Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-10-02
SANTA FE.
1T Is THE OLDEST TOWN IN THE
UNITED STATES.
It Contains the Oldest House and the
Oldest Church I'm America, and
Perhaps the oldest Palace
In the World.

headquarters Of the Southwest. 1t is the
Oldest civil and religious Government on
American soil. When Cabeza de Baca
penetrated the valley of the Rio Grande
IN 1888 he found Santa Fe fiourishinv
Pueblo village. The history of its first
European settlements was lost with most
OF the early records of tho Territory by the
destruction of oil the archives in 1850,
but the earliest mention shows it then
to have been the capital and the centre
OF commerce, authority and influence.
In 1904 came the first venturesome
American trader-the forerunner of the
great line of merchants who have made
traffic over the t'Santa Fen worldwide
in its celebrity.
In the city Of Santa Fe, previous to
1888, dwelt race dissimilar to any now,
existing. They were neither Aztec nor
Indian, nor yet were they Mound Build
ers. Houses built by these people are
standing as conclusive evidence that
they built not for one generation, but for
centuries. Their manners and customs
werc like those races who occupied the
mountainous regions of Northern and
Western Mexico. Resembling the Indian
In physical appearance, yet they lived
and constructed houses after the manner
of the earliest Aztec civilization.
In the southeastern part of the ancient
village of Santa Fe just across the Santa
Fe River, stand two monuments of pre-.
historic architecture, the oldest house
and the oldest church In America. Their
exact nge is unknown. They stand as
enduring monuments to race of people
extinct, not of any intention or wanton
neglect on their part, but for the con
tinued wars waged by savage Spanish
explorers and still more savage bands of
hostile Indians.
After driving the last inhabitant from
the village, the conquering Spaniards set
up q government of their own, aud in
1850, after the close of the conquest,
built many houses that are to-day stand
ing in various sections of the city. On
the south side of the Plaza Juan de
Otermin, the first Spanish Governor
built his palace, the only one ever erected
in America. For many generations the
palace was occupied by the Spanish Gov
errors and Captain Generals until forced
or driven out by the Indians in 1850
after besieging the city for nine days.
Remaining in the hands of the Indians
for many years, it was finally rctalzen by
the Mcxicans. The palace was again
occupied by the Mexican Governor and
had been continually until taken by the
American forces in 1876 and 184S. Thus
we have in the Executive Mansion of
New Mexico perhaps the oldest palace in
the world. AS 1t stands to-day, COM
plete and perfect in oil its appointments,
with proper care a thousand years may
glide swiftly by, and in its grandeur,
outshining the ruins of Balbec or of
Tyre, the American people will rejoice in
the antiquities they possess, founded
centuries before the birth of the graudest
republic that ever governed people.
! On account of its antiquity and of its
position as the most northern outpost of
Spanish-American civilization, Santa Fe
claims our attention to-day. It is of
another civilization, and one feels as in
foreign land. The historic old churches
OF San Miguel aud Guadaloupe were
erected by the Franciscan Fathers, who
accompanied the Spanisrds into the
Country as missionaries, the first about
1880, the second some fifty or seventy
five years later. In 1850 the Indians re-
'bellcd against the Spauiards and drove
them from the country. They at once
burned down the chapels and other pub
lie buildings and residences; collected
the church saints ON the piazza and
burned them forbid the Use of word
of the Spanish language and swore their
intention to wash away the baptism of
the Catholic priests, and allowed those
who had been married by them to put
away their wives and take others. They
utterly destroyed everything pertaining
to the Spanards. Twelve years later the
Spaniards returned aud again reduced the
Indians to submission. The men were
sent to the forests and the churches were
soon rebuilt.
Until within q few years all the houses
OF Santa Fe were made of mud pressed
and sun-baked in form resembling our
unburnt brick, though far less symmetri-
cal
Adobe is the name applied by natives
to this class of building material, and a
house built of this always has an ap-
.lpea-ance of great antiquity and also of
impending dissolution. To convince one
of the great age of civilization found here
he has but to glance at the native built
houses with their accompanying outdoor
bake-ovens. No one but Pueblo InIian
could have devised anything SO deter
minediy ugly, and sometimes one is
tempted to believe that the old Aztec
deities must have assisted in their con-
struction, just to show how hideous a
place man could build and still call it
home.
These houses have. no entrances on the
ground aud the terraces arc reached by
ladders. Some of the houses were made
before the first Spanish Conquest, as can
be seen by the rafters, which were hewn
by stone implements. Only less curious
than the relics of the mound builders and
more valuable because more available,
these ancient pueblos possess wonderful
interest for the student and weird
attraction for the tourist despite their
peculiar style of architecture.
To be dubbed Is a Calamity.