Barrio de Analco Historic District

A few weeks ago we went to Santa Fe to meet up with some family at the Santa Fe Railyard Park. Afterwards, there were a few things we wanted to check out that were not far away. Unbeknown to us, the area was actually called the Barrio de Analco Historic District.

Honestly, what truly attracted us to this area was a place referred to as the De Vargas Street House located at 215 East De Vargas Street in Santa Fe’s Barrio Analco Historic District. What is so special about this place? Glad you asked. This is reported to be the oldest house in the United States. It was built circa 1646!

The house was built using adobe bricks (dirt, straw and cow manure). It is two stories and they converted the ground floor into a museum and gift shop. By today’s standards, the house is not very large. But, in the 1600’s it would have been.

We walked in and you enter the gift shop. Immediately to the left is the entrance to the house. You walk down a few stairs and you are in, what seemed to be, a family gathering type room. It had a hand carved bowl for infant bathing and other washing uses. It also had some rocking chairs, trunks and other miscellaneous items. There was a ladder in there that seemed convey that it led to the upstairs, which is where you assume the sleeping quarters were.

On the opposite wall was an entryway to another room. That room had a big table in the center that looks like it would seat 4 to 6 people. There was a fireplace in the corner that you would assume is used for cooking. And there were food preparation items like bowls, woven baskets and flat surfaces on top of standing cabinets. This room seemed to be a kitchen and dining room combination.

That was the end of the museum tour area. You went through 2 rooms and, as I said, they had a gift shop as well. But, it was just amazing to be standing in a  house that is older than the United States. In some other civilizations that are older, there are buildings that are more than a thousand years old. However, compared to the age of our country, this house is ancient.

Now then, there was one more building that we wanted to see in the Barrio de Analco Historic District. It is actually directly across the narrow street from the De Vargas Street House. It is the Chapel of San Miguel. I am sure you are asking the same question as the De Vargas Street House, what is so special about this place? Again, glad you asked. This is claimed to be the oldest structure in the United States.

According to the sign out front, as I quote, “Oldest Church structure in the USA. The original adobe walls and altar were built by Tlaxcalan Indians from Mexico under the direction of Franciscan Padres ca. 1610.”

There was a Pueblo Indian rebellion in 1680 and the roof was burned and destroyed. General Diego de Vargas, after resettling Santa Fe, had a new roof reconstructed in 1694 and repairs continued until 1710. Throughout the 1800s a three-tiered tower, a separate single facade tower and a massive stone buttress were all built and put into place.

The church was closed so we were not able to go inside. But, again, to stand in front of a building that is that old was amazing.

We did walk around the Barrio de Analco Historic District a bit more. As we got closer to the downtown historic area, we saw more churches and noticed more and more statues and sculptures popping up. Many of them were very well done. We stopped to appreciate them. They were crafted by local artisans. However, it did not take long for us to realize that everything in this area was priced for tourists, not for locals. So, we continued on strolling around the square and then back towards Ebony.

It was a great afternoon strolling down the Santa Fe Trail, seeing these old structures that are still standing and taking in the artistry along the streets. If you are already in Santa Fe and you enjoy history, it is worth stopping in for an hour or so and checking out the Barrio de Analco Historic District. Safe Travels.