Located next to the historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis, Cathedral Park in Santa Fe, New Mexico is more than just a place for people to gather. By providing visitors with a serene environment that showcases the history of the city along with some stunning pieces of sculpture, Cathedral Park has become an important part of the Santa Fe community.
The Site of the Original St. Vincent Sanatorium
On May 26th, 1856, the area that would one day become Cathedral Park in Santa Fe was originally purchased by Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. After re-selling it to the Superior Sisters of Charity, the land was turned into the original site for the St. Vincent Sanitorium that first opened in 1883. The first sanatorium was destroyed by fire in 1896, but after 12 years, in 1908, reconstruction of the structure was begun.
This new building left a sizable space at the corner southeast comer of Palace Avenue and Cathedral Place which has since been preserved as an open air space that would become Cathedral Park. This space has been preserved despite extensive building plans by St. Francis and the evolution of the sanatorium into Marian Hall in 1954. That year, the building was remodeled for use as a convent and school for nurses.
The Santa Fe Cathedral Park and Monument serves as the central feature of the park, which was a gift to the citizenry of Santa Fe and the State of New Mexico to commemorate the first European settlers of the area in 1598. A statue near the entrance of the park of Juan Ponce de León commemorates his time as Governor of New Mexico, which marked the beginning of a critical episode of New Mexico’s restoration.
All of this history has influenced how Cathedral Park has been able to make an impact on the culture and economy of Santa Fe.
An Artist Market and Much More
Cathedral Park is filled with plaques describing the history of the area and the park itself. This history ranges from stories about Juan Lucero in 1788 to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 to Resolution 1997-23 in 1997 which established and provided support for the Cuarto Centenario Committee of civic organizations and volunteers to plan the commemoration of the 1598 founding of “La Nueva Mexico.” All of this history has made a major impact on the culture and identity of the present-day community.
This history is far from the only meaningful thing visitors can experience though. From March to December, Cathedral Park features local art at the Artist Market in Santa Fe. Produced by the Santa Fe Artists Market, Inc., items that range from pottery and furniture to paintings and textiles are available at the market. Visitors can discover a wide variety of art and other items created by artists that are from and live in New Mexico.
Support for Cathedral Park ranges from engraved bricks that are located near the entrance to benches that are dedicated to specific people with personalized messages. Numerous organizations sponsored and supported the commemoration and restoration of the park at bronze, silver and platinum levels in 2003. Similar to other parks that utilize these kinds of options to generate revenue, these opportunities provide residents and visitors with a means to enable a legacy, since doing so is about contributing to the culture and history of Santa Fe in a powerful way.
The History and Culture of Santa Fe
Featuring a fountain and other statues that have helped influence the identity of the Santa fe Historic District, Cathedral Park is a great example of what it means when for a simple park to become something much more. By embracing the various elements that make this park and area distinct, Cathedral Park showcases how monuments can become icons for an entire region.
