The history of Sante Fe, New Mexico, is one that spans over several centuries. With the arrival of Pedro de Peralta as governor of New Mexico in 1609, he moved the capital from San Gabriel down to modern day Santa Fe in 1610. The city itself served as a base for the Spanish soldiers and missionaries who sought to bring the local Pueblo Indians under their control. While successful for a while, the Pueblo people revolted against the Spanish in 1680, killing around 400 and sending the rest of the Spaniards fleeing towards Mexico. Every building in the city was burned to the ground, save one: The Palace of Governors. For 12 years, the city remained out of Spanish control. However in 1692, the city was brought back under Spanish control after a bloodless siege, which was lead by Don Diego de Vargas.
This Palace of Governors is the oldest public building in North America, which says alot when you consider whom else was inhabiting the continent at the time. And to commerorate the retaking of Santa Fe, the local population takes part in the nation's oldest public celebration, the Santa Fe Fiesta, which was established in 1712.
Santa Fe was only allowed to experience a small amount of peace, as the city was continually having to deal with raids from the Commanche, Apache and Navajo, which eventually caused the city to ally with the very Pueblo Indians who had captured the city years before. Later on, the city was taken over by angry farmers from the northern reaches of New Mexico, but which was due to the fact that the farmers killed the Governor. Later on during the Mexican-American war, a United States flag was raised over the city in 1846. Later in the Civil War, the city was occupied by Confederate soldiers. However, as the 20th century arrived, the area began to settle down quite a bit. And by 1912, New Mexico was a state.
