New Mexico
The Land of Enchantment
NM State Flag
The official state flag of New Mexico was chosen from a flag competition in 1920 (the competition was held to replace an older New Mexico flag). The winner was Dr. Harry Mera, a doctor and archeologist from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dr. Mera's design is an interpretation of an ancient Sun symbol called a Zia (this symbol was found on a water jar made in the late 1800's in Zia Pueblo). Since four is a sacred number for the Zia, there are four rays coming from each side of the stylized Sun. The colors red and yellow are used because they were the colors of the flag of the Spanish conquistadors who went to New Mexico in the early 1500's.
Road Runner
State bird is the road runner.
Balloon Fiesta
The ABQ balloon fiesta is a tradition among New Mexico and hundreds of Balloons from all over the world attend.
Yucca
State Flower-It is known in the Midwest United States as "ghosts in the graveyard", as it is commonly found growing in rural graveyards and when in bloom the cluster of (usually pale) flowers on a thin stalk appear as floating apparitions