SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s the latest proposal on what to do with the Soldier’s Monument in Santa Fe after the obelisk at the center of the plaza was torn down by protestors in 2020 . Now, there is a new proposal to look into the feasibility of moving it to the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
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Since protestors tore down part of the obelisk, what’s left is in a box at the center of the plaza. The monument honoring Civil War Union soldiers stirred controversy for decades with one of its four plaques referring to indigenous people as “savages.”
Since 2020, it’s been an ongoing process of what to do next with the controversial monument. The city partnered with Artful Life LLC to conduct a collaborative process known as CHART to figure out what the community wanted to do moving forward. It came out with its final report in August 2022 . There was also a resolution to move the obelisk last year that was withdrawn. Now, Santa Fe city councilors Carol Romero-Wirth, Alma Castro, and Amanda Chavez have a new proposal.
“I think we as a community are tired of that box and we need figure out how we move forward,” said Councilor Romero-Wirth.
If passed, the proposal would remove the fourth plaque with the word “savages”, which was scratched out years before 2020. It would also direct the city to simply investigate the feasibility of moving the monument to the Santa Fe National Cemetery.
“It seems like a fitting place,” said Councilor Romero-Wirth. “It does kind of more, more specifically honor what that monument was intended, would be to place it near the Union soldier’s graves.”
The councilor said it was a few of her constituents who brought the idea to her. Then, after the reinstating of an Oñate statue in Espanola ended with gunfire , Councilor Romero-Wirth said she came back to the idea. She said she’s spoken with a number of groups who either felt neutral or positive to the idea. The Santa Fe National Cemetery would need a formal request to even consider it.
“I think is a solid proposal worth exploring. But we have to take the first step. We have to pass this resolution to take the first step,” she said.
But some councilors are already expressing concern. Councilor Michael Garcia said he’s concerned about ownership of the monument.
“We’re putting the cart before the horse in regards to this resolution,” he said.
He has his own requested bill to determine the ownership of the monument. He said his resolution request is currently going through the city attorney. “What can be done, what can’t be done and do we own it? And once we determine that information, we can have discussions on whether to move it to another location,” he said.
The city attorney has done thorough research on ownership of the monument following the 2020 incident and the lawsuits that stemmed from it. She sent News 13 paperwork from her research saying shows the city’s ownership of the obelisk.
“She has returned with her opinion based on all the available evidence that the city owns the monument,” said Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber.
He supports the bill. “What’s a good solution that would honor the soldiers that kept New Mexico out of the confederacy,” he said while noting removing the controversial plaque would leave monument honoring what it was intended to. “If you like this idea, let’s vote to explore it,” he said.
In the past, there has been concern that removing the obelisk would hurt the plaza’s designation as a National Historic Landmark. But city leaders said it is not a founded concern.
“The status was not given to the obelisk, it was given to the plaza. So, no it doesn’t change the plaza as a historical place,” said Councilor Romero-Wirth.
It’s unclear how the resolution will go moving forward though everyone does agree something needs to be done. “Ultimately something that’s going to bring our community together and I think that is what direly needs to be done,” said Councilor Garcia.
“Doing nothing is not an option,” said Mayor Webber.
The director of the Santa Fe National Cemetery, Victor Vasquez, said it would need to receive a formal request from the monument owner to even consider the relocation to the cemetery. Once a formal request is made, the NCA would evaluate the request in accordance to state and federal regulations before making a decision.
The bill is set to be introduced to Santa Fe’s governing body on Wednesday before working its way through the Public Works and Finance Committees. It will then go back to the governing body for a final vote at the end of the month. There is an opportunity for public comment at multiple meetings including on Wednesday.
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