Site of Santa Fe’s First Chapel

Posted on by Misty
Santa Fe, New Mexico Historical Marker: First Chapel

Santa Fe is a mecca of history, so there are plenty of historical markers in the area. On the southeast corner of the Place of the Governors lies the historical marker for Santa Fe’s first chapel.

According to the marker, the chapel was “Also used as two story defensive tower for Palace of the Governors during the 1600’s. Gen. Don Diego de Vargas was probably buried beneath the floor of this chapel in 1704”. The chapel was demolished in 1774.

Don Diego de Vargas

Diego de Vargas Zapata y Luján Ponce de León y Contreras, better known as Don Diego de Vargas, was a Spanish Governor of the territory of Santa Fe from most of the 1690s until 1704. He was in charge of the reconquest of the New Mexico territory after the Pueblo Revolt in 1692.

The Pueblo Revolt started in August 1680, and involved Pueblo people from different pueblos. While traditional extremely peaceful people, the Pueblo people were treated cruelly by the Spanish rulers. They overthrew Spanish rule in New Mexico and held the area for more than 12 years.

Location: N 35° 41.261 W 105° 56.266

Dominguez Y Escalante Expedition 1776 – 1976

Posted on by Misty

Located in Marble Canyon on Highway U.S. 89A at mile post 557, this spot commemorates a portion of the Dominguez y Escalante Expedition. While the marker itself is missing, you can see the stone holder of where it used to be.

Father Silvestre Velez Escalante and Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez were co-leaders of an expedition, along with 10 companions, that left Santa Fe, NM, to try and a find a route to Monterey, CA. The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition began in July 1776, but was having trouble less than 10 weeks after leaving Santa Fe.

Near Thermo Hot Springs in Utah, they ran into a blizzard, and supplies were running short. The members of the crew drew lots to determine whether they should try to continue forward or turn back to Santa Fe. The outcome was that they turned around and were back in Santa Fe on January 2, 1777.

Dominguez-Escalante Expedition Historical Marker

Located near the Vermillion Cliffs, according to the Historical Marker Database, this marker memoralizes the following:

Within sight of this place the Franciscan priests Dominguez and Escalante and their ten companions experienced two of the most difficult challenges among many along the 1,800 miles of their epic journey from the Spanish presidio at Santa Fe, New Mexico.

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