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La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, holds a major art collection reflecting the layered history of the American Southwest. Docent Tom Whitson stands in the La Fonda lobby near Gerald Cassidy’s 1922 painting of Fray Marcos, a Franciscan friar who in 1539 claimed to have seen the ‘Seven Cities of Gold’ in what is present-day New Mexico.
LA FONDA ON THE PLAZA HOTEL IN SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, REFLECTS THE RICH HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST. In 1925, the Fred Harvey Company assigned its Chief Architect and Decorator Mary Colter to undertake the redesign and decoration of La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Under her direction, the interior of the hotel, built in 1922, was embellished with murals, exposed ceiling beams, tiles, textiles and light fixtures inspired by Southwest Native American and Spanish traditions. Over the following decades, La Fonda acquired an expansive art collection of works by regional artists which amplified Colter’s vision. Today, visitors, whether staying at the hotel or not, can enjoy the collection by joining knowledgeable and enthusiastic docents such as Tom Whitson, who leads tours starting from the hotel lobby.
DJ: How did you become a docent at La Fonda?
TW: My wife was invited to join the group by friends and she asked me to join. There are currently 35-40 volunteer docents who all love what we do. Being a docent for La Fonda on the Plaza in Santa Fe is most rewarding for me in many ways. Ed Pulsifer, Director of Sales with the hotel, is in charge of the program. His energy and enthusiasm are contagious. He provides training opportunities, visits to artists’ studios, Pueblos, and other Fred Harvey locations. We have opportunities to learn history, architecture, art and other areas of interest related to the hotel. La Fonda has been and remains a center of activity for not only Santa Fe but all of New Mexico.
DJ: What are some of your favorite facts about La Fonda?
TW: In 2022 La Fonda will be 100 years old. It is among the top 10 historic hotels in the world. During World War II, the hotel was a gathering place for Oppenheimer and other scientists working at the Lab in Los Alamos. Many famous artists, writers, politicians (including US Presidents) and TV and movie personalities have stayed here. Conrad Hilton married Zsa Zsa Gabor in La Fonda and honeymooned here in 1943.
DJ: First time visitors are always amazed by La Fonda’s unique look and its extensive art collection. What can you tell us?
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TW: The wonderful Santa Fe style architecture is Spanish Pueblo Revival and exemplifies contributions from all three of our cultures. For over 50 years the hotel has bought original art to support and encourage artists. Over 400 pieces of original art are displayed throughout the hotel, confirming Santa Fe’s place as the number three city in the U.S. art market.
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN CREATIVE SANTA FE WITH ROAD SCHOLAR. Road Scholar, formerly Elderhostel, offers Santa Fe programs that combine the pluses of package tours and the advantages of travel with intellectually curious friends. Road Scholar’s seven-night 2020 Great American Get-Together in Santa Fe includes The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, featuring pottery, jewelry, sculpture, baskets and other objects made by Native Americans from the earliest times to modern day, and the Museum of International Folk Art, which hosts the largest collection of international folk art in the world. Road Scholar’s six-night Santa Fe and Taos: A Tale of Two Cities includes a visit both to Santa Fe’s Georgia O’Keefe Museum and to Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return, Santa Fe’s eye-popping immersive art installation where visitors walk, climb and crawl through 70 rooms created by 200 artists. For information visit www.roadscholar.org.
OH, AND DID YOU KNOW? Santa Fe was founded by Spanish colonists in 1610, making it the oldest state capital in the United States. In 2005, Santa Fe became the first U.S. city to be chosen by UNESCO as a Creative City, one of only nine cities in the world to hold this designation.
AND REMEMBER: When people ask me where my roots are, I look down at my feet, and I see the roots of my soul grasping the earth. They are here … in the Southwest … I still live in New Mexico. — Rudolfo Anaya
Susan Cohn is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association and the North American Travel Journalists Association. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com. More of her stories may be found at http://ifwtwa.org/author/susan-cohn.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
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