El Camino Real

This site is located by the Rio Santa Fe 19 km (12 miles) southwest of the Santa Fe Plaza.

It now consists of mounded features just above the flood plain. Structures present include residential structure consisting of four rooms, a corral, and a defensive structure that may be a tower or torreon. It was one of 8 17^th-18^th century sites recorded by E. Boyd in the 1950s. It is a Spanish Colonial“Rancho” was built south of Santa Fe along the Santa Fe River between AD 1610 and 1680.  It is one of a handful of sites known to date from the Colonial period in New Mexico history.  The one acre preserve was donated by Santa Fe attorney Jim Alley to the Archaeological Conservancy.

LA 146188, which consists of a one-room structure foundation and associated features dating to the Spanish Colonial Period, is located across the county road to the southwest of the Camino Real Site.  The site, which is likely associated with the Camino Real Site, is in good condition and is well protected by the highway fence. Other sites of similar age (including LA 16769) were excavated in connection with highway and sewer line construction in the 1980s.

This site was placed on the State Register of Cultural Properties (No. 200) in August, 1970.