1000
1050
Present Northern
New Mexico, including
area of contemporary
Santa Fe, occupied
by agricultural
Pueblo people.
1598
Spanish claim New Mexico
as a colony after half-century
of exploration.
1610
Agricultural community of Santa Fe
named Spanish colonial
capital. Around this time, residents
dig Acequia Madre to carry irrigation
water from the Santa Fe River across
land of today’s Railyard Park and
Plaza, probably used for farming.
1880s
Today’s parkland becomes
a railyard and warehouse district
for three railroads, including
an 18-mile spur line from
the Atchison, Topeka,
and Santa Fe at Lamy.
A THOUSAND YEARS
1980s
With decline of the railroads
and gradual abandonment
of the railyard, nonprofits
take up residence in
former warehouse buildings.
Major commercial development
proposed but rejected
after community opposition.
ANDREWNEIGHBOUR
The new park includes a decorative acequia planted with a border
of native bunchgrass.
would protect the integrity of adjoining historic neighborhoods; retain the railyard’s “authentic, gritty, rugged”
architectural quality; encourage alternative modes of
transportation; create a pedestrian-oriented environment; and provide significant amounts of park and
open space. The project—exclusive of the park and
open space—was to be developed and managed by a
new nonprofit, the Santa Fe Railyard Community
Corporation (SFRCC), with a board representative
of the whole community. Robinson was soon named
to head the board.
At about the same time, TPL convened a group
of stakeholders to work out the parameters of the
conservation easement that the city would grant to
prevent development on the park portion of the
property. Over 14 months, the easement committee—
representatives from the lead nonprofits, the city,
neighborhood groups, local foundations, and the
Santa Fe Southern Railway (which was still operating
