New Mexico ~ Land of Enchantment

"Land of Enchantment" ~ that was what I notice when we saw the New Mexico sign. This is the state's official nickname. 

In 1941, this was placed on their license plates. In 2008,the United Stated bicentennial commemorative quarter for the state also features the nick name. This name describes it's scenic beauty and rich history as noted by online sources.

New Mexico became the 47th state in the USA in 1912. "It was given it's name in 1563, and again in 1581 by Spanish explorers who believe the area contained wealthy Indian cultures similar to those of the Mexican (Aztec) Empire." (this is from online wikipedia.org)

Other nicknames include:

The Cactus State

The Spanish State

The Land of Sunshine

The Land of the Heart's Desire

and a few more but as stated before, THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT is the official one.