Page 26 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL FALL 2021 DISCOVERING SANTA FE

Santa Fe Nuts & Bolts

A walk through the streets of old Santa Fe is a
walk through its history. Around every corner,
there are pieces of the city’s past, some among
the oldest buildings in America. Built during the
Spanish colonial period, the De Vargas Street
House is the city’s, and perhaps the country’s,
oldest residence. Right across the street is the
oldest church in America, the San Miguel Chapel,
dating from 1610 and still functioning. Just up
the road, on the plaza, is the oldest public build-
ing in America, The Palace of the Governors.
In 1926 the city established the Old Santa Fe
Association to preserve and maintain the ancient
landmarks, historical structures, and traditions
of Old Santa Fe. The association would also guide
its growth and development to maintain its
unique charm. A 1958 zoning ordinance move
that effort forward by mandating the preserva-
tion of the city’s distinctive Spanish-Pueblo style
architecture. All buildings within these zones
must comply with historic design and construc-
tion.
Today Santa Fe has an outsized reputation for
a modestly populated city of 84,000. It is the
fourth-largest city in New Mexico after Albu-
querque, Las Cruces, and Rio. Unlike its big sis-
ter cities, the flood of visitors dwarfs the
number of permanent residents. In recent
years, an average of two million overnight visi-
tors from around the world have strolled its pic-
turesque streets.
Santa Fe gets a lot of love. It is a winner of the
National Geographic World Legacy Award for
Sense of Place. The award recognized the city’s
commitment to preservation work. In 2005 it
was designated a UNESCO Creative City. In
2009, the National Trust for Historic Preser-
vation named Santa Fe one of the Trust’s
Dozen Distinctive Destinations. The city con-
sistently ranks as a top 10 destination in most
travel magazines.

26 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2021