The Train to Santa Fe

In the 1880s, sixteen-year-old Chenoa, a gifted Tewa potter, boards one of the first trains from Española to Santa Fe, desperate to save her family from a bitter winter. Her journey sets in motion a legacy shaped by survival, sacrifice, and silence. Generations later, her granddaughter Rose, now elderly and ailing, pleads with Jonah―a kind-hearted nursing home orderly―to help uncover the truth of her stolen Native heritage before it’s lost forever. As Jonah searches for answers, he grapples with his own struggles: raising his young son and falling for Jemi, a wounded veteran who longs to return to Bluebird Mountain. As their lives intersect, long-buried truths rise to the surface, revealing the enduring scars of colonization―and the strength required to heal. Inspired by historical accounts, The Train to Santa Fe imagines the impact of the railroad’s arrival in northern New Mexico, tracing one family’s story across generations. It’s a powerful tale of cultural loss, love, and the quiet resilience of the human spirit.