History
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As early as 1607, Juan Martínez de Montoya, one of Governor Juan de Oñate's captains, founded the village of Santa Fe, writing that he had populated the site and established a plaza. The new town stood on the Santa Fe River at the intersection of the trail from the northern pueblos to Pecos and the plains. Santa Fe was a paraje, or rest stop, at the crossing that valley settlers apparently already called Santa Fe, meaning Holy Faith. Martínez de Montoya later received a viceregal appointment as governor to succeed don Juan de Oñate, but the cabildo of San Gabriel rejected him and chose don Cristóbal de Oñate, don Juan's son, to serve until the crown appointed a permanent governor. In 1610, don Pedro de Peralta, the next royal governor, designated La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asís as New Mexico's capital. Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the U.S.
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Santa Fe, New Mexico · United States
