Santa Fe

Formed January 9, 1852 (5^th county)

Santa Fe County (154,823), Santa Fe (87,503)

The Modern style building was built in 2013.  The structure is on Montezuma Avenue at Sandoval Street.  United States Highway 285 is 8 blocks west of the site.  This courthouse was built using the glass and concrete designs of NCA Architects.  A 1940 Administration Center augments the courthouse.  There were three previous courthouses from 1886, the 1910’s and 1938.  Santa Fe has always been the county seat.  The county was established on January 9, 1852 as an original county (5^th county.)  “Holy Faith” is the translation of the Spanish words Santa Fe.  Santa Fe County was the birthplace for 2 New Mexico Governors, Arthur Seligman and Bruce King. 

Santa Fe County government consists of a manager, a sheriff, a treasurer, an attorney, an assessor, and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Seven District Court Judges serve Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba counties (judicial.)  Santa Fe County is in north central New Mexico to the northeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The Rio Grande crosses the northwest corner of the county.  The Santa Fe River flows from the city westward into the Rio Grande.  The county center is 11 miles South-Southwest of Santa Fe.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Rio Arriba, Mora, San Miguel, Torrance, Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Los Alamos counties. 

The area of the county is 1909 square miles.  It is 29 out of 33 in the state.  It ranks 3 out of 33 in population in the state.  It has a density of 81.1 persons per square mile making it 3 out of 33 in the state.  Santa Fe County has 62.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 25 crosses east to west from San Miguel County into Sandoval County.  United States Highway 84 enters from the north, Rio Arriba County, joins Interstate Highway 25 at Santa Fe, and exits east into San Miguel County.  United States Highway 285 is joined with United States Highway 84 from Rio Arriba County, splits to the southeast of Santa Fe, and continues southeast into San Miguel County.  The New Mexico state capitol is located in this county.  The county is a tall rectangular shape.  The City of Santa Fe is located in the northern third of the county.  Santa Fe is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 56.5% of the county population.  The county and seat are pronounced SAN-TA FAE.  This county is in the Santa Fe Metropolitan Statistical Area.