Significance: I can't remember when I first learned that Santa Fe was founded in 1610 and is the second oldest city founded by Europeans in the United States - but I know that I was surprised. When I think of early settlements, I think of Jamestown or Plymouth - places on the ocean. Santa Fe is over 800 miles from the Pacific coast and over 1600 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. And the Spanish actually marched through New Mexico 70 years earlier than Santa Fe was founded, on Vasquez de Coronado's epic expedition (1540-42) that made it all the way to modern day Kansas in the search for mythical cities made of gold.
As discussed in posts on Chaco Canyon, Mesa Verde, and an upcoming post on Taos Pueblo - this land was already inhabited by Native Americans with a very rich culture - they first came to New Mexico in the 9th Century BC. New Mexico was a very important center of culture for centuries - and yet, one of the most important modern events in the state (the first explosion of an atomic bomb) was done here because of the lack of a population.
The current low population of New Mexico along with the lasting architectural impact of the cultures that have been here for centuries makes New Mexico "feel" older than most places in the United States. Even buildings completed recently stay true to the adobe style. Along with the beautiful mountain vistas, strong culture of the arts and the star filled nights - New Mexico is one of the more underrated places in the United States.
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