Willa Cather at Mesa Verde
Willa Cather at Mesa Verde
Willa Cather's circa 1924 map of Santa Fe.
Willa Cather's circa 1924 map of Santa Fe.
San Miguel Church
San Miguel Church

Echoes of the Archbishop

Santa Fe Through Cather's Eyes
Special Events
- MT

Inn of the Governors
101 West Alameda Street
Santa Fe, NM 87501
United States
Register Online Now

"Somehow, I'm awful glad to be back in this country." 

— Willa Cather, upon arrival in Santa Fe, 1926 letter to Mabel Dodge Luhan

We hope you'll join us in Santa Fe, New Mexico, for a 3-day, 3-night excursion, November 9–12, 2025! We’ll explore the vibrant city center and the best of its historic and arts offerings, while learning about Cather’s time in New Mexico. We’ll discuss and share from Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop and The Professor’s House, as well as a host of selected outside readings, in addition to touring the Georgia O'Keefe Museum and San Ildefonso Pueblo, the New Mexico History Museum and the San Miguel Chapel and more. Our time together will be hosted by the Inn of the Governors, located within walking distance of Santa Fe Plaza.

Long considered a mecca for writers, artists, and travelers, Santa Fe continues to be a magnetic hub for creative pursuits as well as literary and cultural tourism. "Echoes of the Archbishop" explores the author's own experiences visiting Santa Fe and immersing herself in the rich history of the region. 

For more information about the Inn of the Governors, please consult their website. If you plan to arrive early or leave late and want to book an extra night, you will book with Inn of the Governors directly and we will do all we can to make sure you don't need to change rooms.

For questions about the program, please contact director of education and engagement Rachel Olsen at rolsen@willacather.org

What's Included

Your registration includes: 

  • Three nights lodging [Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday nights] at Inn of the Governors
  • Breakfast and lunch on Monday and Tuesday, and breakfast on Wednesday at the Inn of the Governors
  • Admissions and fees to museums and tour sites
  • All taxes, tips, and gratuities for tour guides and housekeeping 

We encourage participants to organize dinners at local Santa Fe establishments and explore the excellent local food scene, but dinner is not included in the registration cost. We are happy to provide a list of places to try! 

Guests may choose from the following registration options. Rates shown are per person.  

  • Private Room: $1999
  • Shared Room: $1299

Because most guests will need a car to reach Santa Fe, we will not have group transportation available but instead will caravan or carpool to sites.

Itinerary

2025 Santa Fe Immersion Schedule (November 9-12)
National Willa Cather Center

DAY 1 - Sunday, November 9th

  • 2:00 p.m.- Walking tour of Santa Fe
  • 4:00 p.m.- Arrive in Santa Fe, check-in, enjoy sherry and biscochitos in the lobby
  • 5:00 p.m.- Session 1 - Intro to Santa Fe, Cather, and the Artist Experience in the Southwest (all sessions will be in the Governor’s Room)
  • 5:30 p.m.- Dinner on your own

DAY 2 - Monday, November 10th

  • 8:00 a.m.- Breakfast
  • 9:00 a.m.- Field Trip 1: San Ildefonso Pueblo
  • 11:30 a.m.- Session 2:  Cather in the Southwest
  • 12:30: Lunch
  • 1:30 p.m.- Field Trip 2: New Mexico Museum of Art
  • 3:30 p.m.- Session 3: Cather and Native Cultures
  • 4:30 p.m.- Sherry and biscochitos
  • 5:00 p.m.- Dinner on your own

DAY 3 - Tuesday, November 11th 

  • 8:00 a.m.- Breakfast
  • 9:00 a.m.- Field Trip 3: Georgia O’Keefe Museum
  • 11:30 a.m.- Session 4: Cather and the Catholic Church
  • 12:30 p.m.- Lunch
  • 1:30 p.m.- Field Trip 4: San Miguel Chapel & Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
  • 4:00 p.m.- Sherry and biscochitios
  • 5:00 p.m.- Dinner on your own

DAY 4 - Wednesday, November 12th 

  • 8:00 a.m.- Farewell Breakfast: Putting it all together
  • 10:00 a.m.- Check-out and time to visit other sites on your own!
Reading List
  • Death Comes for the Archbishop, by Willa Cather
  • The Professor’s House, by Willa Cather. Regardless of edition, read “Tom Outland’s Story”
  • Annotations From the Archives: Cather in Santa Fe: https://www.willacather.org/annotations-archive-cather-santa-fe 
  • Willa Cather: A Literary Life, by James Woodress. Chap. 16 & 18
  • Selected Letters of Willa Cather, by Janis Stout and Andy Jewell. pp. 370 - 400 (hardcover); if reading an alternate edition, start with 23 June 1925 letter to Elizabeth Shepley Sergeant, and continue through the end of the Part 7.
  • “The Ideology of Cather's Catholic Progressivism,” by Guy Reynolds. In Cather Studies 3  and scanned and attached here. 
  • “Edith Lewis’s Tall Tales of the Southwest,” by David Harrell. In Vol. 33 of the Willa Cather Newsletter & Review. pp. 4-8. https://www.willacather.org/system/files/idxdocs/volume_33_-_fall_1989.pdf 
  • Ladies of the Canyons, by Lesley Poling-Kempes. The full book covers several important women in the history of the Southwest, and you can enjoy a short clip with the author here: https://www.pbs.org/video/ladies-of-the-canyons-qonfis/
  • A Brief History of Santa Fe: https://www.santafe.org/visiting-santa-fe/about-santa-fe/history/ 
  • The Life of the Right Reverend Joseph P. Machebouf, by William Howlett
  • Lamy of Santa Fe, by Paul Horgan
  • Mary Colter: Architect of the Southwest, by Arnold Berke
  • The Harvey Girls: Women Who Opened the West, by Leslie Poling-Kempes