The Borrego House, dating from the eighteenth century, is an outstanding Spanish period structure with a long family history. It is named for Rafael Borrego, who purchased the property in 1839. From 1839 to 1906, the property remained in the Borrego family, who were community leaders in Santa Fe and hosted significant social and political activities at their home. In the late nineteenth century, the Borrego family added the home’s primary feature: the long, columned portal extending across the front façade, exhibiting decorative features of the Territorial period in Santa Fe. The property was divided and changed ownership many times until 1928, when Margretta Stewart Dietrich purchased the main house and hired Kate Chapman to design and build a restoration. In 1940, the Historic American Buildings Survey, a federal program designed to document important American architecture, selected the Borrego House for its study.
From Old Santa Fe Today, 5th edition by Audra Bellmore with photographs by Simone Frances.
PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MELANIE MCWHORTER