Located in the heart of the historic district, The Shed is one of Santa Fe’s oldest family-owned restaurants. Founded in 1953 in a renovated burro shed, the establishment resides in one of the oldest structures in Santa Fe: a sprawling hacienda built in 1692.

The Shed occupies several rooms within a large, adobe style structure located on East Palace Avenue known as Prince Plaza. Although originally built as a residence for provincial officials of New Spain, the hacienda is best known as the home of LeBaron Bradford Prince, New Mexico’s territorial governor from 1889-1893.

Born in Flushing, New York and trained at Columbia University, Prince served in both houses of the New York State Legislature before his appointment as Chief Justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court in 1878. Prince purchased the home on East Palace Avenue from Carmen Benavides de Rubidoux, the widow of a wealthy Santa Fe merchant.

Appointed by President Benjamin Harrison as territorial governor two years later, Prince resided in the hacienda during much of his gubernatorial term while the Palace of Governors underwent substantial repairs. Following his term as governor, Prince remained an influential force in New Mexican politics, advocating for statehood and public education. He was also an early proponent of the historic preservation of Santa Fe. Prince fought a city plan to demolish the Palace of Governors, and pushed for its restoration as a home for the Museum of New Mexico. He served as president of the Historical Society of New Mexico until his death in 1923.