CERRILLOS HILLS HISTORIC PARK

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The "City of the Holy Faith" stands on both sides of Santa Fe Creek, and is built almost entirely of adobe or sun-dried brick, one story high, and covered with dirt. As the walls are very thick, they are consequently warm in winter and cool in summer. The altitude is 6,862 feet. Population almost 6,500, of which 5,500 are of Spanish and Mexican descent.

The first Spaniards came here in 1582, and found an Indian village bearing the marks of time already established, so that Santa Fe may with justice claim to be the oldest city in the United States.

In 1680 the Pueblo Indians secretly conspired to overcome the whites, and drive them from the country. Santa Fe contained at that time almost 1,000 inhabitants, citizens and soldiery. After a siege of ten days, during which the Spaniards lost nearly 500 killed and disabled, they resolved to abandon the place. After suffering incredible hardships, the miserable remnant at last reached El Paso, Mexico.

The Indians remained in undisturbed possession for the next twelve years, when the Spaniards again returned, under De Vargas Ponce De Leon, and after a desperate battle, with heavy losses on both sides, the Indians were again compelled to submission. The Spaniards took position on an eminence overlooking the city, supposed to be the same site as old Fort Marcy, where they remained until the following year, when they decided to remove into the city. This was opposed by the Indians, and another battle followed, resulting in the discomfiture of the Pueblos with a loss of 175 killed. Seventy principal warriors and chiefs captured, were immediately condemned and shot by order of De Vargas.

On the 18th of September, 1846, during the war with Mexico, Santa Fe was captured by the United States military forces under General Kearney, though without any fighting in or about the city.

During the late civil war, Santa Fe was captured by the confederates under General H.H. Sibley, in 1862, who remained in possession about a month.

Santa Fe has hardly been altered with all the change in its fortunes, during the past century, there is yet scarcely a frame building in the place; and with the distinction of being the oldest civilized city in the United States, she can couple the singularity of being the only town in the country of 5,000 inhabitants which do not possess a single steam engine of any description. Both her architecture and her methods of work are simple and primitive. It is mainly derived from the Indians, and the aboriginal customs have dominated over foreign influence, which has modified but not changed Indian practices.

The Chapels of San Miguel and Santa Guadaloupe.

These historic old buildings were erected by the Franciscan Fathers, who accompanied the Spaniards into the country as missionaries; the first shortly after 1582; the second about forty-five years later.

In 1680 the Indians rebelled against the Spaniards and drove them from the country. They at once burned down the chapels and other publice buildings and residences, collected the chruch saints on the Plaza and burned them, forbid the use of a word of the Spanish language, bathed themselves to wash away the baptism of the Catholic Priests, and allowed those who had been married by them to put aside their wives and take others. They utterly destroyed everything even suggestive of the Spaniards.

Twelve years later the Spaniards returned, and again reduced the Indians to submission, men were sent to the forest and the churches were soon rebuilt. On one of the beams of the church of San Miguel appears an inscription in Spanish of which the following is a translation: "The Marquis de La Penuela erected this building by the Royal Ensign, Don Augustin Flores Vergara, his servant, A.D. 1710."

The Governor's Palace -- North side of the Plaza.

Built about A.D. 1582, of material from the old Indian town. This interesting old building, on account of the repairs repeatedly made upon it, is fast losing its antique appearance and internal arrangement. In it lived and ruled the Spanish Captain General, so remote and inaccessible from the Viceroyalty at Mexico, that he was in effect a King, nominally accountable to the Viceroy, but practicably beyond his reach and control, and wholly irresponsible directly to the people. Here have been planned all the domestic wars and measures for defense against foreign invasion. It has been for 300 years the Government House with all its branches annexed, and is so still. It contains now the Governor's mansion, the U.S. Designated Depository, the U.S. and Territorial Court Rooms, the Legislative Halls, Territorial Library, and Territorial Attorney General's Office.

The Plaza, or Public Square.

Contains an area of about two and one-half acres, filled with beautiful shade trees, mainly cottonwood.

Surrounding the plaza on the east, south, and west sides are the principal mercantile and business houses of the city, whose rich argosies of merchandise, freighted from the Mississippi, have in times past given the "Ship of the Plains" and the "Santa Fe Trail" a world-wide notoriety.

(front) Along the Line of the A.T.&S.Fe R.R. in New Mexico. Photographed & Published at Santa Fe, N.M., by Henry Brown.