Each year, we engage thousands of people and introduce them to a world of history and nature, helping them to better appreciate their role and responsibility within it.  Whether visiting to see some of the 190 bird species recorded here, tour the gardens and get a better understanding of our native plant life, or here to tour the historic Randall Davey house and studio, we hope you’ll leave with a better understanding of why the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary is such a special place in this “City Different” of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The historic portion of the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary (Randall Davey house and art studio) is on the National Register of Historic Places and the history of this site is long and distinguished.  In 1050 AD, Santa Fe was first settled by Pueblo Indians, then, in 1540, Coronado claimed the “Kingdom of New Mexico” for Spain.  After almost 200 years of conquests and revolts, Spain awarded Manuel Trujillo the Talaya Grant, which included the area that is now the Center. 

In 1847, the US Army began construction of a sawmill to cut timbers for Ft. Marcy.  This sawmill was later converted to a gristmill in 1852 and, after a few more land transfers, Randall Davey bought the property in 1920 from the Martinez family, converting the mill into his home and studio. Gifted in 1983 to the National Audubon Society by the heirs of Randall Davey – and now operated by Audubon New Mexico – it is Audubon’s leading education facility and wildlife sanctuary in New Mexico, seeing over 10,000 visitors annually.