Glimpse history through fascinating old images of Santa Fe in New Mexico, USA.
Old Photos of Santa Fe
Santa Fe 1950
When New Mexico pased the Bilingual Multicultural Education Act of 1973, it was the first state in the US to have a bilingual multicultural education law. The change of law reflected the long standing mix of ethnic communities in New Mexico.
In this video about Santa Fe made in 1950, we are told that at the time “Today it is the Spanish influence which is more dominant..Spanish is still their mother language, and it is spoken as of fore, with a seventeenth century Castillian inflection.”
We also see the Fiesta de Santa Fe, and some of the people who come to see it. Native Americans sell hand loomed rugs and hand crafted pottery near Santa Fe’s historic old plaza.
A range of Native American dances are performed for an engaged audience.
Quite a few streets and building appear, along with hundreds of people.
We also see the already 78 year old Penitentiary of New Mexico, three years before the prison riot in which Deputy Warden Ralph Tahash and twelve guards were held hostiage. The battle to regain control of the prison was to leave two inmantes dead and several wounded.
Trails End: Santa Fe, New Mexico, 1950 – travelfilmarchive on YouTube
Ski in Santa Fe 1982
This 1982 commercial was shot live 16 miles away at Santa Fe Basin for the skiing scenes. The nighlife scene was shot at the old bar at the Inn and Spa at Loretto.
Ski Santa Fe – 1980.wmv – High Desert Soul on YouTube
1980s Santa Fe Fiesta
The quality of this home movie of the Santa Fe Fiesta parade in the 1980s isn’t great. But a lot of people appear in it, and someone may recognise themselves from a time when few of us had video recorders.
Santa Fe Fiesta Parade 1980’s – metsrock on YouTube
William Henderson
Artist William Penhallow Henderson (1877-1943) first lived near Santa Fe in the 1880s, when his parents tried cattle ranching.
Thirty years later, after an art career which took in study, work and teaching in Europe and the United States, he returned to Santa Fe to make it his permanent home and work base.
Early Santa Fe Artist William Penhallow Henderson (1877-1943) Biography – Medicine Man Gallery on YouTube
