Roque Tudesqui House - Historic Santa Fe Foundation

a strong connection between this
and the property on the west was
created by a friendship that began
in Texas.
The Caldwell and Allen
familieswere neighbors inAmarillo.
In the 1920s Jimmie Caldwell
brought the Allens' teenage daughter,
Marjorie, on her first trip to
SantaFe as ababy sitter for his older
daughter, Jamie. Later, as a young
woman, Marjorie led her brothers
to Santa Fe. Their parents soon followed.
In 1939 Jimmie Caldwell
convertedthe Cartwright house into
threeapartments. In the early 1940s
the older Allens rented one ofthem
Dr. David Knapp
from their old friend from Amarillo. While living on De Vargas Street, the
Allens developed a friendship with their neighbor, Sophie Knapp, and
after her brother died, moved next door to live with her.
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Arriving in Santa Fe in 1934, in the midst of the depression,
lJarjorie sustained herself at first with odd jobs, but soon was hired by
he State Welfare Department. In 1943 she began a 30-year career with
henewly formed Atomic Energy Commission as press liaison. In 1956,
fter Miss Knapp died, Marjorie Allen, who was living and working in
I.lbuquerque,bought the property where her parents were living, indi­
~ctlyfrom Sophie Knapp's heirs.
In the late 1950s Marjorie remodel~d the two south rooms of the
)Useinto a separate living space, converting one room into a kitchen,
d removing the doorway to the living room. She also added a fireplace
dremodeled the bathroom. Marjorie intended to live there herself after
e stopped working, but never did. In 1973, just as she was getting
ldy to retire, her mother died. Marjorie moved into the main house and
ltinued to rent the apartment.
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