, the oldest capital city in the United States, was founded in 1610. In 1986 governor Toney Anaya declared that New Mexico would serve as a sanctuary for Central American refugees.