HISTORIC TOUR - Historic Santa Fe Foundation

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Barrio de Analco
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Barrio de Analco
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Houses on
the Tour
The Donaciano Vigil House
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518 Alto Street
This house was purchased and
renovated by Charlotte White and
sculptor Boris Gilbertson in 1958.
The facade is one of very few in
Santa Fe with real mud plaster. The
large entrance door was created by
Mr. Gilbertson, and the Territorial
style windows are from the original
Loretto Academy. In 1832 this
house, with orchard and farmland
extending north to the Santa Fe
River, was the residence of city
official Juan Cristobal Vigil and
family. Vigil's son, Donaciano,
served as military secretary to
Governor Manuel Armijo during
the Mexican rule from 1821 to
1846, and went on to serve as
Secretary and then Governor of the
territory.
Roque Tudesqui House
2
135 East DeVargas Street
The Tudesqui House on DeVargas
is known for its red gate and the
enormous wisteria swag above it.
Beyond the red gate is an intimate
courtyard leading to a rear garden
that slopes to the Santa Fe River.
This house has stunning interiors
featuring large rooms with high
ceilings. The Foundation recently
completed a restoration of its
interior.
The “Oldest” House
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209-215 East De Vargas
Although there are no written
records to prove the Oldest
House’ age, dendrochronology
(tree ring dating) dates some of
the vigas to between 1740-1767.
It was placed on the Historic
Santa Fe Foundation Registry in
2006. The Foundation’s research
committee cited an article in
Harper’s Weekly, dated
September 1879 promoting it as
“the oldest house in America”
which makes it an important relic
of Santa Fe’s early effort to attract
tourist.
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The Valdes House (Mission
Café) 239 East De Vargas
Manuel Valdes, second Mayor of
Santa Fe, inherited this property
in 1881. The house was eventually
inherited by his grandson Joseph
E. Valdes who served as Mayor of
Santa Fe from 1972-1976. The
building dates to the early days of
state parking
To safely walk to Canyon
Road from De Vargas Street,
take Brothers Lane to Alameda,
walk east to Peralta,
then south to Canyon Road.
Spanish re-settlement in Santa Fe.
It currently is home to the Mission
Café where owner Carolyn
Stephenson will graciously offer
refreshments to tour participants.
El Zaguán (James L. Johnson
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House) 545 Canyon Road
Santa Fe Trail merchant James L.
Johnson bought two parcels of land,
including a house and corral on
Canyon Road in the mid-1850s. By
1875 his business was thriving, his
family had grown to seven children,
and he had added on to his house.
The Johnson family was associated
with the house for over 75 years.
The property was purchased in
1928 by Margretta Dietrich, a
wealthy widow who had recently
resettled in Santa Fe from Nebraska
where she had been a leading
organizer of women's suffrage
groups. It was Dietrich who named
the house “El Zaguán” and
converted into apartments. Along
with her sister, artist Dorothy
Stewart, she colonized the
apartments with artists and writers
setting an atmosphere that still exists
today. Some of the artists’ private
apartments at El Zaguán will be open
during the tour.