We spent three nights here (at the very nice Residence Inn Santa Fe) that culminated in my niece Nicole’s wedding to Tyler on June 15. See some of my photos from those festivities at the end of this post.
We were fortunate to have clear skies and moderate temperatures in this small city (population 89,008 in 2022) with a big reputation for culture, art, history and shopping.
The Spanish in 1610 founded (claimed and named) Santa Fe, making it the capital of Nuevo Mexico, a province of New Spain. It was first called Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis. In English that would be Royal City of the Holy Faith of St. Francis of Assisi.
I’m glad the name was eventually shortened to Santa Fe!
The church in these photos is the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. It was dedicated in 1887 and was built on the site of the original adobe church from 1610. St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) of Italy, is the patron saint of Santa Fe. This statue is of him.
St. Francis Cathedral would be the backdrop for Nicole’s wedding that took place on the terrace of a nearby hotel.
To follow are some of my photographs taken inside this beautiful house of worship.
My previous post about Taos Pueblo in New Mexico showed the prevalence of adobe buildings. Santa Fe has also historically embraced this style.
Civilian Conservation Corps statue on the Capitol grounds.
The New Mexico State Capitol building, the nation’s only round state Capitol. It’s known as the Roundhouse.
Huh?
In front of the New Mexico History Museum is statue is of Father Fray Angelico Chavez (1910-1996). A native of New Mexico, he was a U.S. Army chaplain during World War II and the Korean War. Father Chavez was also a noted historian, poet and New Mexico’s first Franciscan.
Per the sign below, there used to be an office in the back of this shopping place that was part of the top secret Los Alamos scientific laboratory that developed the first atomic bombs that in 1945 were dropped on Japan leading to the end of World War II.
Oppie’s coffee shop was soon to open in this shopping spot. The coffee shop is named for J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) who directed the atomic bomb research at Los Alamos, which is 33 miles from Santa Fe.
My sister Mary (mother of the bride) and Alesia checking out apparel at one the Santa Fe’s many clothing and gift shops.
I bought the shirt below and wanted also the above shirt but it was on the pricey side.
The day after the wedding we met Mary at La Boca and enjoyed a delicious Spanish tapas lunch.
Note the plaque above Alesia and Mary (and shown below). It commemorates the Spanish Trail that was a trade route connecting Santa Fe to Los Angeles during the 1820s-1840s. Picture in your mind mule trains carrying wool products. Sheep farms were big in New Mexico during this period. We saw Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep in Colorado during this trip!
The plaque was erected in 1910 by the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Territory of New Mexico. New Mexico gained U.S. statehood in 1912.
We visited a second Santa Fe church. Loretta Chapel, built for the Sisters of Loretto order, was dedicated in 1878. The style is Gothic and it was modeled after Sainte-Chapel in Paris (wow, check this link- amazing!).
Inside Loretta Chapel is a lovely sanctuary. It does not appear, per the chapel’s website, that Mass is regularly held. But more than 100 weddings a year take place here. So Loretto Chapel is mostly an historic holy site, a museum really, with a very nice gift shop.
The big attraction is this beautiful circular staircase with a story of mythical, mystical proportions. Close to completing their construction in the 1870s, the workers realized there was a problem- no room for stairs up to the choir balcony. What to do?
The Sisters of Loretto prayed for a solution. They prayed to St. Joseph who is the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth day of their prayers a mysterious stranger shows up on a donkey. He carried a toolbox and was looking for work.
And work he did! In a few months the stranger built this elegant circular staircase. When completed, he vanished before getting paid.
Was the stranger St. Joseph himself? Maybe!
Another intriguing story is how the Stations of the Cross were made from sawdust. Now that’s repurposing!
There’s a small charge to enter Loretto Chapel Museum, $5 or less depending on your age.
As Harwood family members converged on Santa Fe for Nicole & Tyler’s wedding many of us gathered for dinner at The Ranch House, a really good barbecue restaurant. The lights were out due to a big storm that roared through but the cookers still worked and we had a fun, festive time.
Pictured from left are my brother Matt; our niece Josie; yours truly; mother of the bride, my sister Mary; Alesia; and Eileen, Matt’s wife.
OK, it’s time to cue the “Wedding March” music!!!
Nicole is a talented fashion designer who sells online the vintage-style clothes she makes. Check out her Sangre De Cristo online shop!
Nicole made her wedding dress! Gorgeous is her dress and Nicole!
You see in the background the aforementioned St. Francis of Assisi Basilica. The wedding was held at the La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel, on the terrace upstairs that is a popular Santa Fe wedding venue. I think you see why it is popular.
Nicole holds a B.S. in Apparel Design and Production from Colorado State University. GPA 3.9- impressive! She also studied fashion design at the Paris American Academy.
Rev. Greg Schneeberger of Christ Church Santa Fe officiated the ceremony. Nicole and Tyler are members of this church. Nicole is employed at Christ Church in graphics and web design.
I had a great perspective from row two and took lots of photographs.
My sister Mary is one proud mother of Nicole- and now mother-in-law of Tyler.
With my niece Josie.
My brother Matt and Josie.
This is my sister Mary’s son Jack.
My sister Ann and her husband Paul. We stayed with them in Glen Haven, Colorado at the start of our “Out West” trip.
Mary and Josie- looks run in the Harwood family for sure!
No comments:
Post a Comment