ANNUAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION AWARDS

A Feature by Pete Warzel on the annual awards ceremony hosted and presented by Historic Santa Fe Foundation, Old Santa Fe Association, and the City of Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division

May is Historic Preservation Month, nationwide. The National Trust for Historic Preservation established this event in 1973 and since then preservation focused departments, state historic preservation offices, and divisions on the state government level, as well as local preservation groups and associations, have celebrated with specific events at significant properties, awards ceremonies, and with information made available to the public on the importance of preserving our architectural and cultural past.

New Mexico and Santa Fe are no exceptions. The state Historic Preservation Division holds a full calendar of events, including awards, throughout the month of May. A calendar can be found at http://nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/preservation-month/2019/2019HPMonthCalendarNMHPA.pdf.

The city awards have been an annual event for many years, and held at San Miguel Chapel since 2017. The Historic Santa Fe Foundation, The Old Santa Fe Association, and the City of Santa Fe Historic Preservation Division jointly sponsor the event, and present awards for a variety of categories that recognize the efforts of individual homeowners, associations, and companies who are committed to the heritage of the city. The setting at San Miguel is a wonderful place to recognize the importance of maintaining the cultural and architectural heritage of this magical and diverse city. The awards were held this year on May 16, and the presentations were the best of what makes Santa Fe the iconic place that draws people from the world over.

THE BOYLE HOUSE

On March 26, 1963, the Historic Research Committee presented to the Board of Directors of the Historic Santa Fe Foundation a recommendation of properties to be listed of “FIRST IMPORTANCE” as determined by their historic or architectural significance. This list was an effort of further research after the first round of HSFF plaques were designated in a letter to the foundry, ordering plaques for 10 properties on June 6, 1962. The Foundation was moving quickly to recognize what would become our Register of Properties Worthy of Preservation.

The Boyle House at 327 East de Vargas Street was included in the 1963 list, and then again in the first edition of Old Santa Fe Today (OSFT) in 1966. This significant home has been on the radar of the Foundation for a very long time.

Cornelia and Scott Tobey purchased the home in 2014 and have been diligent and engaged stewards of this amazing property. In recognition of their care and efforts, the Historic Santa Fe Foundation presented the Architectural Stewardship Award to them as part of the Heritage Preservation Awards ceremony for 2019.

Old Santa Fe Today called the house “…one of the oldest…” in the city, borne out by tree ring dating completed by dendrochronology conducted by archeologist Tom Windes, following the Tobey’s purchase of the home. “It appears on all old maps of the City, and was once referred to as a ranch.” (OSFT) The property is a true anchor in the Barrio de Analco.

The Barrio itself is one of the oldest residential areas of European habitation in the United States, first settled in 1620. Here located are the “oldest house” as well the “oldest church”, San Miguel Chapel, the location for our Heritage Preservation Awards. The area was abandoned in 1680 during the Pueblo Revolt, and much of the area was destroyed or burned, including San Miguel. The Boyle House may have been an early reconstruction in the area following Spanish return to Santa Fe. Territorial features were added to the home after Santa Fe became U.S. territory in 1846.

The ownership of the house is a record of Santa Fe history. Old Santa Fe Today cites Don Antonio José Ortiz, who funded restoration of San Miguel Chapel and contributed funds for the building of Rosario Chapel. In 1863 the Vicar General to Archbishop Lamy acquired the property, and brought the Christian Brothers to Santa Fe to found St. Michael’s College. The dormitory of the college still stands in the Barrio de Analco as the Lamy Building of state government offices, adjacent to San Miguel Chapel. In 1881 Arthur Boyle purchased a portion of the house, his wife buying the other portion in 1889. Since then it has been known, and entered into our Register of Historic Properties Worthy of Preservation, as the Boyle House.

The Tobeys have maintained the interior as it was, with crooked doors, reinforced vigas, and irregular surfaces throughout. A wall in the courtyard off the kitchen had to be rebuilt with adobes. Five of the eleven fireplaces in the home have been relined with steel. Extensive work was done on the parapet, and returned to a pre-territorial design. The main portal designed and constructed by Kate Chapman in 1914 has been restored and preserved, including the quite unusually shaped entry door. And much more.

Sources:
Old Santa Fe Today, First and Fourth Editions
Letter from Cornelia Tobey, May 7, 2019
Barrio de Analco, National Historic District, Santa Fe, New Mexico – nps.gov