Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-02-04
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HISTORIC SANTA PE
Story Of the 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 Some
of Its Many. Advantages
Considered.

Santa Fe, the City of the Holy Faith
OF st. Francis, is the capital of New
Mexico, a commercial center OF import
ance, a sanitarium without an equal on
the American continents city COM
bining historic and romantic interest,
with the restless and progressive civili-
cation of the nineteenth century. In
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 world
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 in
this ancient city of the Holy Faith.
Other cities there are, which hold fast
to the traditions of by gone d%ays--cittes
where m seems to breathe the atmos.
phere of the sixteenth century, and into
which the spirit of modernism has not
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 a well sheltered
cozy 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 broken
dragged peak, but one of the loveliest
natural parks eXtant, traversed by
numerous mountain streams and ~rivulets
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 can
find in season a mountain para
discs SO to speak, affording 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 Fee are due largely to
the shelter afforded by these mountains,
and the sweet aroma with which the air
is charged in early morning, carried by
the gentle breezes from mountain to
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
ma nprama Of hno pfv and cnhli,pify a
source of never failing delight even to
the most callous. Proudly they stand,
defying storm and tempest, even against
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 s~now-capped heads aloft and
~reSplendent with the sheen of myriads
Of diamonds and sapphires, scintilIating
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 over 30 interesting historical points
in and around the city.
An Indian pueblo stood on the present
site of Santa Fe previous to tic 18th
century. 1t was called O-ga-h'-ho-ge,
and was abandoned before the time of
Coronado. The Spanish town of Santa
Fe was founded at least as early as
1905, and, in 1904, came the first Ameri.
a 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-
lions 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 in 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
knnvylndrn tptfh IN introduction RI tha
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,
cials. 1t was erected in 1908, 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 1850, is another building which the
visitor should not miss. 1t was reoc-
cupied In 1893, and completely restored
In ITO.
The original buildings on the site now
occupied by the Cathedral of San Fran
cisco were 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 near
the town, now In ruins, was built by Gen.
eral Kearny In 1916. From this point y
splendid view can be obtained of the
surrounding country for a distance Of
several hundred miles to the south. The
spot Is famous as q point Of vantage in
all the sieges o the city, both before