Mary’s Bar

As I mentioned in an earlier post , I found Santa Fe to be somewhat boring, void of nightlife after midnight. The most interesting and entertaining spot was Evangelo’s. However, the visit to Santa Fe required lodging and food, both of which were found at the Governors’ Plaza.

La Fonda was the hotel of choice, 2nd choice actually, but it easily won over the Inn and Spa at Loretto when viewing the rates. La Fonda is a historic hotel on the plaza built in 1922, but sits on the same site as previous inns dating back to the founding of Santa Fe in 1607. La Fonda was for a time a ‘Harvey House’, until 1968. In short, Fred Harvey’s company provided the restaurant’s for travelers of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, first throughout the Southwest, but later in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois and Missouri. The last of Fred Harvey’s sons died in the 1930’s and although the company remained in operation, the quality of service was apparently not the same. The times were changing as well. Passenger travel via the railroads declined, the depression slowed business and improved roads and air travel became preferred methods of travel. In 1968 the Amfac Corporation bought the holdings of the Harvey Company. The Fred Harvey Trading Company was set up as a retail division of Amfac Parks and Resorts, however in 1988 JMB Realty purchased Amfac and in 2002 the Amfac name was changed to Xanterra Parks and Resorts. Fred Harvey Trading Company products are featured throughout the gift stores in the National Parks operated by Xanterra Parks and Resorts. I don’t think Fred would be at all pleased with the way things turned out. He was a visionary and helped civilize the West through hospitality. But he’d be appalled at the price of a meal at La Fonda, as were we, so a walk across the Governors’ Plaza to the Ore House is what we did.

The Ore House overlooks the plaza. It looks as if it should come with a long history, but it is relatively young, only 22 years old. The food was good, the cantina however, was not impressive by any means. …I’m beginning to think I just don’t care for Santa Fe. Although I found one redeeming quality – from Albuquerque, take the 40 east to the14 (Turquoise Trail) north. In Madrid make a quick stop at the Mine Shaft Tavern (pictured above), but then north into Cerrillos. A left on Main to 1st Street will put you right at Mary’s Bar. Aahh,… finally, New Mexico’s finest, New Mexico at it’s best. At last check Mary was 91, she is New Mexico’s version of Utah’s ‘Ruth’, although Ruth passed away in 1989 at the age of 94.