El Delirio and School for Advanced Research Register Plaque

photo by Paul Lewis

by Pete Warzel

On Friday, August 6, I attended a gathering of the School for Advanced Research Board of Directors, and members of the SAR President’s Circle. It was enjoyable time meeting with some old friends and comparing notes on the progress of the two organizations during the trying times of the past year.

During those times, El Delirio, the former estate of Martha and Amelia Elizabeth White, and now the SAR campus, was added to the HSFF Register of Properties Worthy of Preservation, in this case the “Estate Worthy of Preservation.” At the Friday gathering I presented a brief history of our Register and why it was started almost immediately upon formation of HSFF in 1961. In fact, at the first Board meeting the Foundation, the idea of marking or plaquing important buildings in the history of Santa Fe was discussed, at John Meem’s insistence.

Nancy Owen Lewis, Board Director at HSFF and longtime scholar at SAR, gave an overview of the nomination she and Jean Schaumburg wrote so elegantly, to add the property to our Register. Ken Stilwell, Board Director at HSFF and our former Chair, had donated the plaque(s) designating the Register addition to SAR. (Photo below).

An enjoyable evening, and a very worthy addition to our Register. Bravo.