Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1898-07-09
HISTORIC SANTA FE
Story ofthe Oldest City on the Amer
lean Continent Replete with
Romantic Interest.
|OLD And NEW BLENDED
Climatic Mecca of America-As a Health
Resort It Has No Equal-Some
of It's Many Advantages
Considered.

of st. Francis, is the capital of New
Mexico. a commercial center of import
ance a sanitarium without an equal OF
the American cOntinent-a city com
bining historic and romantic interest
with the restless and progressive civil
cation of the nineteenth century. Ii
this strong amalgamation of elements
antique and modern, lies its chief inter
est from the standpoint of the average
tourist, for nowhere else in the worlC
has there been such a blending of char
acteristics belonging to two distinct
civilizations, the product of two eras
separated by hundreds of years. as il
this ancient city of the Holy Faith.
Other cities there are, which hold fas'
to the traditions of by gone days-cities
where one seems to breathe the atmos
phere of the sixteenth century, and int
which the spirit of modernism has no
entered. In Santa Fe these two ele
mentS stand side by side. 1t is the old
est city in the United States and Cana,
da, and is located in u well sheltered
coy nook at the base of the Santa
Fe mountain, which is a spur OF
the Sangre de Cristo range of the
Rocky mountains, which forms a shelter
rarely encountered elsewhere on the
north and east, and west by the Wales
mountains, whose crOwn is not a broker
dragged peak, but one of the lovelies1
natural parks eXtant, traversed by
numerous mountain streams and rivulet:
which are abundantly stocked with the
gamy, delicious mountain trout; a picnic
ground, whose beauty with all the
conveniences, is unsurpassed. Here
the invalid and pleasure seeker car
find in season a mountain para
disc, so to speak, atfording ample
protection against the deadly blizzard
which hurls itself in vain against these
mighty barriers of nature. The favor
able climatic conditions existing in the
vicinity of Santa Fe are due largely tc
the shelter afforded by these mountains.
and the sweet aroma with which the all
is charged in early morning, carried by
the gentle breezes from mountain TIC
valley of natures perfumes which
come from a combination of pine,
spruce, hemlock, balsam, cedar and
pinon nut evergreen forests which
mantle the mountains and foothills.
which also add a strong element of the
picturesque, to a locality always charm.
ing, and rich in the varied touches OF
natures own hand work. So lies the
Ancient city, lovingly EMBODIED in the
embrace of her everlasting hills, pro-
tecting her from harsh winds and Sc
we're storms, and presenting an endless
panorama of beauty and sublimity, q
source of never failing delight even tc
the most %callous. Proudly they stand
defying storm and tempest, W agains1
the c%orroding finger of time, stretching
away league upon league, now clothed
with the verdure of spring, in autumn
with purple, red and gold and in winter
rearing their snow-capped heads aloft and
Respondent with the sheen of myriads
of diamonds and sapphires, scintillating
and sparkling in the sunlight.
AMONG THE WONDERS OF NATURE.
The cloud effects here are among the
wonders of nature. and a source of con
slant delight to those imbued with a love
of the beautiful. These brilliant pic
lures belong to no particular season, but
may be seen at all times, touched with
such tints as no artist can rival. But it
would require much more space than
has been allotted to this article to do JUS
tice to the many natural attractions of
Santa Fe. The locality abounds in pic
turesque charm, enjoyed by no other
section of the United States, while there
are owe 80 interesting historical points
in and around the city.
An Indian pueblo stood on the present
site of Santa Fe previous to the 18th
century. 1t was called O-ga-h'ho-ge,
and was abandoned before the time of
Coronado. The Spanish town of Santa
Fee was founded at least as early as
1905, and, in 1904, came the first Ameri-
can trader, a pioneer on that trail,
which has become world famous.
The elevation is $500 feet, and the
population Is Over 1000. The city is
supplied with every convenience known
to modern times. 1t is lighted with cleo
tricity, enjoys excellent hotel and trans
pOrtation facilities. has a water system
that meets all requirements, and main
tains churches and educational institu-
tions second to none in the country.
st. Michael'S college, an institution
for boys, under the management of the
Christian Brothers, is a model school of
its kind III every respect, and enjoys a
large patronage throughout the south
west.
The Sisters of LOretto manage an
academy for girls, thoroughly modern in
its equipment, and combining instruc-
ton in the various branches of useful
knowledge with an introduction to the
arts and accomplishments of refined
life.
Among the public buildings worthy OF
mention, the old Palace stands first,
because of the historic interest attach
ing to this ancient adobe pile still occu-
pied by the governor and territorial Off
Gals. 1t was erected in 1905, and has
been continuously occupied by Spanish,
Mexican, and American officials for
nearly 800 years. Here General Lew
Wallace wrote his famous novel, Ben
Hur, while occupying the Palace as gov.
ernOr.
OLDEST CHURCH IN AMERICA.
San Miguel church, the oldest struc.
ture in the United States, built in the
beginning part of the 18th century, and
partially destroyed in the revolution
OF 1880, Is another building which the
visitor should not miss. 1t was reoc.
cupied In 1898, and completely restored
in 1910.
The original buildings on the site now
occupied by the Cathedral of San Fran.
cisco We're erected by Governor Del
Vale and his good wife in 1851. What
is the present Cathedral OF San Fran
cisco, was so ordained in 1851.
Old Fort Marcy, on an elevation neal
the town, now in ruins, was built by GEN
eral Kearny in 1916. From this point a
splendid view can be obtained of the
surrounding country for a distance of
several hundred miles to the south. The
spot is famous as a point of vantage in
all the sieges o the city, both before
and stnca thu Tina nj Kparnv