400 Years Old and Looking Good

Santa Fe, NM possesses perhaps the most unique and diverse cultural history of any U.S. city. First founded in 1610, Spanish governor Pedro de Peralta founded the territorial capital in Santa Fe. Construction began on the Palace of the Governors, which remained Santa Fe’s governmental center for more than three centuries and remains today as a museum vital to recounting the region’s history. In its history, Santa Fe has been ruled by four different governments: Spain; the Pueblo tribe, which overthrew the colonial government in 1680 before the Spanish regained control 13 years later; Mexico, after it won independence from Spain; and, finally, the U.S. after it won the Mexican-American War.

Santa Fe has grown from a sleepy, artist-friendly town into a burgeoning tourist destination. Yet, it still retains a strong portion of its Spanish and frontier heritage. In honor of its quatercentennial, ST proudly presents this gallery of signage from the Land of Enchantment’s capital city. Befitting a sun-baked, rustic, Western climate, copper-patina finishes, earth tones and Spanish and frontier iconography abound. Thanks for Santa Fe’s Pronto Signs and John Gerbino, author of Signs of Santa Fe, for providing the images.