Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-05-20
OLDEST AMERICAN CITY.
Sante Fe, New Mexico, Established
Before Jamestown, Va.

Francisco de Assist, to give its full
Spanish name, is the historic city OF
Santa Fe, the seat Of the government
OF the territory of New Mexico as well
as a county seat and the See Of an Arch
bishop Of the Roman Catholic church,
and enjoys the distinction Of being
the Oldest town and the oldest capital
within the United States. Its perma-
nent settlement by Europeans antedates
the founding Of Jamestown, and also
the landing Of the Pilgrim Fathers at
Plymouth more than twenty years.
The thrilling and romantic incidents
composing its story, the protracted and
bloody struggles with hordes Of saw
age Indians, the capture and pillage
by hostile Pueblos in 1880, the general
massacre Of missionaries and explor-
ers and flight Of the governor and a
few followers in the night to Ell Paso,
the reserving of some Of the band
soonest maidens for wives Of favored
warriors, the desecration and destruc-
ton of the Christian churches and the
restoration Of the worship Of snakes
and stone idols, the reconquest OF
Diego de Vargas twelve years later,
the terrible punishment visited upon
the rebellious Puebl6s, the change
from Spanish rule to the rule Of the
triumphant Republic Of Mexico, the
capture by the United States forces
under Gen. Kearny and the building of
old Fort Marcy in 1s46, the stirring
scenes accompanying the distribution
OF the immense traffic of the Santa Fe
trail, the wild deeds Of desperadoes,
and the fabulous hazards at cards In
the days before the advent Of the rail-
road, afford the material for an epic
poem Of deep interest.
The governors palace surpasses in
historic interest and value any other
place or object In the United States
II antedates the settlement Of James
town by nine years, and that of Plym-
| outh by twenty-five, and has stood
during the 299 years since it's erection,
not as a cold rock or monument with
no claim upon the interest Of human
ity except the bare fact Of its contin-
ued existence, but as the living CEN
tire of everything of historic import
ance In. the Southwest. Through all
that long period, whether under the
control Of Spain, the Pueblos, Mexico
or the United States, 1t has been the
seat Of power and authority, whether
the ruler was called viceroy, captain
general, political chief, department
commander, or governor, and whether
he presided over a kingdom, a prov
ince, a department, or a territory that
has been his official residence.
| From here Onate started in 1893 or
his adventurous expedition to the east.
ern plains; here, seven years later, SO(
Indians came from far off Quivirato to
ask aid in their war with the Axtaos
from here, in 1918, Vicente de Salival
set forth to the Moqui country only tc
be turned back by rumors Of the giants
to be encountered, and from here Pen.
|
on the 9Th Of March, 1862, on theil
marvellous expedition to the Missouri;
in one Of the strong rooms the com.
missary general Of the Inquisition was
imprisoned few years later by the
same Penalosa; within its walls, for
titled as If for a siege, the bravest OF
the Spaniards were massed in the rev.
olution Of 1880; here, on the 10th OF
August of that year, was given the
order to execute forty-eight Pueblo
prisoners in the plaza which faces the
building; here, but a day later, was
the sad war council held which deter
here was the scene Of the triumph OF
the Pueblo chieftains as they ordered
the destruction Of the Spanish arch.
ives and the church ornaments in one
grand conf1agration; here, De Vargas
on September IA, 1892, after the IL
hour combat Of the preceding day
gave thanks to the Virgin Mary, to
whose aid he attributed his triumphant
/
q century later, on March 8, 1907
Lieut.. Pike was brought before Gov
Alencaster as an invader Of Spanish
ard, with its eagle and cactus, was
raised in token that New Mexico was
no longer a dependency Of Spain; from
here, on the 9Th day Of August, 1887
Gov. Perez started to subdue the insur-
rection in the north, only to return
two days later and to meet his death
on the 9th, near Aqua Fria; here, OH
the succeeding day, Jose Gonzales, a
Pueblo Indian Of Taos, was installed as
governor of New Mexico, soon after
to be executed by order Of Armijo;
here, in the principal reception ROOM
on August IL, 1S49. Capt. Cooke, che
American envoy, was received by Gov
Armijo and sent back with message
Of defiance; and here, six days later
Gen. Kearny took formal possession of
the city and slept on the carpeted floor
of the palace, after his long, weary
E,arch." 1t may be added that Gen.
Lew Wallace wrote the greater part
of Ben Hur in the old palace while
governor Of the territory in 1880.
The oldest house in the city, which
Is reputed to date back before the time
Of the Spanish conquest, and, there
fore, Is the "Oldest house in the Uni
ted States" Is situated just north of
the church Of San Miguel. This build
ing, until recently, was two stories
high, and second story being very
low, and the floor between the upper
and lower rooms being of adobe. The
building was about sixty feet long,
but some years ago. the upper story
OF the easterly portion fell. and quite
| recently, the spirit Of Indifference to
Il the V9lnp nf historic rama inc which fc
fast running our most interesting his
torical landmarks caused the second
story of the remainder to be removed
The first story, however, remains as
1t has been for centuries, and there
seems no reason to doubt that it is
the most ancient building, contin-
ously inhabited. in the entire United