Remnants of war have defined the history of Santa Fe since its founding. In 1610 the Presidio de la Santa Cruz, the large military barracks and horse corrals adjacent to the Palace of the Governors, was built. Directly across the street la castrense, the military chapel, was added for the soldiers.
Fort Marcy
In 1846, the U.S. Army built Fort Marcy at the western end of the Santa Fe Trail. Named after Secretary of War William Marcy, it was the first United States Army fort in New Mexico. The Mormon Battalion monument 25 miles from Santa Fe is a memorial to the only religion-based squadron in the history of the U.S., which entered Santa Fe in 1846 with Brig. Gen. Stephen Watts Kearny.
Battle of Glorieta
A battle of the American Civil War was fought 22 miles from Santa Fe at Glorieta on March 26, 1862. During that skirmish close to 200 Confederate soldiers lost their lives. Commonly referred to as the “Gettysburg of the West,” the Battle of Glorieta marked the turning point for the Civil War in New Mexico. In 1898, volunteers were recruited from the area for Roosevelt’s Rough Riders for the Spanish-American War.
World War II
In all of Santa Fe’s history, one defining event during World War II reverberates even today. The Manhattan Project military checkpoint was located just off the Plaza at 109. E. Palace Avenue. It was there that military personnel, scientists, contractors, janitors, and everyone involved with the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb had to register. The only address for the Manhattan Project was P.O. Box 1663, Santa Fe, New Mexico.