People from all areas and walks of life are drawn to historic Santa Fe, New Mexico real estate. This alluring town is packed with culture, ethnicity and abundant reminders of days gone by. Santa Fe real estate has evolved into a hot investment market, which is a far cry from its humble beginnings. What was once the home of the native Pueblo people is now an enchantingly unique city, with properties ranging from Santa Fe luxury homes to commercial real estate. As alluring as the city itself is Santa Fe’s rich history and long-standing significance.

One of the oldest cities in America, Santa Fe calls itself the “city different” (or “ciudad diferente”) which by all accounts it is clearly just that. The capital of New Mexico, this charming city has a long and varied history, grounded in the Spanish Empire. Founded and made capital of the province of Nuevo México (New Mexico) in 1610, just three years after being settled by Juan Martinez de Montoya, Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the United States. When New Mexico’s third governor, Don Pedro de Peralta, founded the city, he named it “La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís” (or “The Royal City of the Holy Faith of Saint Francis of Assisi.”)

The native Pueblo people, whom the Spanish had conquered, revolted in 1680 under Po'pay, and held Santa Fe until 1692. Although the Spanish had forced the Pueblo population into slavery on farming estates and possibly in the mines of Chihuahua, they also brought the Pueblo peoples new agricultural technologies and protected them against incursions by Apache and Navajo raiders. That changed in the 1670s, when the region suffered a dreadful drought. This led to famine and also invited more raids from neighboring tribes, which overwhelmed the colonists. To make matters worse, diseases introduced by the colonists killed many of the natives.

In response to this calamitous situation, the Pueblo people returned to their native religion, which the Spanish had replaced with Catholicism. This brought repression from Franciscan missionaries. In one instance, forty-seven Pueblo medicine men (or shamans) were whipped and imprisoned in 1675, and three were hanged. Seeing no other option, the natives revolted. Unfortunately, their new leader Po'pay did not improve life much for the Pueblos. He ordered his subjects to destroy every vestige of Spanish culture, including crosses and livestock. Further, he banned the planting of barley and wheat (corn had been the primary crop before the Spanish arrived) and ordered couples married in the Catholic Church to go their separate ways. Meanwhile, the Pueblo tribes could not agree on who would live in Santa Fe and rule the land.

Given the dire situation, it is no surprise that in 1692, the Pueblo tribes agreed to terms of peace with Don Diego de Vargas, restoring Santa Fe as the provincial capital. Even so, a second revolt was attempted in 1696 but failed. These uprisings, while thwarted, won the Pueblo peoples a degree of freedom to practice their culture, and the Spanish gave each Pueblo (or “town”) land and a public defender to protect the rights of natives and represent them in court. Over a century later, a group of Mexicans rose up against the colonial government of New Spain. After more than a decade of revolt, they succeeded, and in 1824, Santa Fe officially became the capital of the Mexican territory of Santa Fe do Nuevo Mexico. However, it would not remain in Mexico’s hands for long. Desirous to expand west, the young republic of the United States had its eyes on its neighbor’s land, especially its ports on the coast of California. After attempts to purchase California failed (and after annexing the former Mexican territory of Texas, an act that Mexico said would result in war), President Polk put troops on the U.S.-Mexico border, hoping that a skirmish would result. One eventually occurred, and in 1846, Polk told Congress that Mexico had “invaded our territory and shed American blood upon the American soil.” Two years later, the United States and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave the United States possession of California and New Mexico.The next momentous event in Santa Fe’s history was in 1880, when the city was connected to the main line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. That and the introduction of the telegraph revolutionized Santa Fe’s economy. But as the railroad grew, Santa Fe became more of a transit point than a destination, and the economy suffered. Later, in response, it turned to tourism. Finally, in 1912, New Mexico became the 47th state, with Santa Fe as its capital. Today, Santa Fe, New Mexico real estate offers an abundance of property options, and excellent investment opportunities.