 About Santa Fe… Dubbed “The City Different” and located in the Northern half of a state known affectionately as “The Land of Enchantment”, Santa Fe, New Mexico is a city of contrasts, where ancient civilizations live in harmony with forward looking techno-types, where art is the focal point of much of the citizenry but science is never totally absent from any discussion stemming from its proximity to the Los Alamos lab and the denizens of atmospheric and nuclear physics scientists who toil behind the locked gates of that highly secretive world. A strong sense of community resides alongside a noticeably proud spirit of individualism. People are drawn to Santa Fe for a wide variety of reasons, most typically the clean air that is almost totally devoid of pollutants, the brilliant sunsets and majestic vistas that are without equal, the extraordinary art (Santa Fe is the second largest art marketplace in the US), the unique architecture characterized by pueblo style homes frequently made of adobe, an abundance of outdoor activities including world class ski facilities, hundreds of miles of spectacular hiking trails, biking, golf, tennis and equestrian events; and gourmet dining not generally available in a city of this size. And perhaps one of the greatest magnets that continually attracts many new arrivals is the generally open-minded citizenry that is tolerant of those who choose to pursue a lifestyle that might be viewed as unconventional or unorthodox in most cities…
Geographically speaking…
 Santa Fe is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of roughly 7400 feet, and is America’s oldest capital city, claiming a long and rich cultural heritage. Its mild climate is characterized by very low humidity (summertime humidity is typically around 6-9%), moderate temperatures (Daytime highs in the summer hover around the high 80’s, while winter daytime temperatures range from the high 30’s to the low 50’s), and generally clear blue skies dominate the horizon around 325 days per year. More information relating to Santa Fe weather can be found at: www.wunderground.com/US/NM/Santa_Fe.html
Santa Fe’s History…
 The oldest capital city in the US, Santa Fe was founded in 1607, by a Spaniard, Don Pedro de Peralta, and was originally known as La Villa de Santa Fe, The City of Holy Faith. Nearly a century later, native Americans drove the Spanish out of Santa Fe and for roughly a decade the city was free of European invaders. In 1692, Don Diego de Vargas captured the city and was able to deal more effectively with the native Americans by showing them the respect that was lacking previously. This peaceful conquest is now celebrated annually as La Fiesta, the oldest continually celebrated community event in the US.  Fiesta has grown to include numerous religious and secular events including Zozobra, the annual burning of Old Man Gloom, occurring on Thursday after Labor Day each year. In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail was opened, the same year that Mexico ceded from Spain, putting Santa Fe under control of Mexico. William Becknell opened the Santa Fe Trail thus allowing Santa Fe to establish commercial relationships with the northeastern United States. Santa Fe was claimed for the first time by the United States in 1846 by General Stephen Watts Kearny whose residence was in the area now known as Ft Marcy. In 1848, Mexico formally ceded New Mexico to the US and it was a US territory until 1912 when it became the 47th state of the US.
Santa Fe Cultural Offerings… 
With less than an hour’s drive from Santa Fe, one can find a pueblo ruins to explore or visit the Los Alamos lab, birthplace of the atomic age. Canyon road offers an unparalleled array of fine art, featuring local as well as international artists.
For more information on the myriad cultural offerings of Santa Fe, consider checking out the following:
Traveling to Santa Fe, New Mexico…
Here are some links to websites that may make your trip to Santa Fe more enjoyable:
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