Santa Fe Style (s) There are a great many books that will give you an extensive understanding of Santa Fe Style. Our own abbreviated version of Santa Fe Style is as follows: Pueblo Style was created by the Pueblo Indians. The Spanish, upon their arrival, utilized the style because it provided them with the quickest and easiest way to construct homes and buildings. Pueblo style is largely dictated by local materials. Mud and pine trees are plentiful, so the essence of Pueblo construction was utilization of these materials. Mud bricks (adobes) comprised the walls. The roof, of mud, was supported by cut pine trees with the bark peeled off (vigas). Lastly, the mud was kept from falling between the vigas by use of latillas or small aspen trees cut and placed between the vigas. However, as soon as the Americans and the railroads came, Santa Fe took on a definite East Coast flair with lots of brick and mortar and lots of Victorian Style homes being built by the merchants who came from places like New York City. These homes can be found today along East Palace Avenue and south of the Capitol Building. In 1917, a "Santa Fe Style"" movement was started. Carlos Viera, a painter and architect, was one of the primary leaders of the movement. Along with others, notably John Gaw Meem, they remade Santa Fe and recreated the Santa Fe we largely know today. The "new" Santa Fe style, was and is, predominately based on the architectural style and materials utilized by the Pueblo Indians. However, there are "modern" elements used. Flooring was, and is, often out of cut pine boards. Tile is now a very common element in flooring. Latillas no longer are used for purpose; they are only used for aesthetics. Latillas are often replaced with cut boards. But, all in all, the "new" Santa Fe Style honors the original Pueblo Style. For those who could not quite accept the Pueblo Style as the Santa Fe Style, two other types of architectural styles sprung up: Territorial Style and Northern New Mexico Style. Territorial Style is a blend of the "rigidness" of brick and mortar but encompasses the earth colors of Pueblo Style. Window trims are almost always white in Territorial Style and parapets are made out of brick. Northern New Mexico style is really Pueblo Style with one notable difference. The roofs in Northern New Mexico Style are pitched and were originally made of tin. Today, all sorts of metals are used, even copper. A Few Basic Terms for your Reference... Plaza = square, as in "Town Square" Paseo, Calle, Camino = Street or Road Acequia = Ditch as in "Irrigation Ditch" Chile / Beans and Chile; here it is a vegetable that is a hot cousin to a bell pepper. It can be either green or red. (Red is generally hotter.) Order both? Say "I want Christmas!!"
