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History Of Hotel St. Francis
The old De Vargas Hotel's demise was almost as famous as its guest list and probably a lot more mysterious. On a cold winter evening in January 1922 the De Vargas burned completely to the ground leaving only the brick chimney to mark the location. Like "the city different" this fire was also mysterious. It was the biggest fire in Santa Fe in 300 years. There were no high winds to keep the blast alive and the 6-hour fire was across the street from the "then" fire department. So unpredictable was the hotel's destruction that guests were "checking into" their favorite rooms while the hotel burned. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the beautiful wooden Victorian hotel was lost. The mysterious explosions heard by the owner, William Sargent, was rumored to be a copper still in the basement. One of the hotel's permanent guests frustrated with prohibitions was experimenting with peach brandy. It seems, according to the rumor, a peach clogged the copper pipe and the "booze blew up". The spectators called the fire "the darndest show since Coronado stormed Zuni pueblo".
With the insurance money of ,000 William "Bill" Sargent (former major of Santa Fe 1914-1918) rebuilt his beloved hotel in a new location, on Don Gasper Avenue. The new De Vargas Hotel joined a 2 story, 1888 building on the north side with a new 3 story building on the south. The style was reminiscent of the Early California Mission Revival with a hint of European elegance of Italy or Portugal. This time, however, Sargent built his hotel with brick. He had apparently had his fill of fires. The new hotel opened its doors in 1924. It was a first class hotel with a spacious lobby where men wore top hats and ladies wore full-length dresses. The bellhops escorted the guests to their rooms. That is, after they had shown their marriage license, and the house detective ensured that all guests stayed in their own rooms. The hotel boasted a wonderful dining room and a bar run by Ben Jaffa who kept the large blackboard where he posted information such as the election and World Series results. The hotel was "The Hotel" in the capital, so the bar served as the unofficial meeting room for the local politicians. According to a Santa Fean of the era, anyone wanting to meet almost any high-level politician in the 1930's and 40's could probably find him at the De Vargas Hotel Bar. At one time or another almost all of New Mexico's governors were seen at the bar at the De Vargas. After World War II the De Vargas Hotel seemed to lose its splendor. But now it was on Route 66 and provided road weary travelers affordable overnight accommodations. In 1947 the hotel was sold to Pat Vigil and David Armijo. Celina Vigil who ran the hotel with her husband until his death said that politicians continued to stay at the hotel through the 1950's, but in the 1960's these politicians deserted the De Vargas opting for more modern establishments. Until the restoration in 1984 the hotel De Vargas remained the working-man's hotel. It was described as "basic: a bed and a sink and a bathroom down the hall. There is maid service, but that's it. Basic need are met the guests are warm and dry and safe."
The proprietors, Patricia and Goodwin Taylor, remodeled the whole structure and reopened it as the Hotel St. Francis in 1986. The entire interior was refurbished. The Hotel St. Francis now has 83 rooms, 2 of which are suites. No longer is the bathroom down the hall. All of the highly individualized rooms, with wonderful views of Santa Fe have lovely marble bathrooms. Over the years the Taylor's have continued to embellish the hotel to create a gracious space that is reminiscent of its proud past with an ever-open eye to the future.
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