Skip to main content

Santa Fe, New Mexico Records

 Collection
Identifier: MSS-76-BC

Scope and Content

This collection has miscellaneous official records of the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1822-1934, with the bulk dating 1901-1930. It includes ordinances, bonds, deeds, minutes of meetings, petitions, correspondence, invoices, construction contracts and specifications for buildings, bridges, roads, and paving of the Plaza, treasury reports of the city, accounts of payment to the sheriff for feeding and keeping city prisoners, reports from the city clerk for fees collected for licenses, information on legal cases, police fines, police judge monthly reports, a monthly report of the city Marshal listing prisoners, their crimes and sentences, and a booklet for the 1876 centennial celebration.

Also in the collection are scattered leaves of the journal of the Ayuntamiento (city council) of Santa Fe, N.M., 1829-1836. The city council discusses the public school, cleaning and maintenance of ditches, water distribution, bridge repair, Corpus Christi celebrations, building a flour mill, construction of cemeteries, stray animals, drunk and disorderly conduct, the disruption of daily life by the Americans, etc. There is also a copy of Gaceta Imperial de Mexico for March 1822 telling of Santa Fe's celebration for independence from Mexico. This article is in Spanish with an English translation. Some correspondence, court documents, and the Ayuntamiento journal pages are in Spanish.

Dates

  • 1822-1934 (bulk 1901-1930)

Language of Materials

English Spanish

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Copy Restrictions

Limited duplication is allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for compliance with all copyright, privacy and libel laws. Permission is required for publication or distribution.

Biography

Santa Fe, New Mexico, known as the oldest capital city in the United States, was established in 1610. Located at the end of the Camino Royal on the far northern frontier of the Spanish and Mexican empires it was an administrative, military and commercial center. With the success of the Pueblo Revolt in 1680, the Spanish colonists were exiled until 1693 when the Spaniards, under the leadership of Diego de Vargas, reconquered Santa Fe. In 1821, Mexico won its independence from Spain and in 1822, New Mexico Governor Don Facundo Melgares sent a written description of the independence celebrations held in Santa Fe to the Gaceta Imperial, the official government newspaper of Mexico. From 1821 to 1846, Santa Fe was the provincial capital of the area covering New Mexico, Arizona, parts of Colorado and Utah. The city was divided into seven districts; each named for a parish church or other familiar landmark. Also during this time the Santa Fe Trail, beginning in Missouri and ending in Santa Fe, brought Americans and their goods into the city. In 1846 General Kearny arrived in Santa Fe beginning New Mexico's period as a territory of the United States of America. When New Mexico became a state in 1912, Santa Fe was designated the state capital. After World War I, Santa Fe became popular as a vacation and tourist destination.

Extent

2 boxes ( .9 cu. ft. )

Relevant Secondary Sources

  • Weber, David J. "Facundo Melgares on Independence." New Mexico Historical Review, 48 (1973): 27-44.
Title
Finding Aid of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Records, 1822-1934 (bulk 1901-1930)
Status
Completed
Author
Described by T.S. Reinig
Date
©2000
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid is in English

Revision Statements

  • June 28, 2004: PUBLIC "-//University of New Mexico::Center for Southwest Research//TEXT (US::NmU::MSS 76 BC::Santa Fe, New Mexico Records)//EN" "nmu1mss76bc.sgml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15).
  • Monday, 20210524: Attribute normal is missing or blank.

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451