When you think of the oldest buildings in America, you might think of New England, but one of the oldest buildings in the country is actually in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Fun Facts

• The Palace of the Governors was built in 1610 by Pedro de Peralta, the governor of the Spanish territory, Nuevo Mexico, which took in what is now Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.
• The Palace of the Governors was the government seat for centuries. All the political decisions regarding the area were made here.
• It changed hands several times. It became Mexico’s property after Mexico gained independence from Spain in 1821. In 1848, the United States acquired it and it became the first territorial capitol.
• In 1909, architect Jesse L. Nusbaum did a major renovation of the building. He said the building “fitted the color of earth and sky” and he worked hard to restore it accurately. From 1909 to 2009, it housed the Museum of New Mexico. It is now the state’s history museum.
• The building is a long, low adobe building with shuttered windows and a porch that runs the length of the building.

Vocabulary

1. Acquire: to gain
2. Adobe: made of clay bricks

Questions and Answers

Question: Where is the Palace of the Governors?