Coronado had found none of the treasures promised by the stories of Cabeza de Vaca and Fray Marcos de Niza. As the sixteenth century progressed, Spanish settlement advanced slowly but steadily through northern Mexico. read more
This was probably a major reason for the founding of the “Colonia de Santa Fe”, since there was in fact a fair quantity of silver to be found in the area. This is the reason that the Spaniards conquered the Hopi people, in order to put them to work in silver mines on their own historical lands. read more
The original Santa Fe would soon become the seat of power for the Spanish Empire north of the Rio Grande. During the 1800s, Santa Fe became a major terminal for the Santa Fe Trail that spanned from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fe. read more