De Vargas Street House

The De Vargas Street House is a historic adobe building from early New Mexico, preserving original dirt floors, low ceilings, and thick adobe walls. Today it operates as both a craft shop and museum.

Archaeological studies show that parts of the building's foundation date to the 13th century, when Native American Pueblo communities inhabited the area. The structure developed further during the Spanish colonial period.

The house stands in El Barrio de Analco, a neighborhood founded by Tlaxcalan warriors who accompanied Spanish settlers in the early 1600s. The district still shapes Santa Fe's character today with its narrow streets and traditional adobe homes.

The building is easily reached at De Vargas Street, where free parking is available nearby despite the one-way traffic pattern. Visitors should expect low ceilings inside, so plan your movements accordingly.

From 1709 to 1710, the house served as temporary quarters for Spanish Territorial Governor Chacon Medina Salazar while the nearby San Miguel Church was under repairs. This episode connects the building to the everyday reality of colonial governance at the local level.