NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico’s capital city has a long history. Santa Fe’s Plaza was founded by the Spanish in 1609 as a strategic location for defense. It also served as the Santa Fe trail’s endpoint marker after Mexico gained independence.

Larry Barker’s recent story, “New Mexico treasure hunt: Box of relics buried 150 years ago,” talks about a lost treasure trove buried 155 years ago in Santa Fe. Below are some historic photos of the Santa Fe Plaza.

View more historical photos of Santa Fe Plaza at https://www.nmhistorymuseum.org/collections/photo-archives/.

Photographer: Nicholas Brown Title: Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1866 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 103021
Photographer: Unknown Place: Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: Unknown Courtesy: Public Domain Negative Number: Unknown
Photographer: Hiester, H.T. Title: Trade wagons on San Francisco Street, looking East, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1871-1878. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 011327
Photographer: Nicholas Brown Title: Soldiers Monument on the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1865-1875. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: HP .1974.25.21
Photographer: Nicholas Brown Title: Oxen wagon, Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1869-1871 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 0011255
Photographer: Byron H. Gurnsey Title: Soldier’s Monument on the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1872-1880. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 117670
Photographer: James R. Riddle Title: 13th United States Infantry Band, Plaza in front of the Palace of Governors, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1885. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 001705
Photographer: Ben Wittick Title: Wreathes on Soldier’s Monument, Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1880_1890 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 086867
Photographer: Unknown Title: Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1887 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 011299
Photographer: Unknown Title: Corpus Christi procession, Palace Avenue near Fort Marcy headquarters building looking east, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1890 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 007854
Photographer: Ben Wittick Title: Monument on the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico May 30, 1880. Date: 1880 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 015819
Photographer: Bennett and Brown Title: Monument on Plaza draped for the death of President Garfield, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1881 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 055661
Photographer: Unknown Title: East San Francisco Street at the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1885 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 091416
Photographer: Jesse Nusbaum Title: Plaza and Monument, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1912 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 139151
Photographer: Jesse Nusbaum Title: Plaza in winter, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1912 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 061456
Photographer: T. Harmon Parkhurst Title: Portal at Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1925-1930 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 010598
Photographer: T. Harmon Parkhurst Title: Staab and Galisteo Buildings at the intersection of West San Francisco and Galisteo Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1933-1934 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 051463
Photographer: Willis Title: Monument, Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico Date: 1930s-1940s Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: HP.2015.15.002
Photographer: T. Harmon Parkhurst. Title: Santa Fe Fiesta parade, East San Francisco Street, Santa Fe New Mexico. Date: 1925-1945 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 118249
Photographer: Karl Kernberger. Title: East San Francisco Street at the Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1965 Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 043378
Photographer: Mark Lennihan. Title: Obelisk on Santa Fe Plaza. Date: 1975. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: HP.2014.14.1271
Photographer: Arthur Taylor. Title: Plaza, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1977. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: 112153
Photographer: Leslie Tallant. Title: Frank Albetta and sons, Zack, left, and Sam stop bicycles at the obelisk monument on Santa Fe Plaza. Date: 1988. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: HP.2014.14.812
Photographer: Leslie Tallant. Title: Santa Fe Plaza obelisk monument at night, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Date: 1989. Courtesy: Palace of the Governors Photo Archives (NMHM/DCA). Negative Number: HP.2014.14.932