This hacienda facing you dates to the 1840s, built by the merchant Salvador Armijo. Built in the 1840s by Salvador Armijo (1823–1879), a prosperous merchant and nephew of Governor Manuel Armijo, this hacienda stayed in the Armijo family for five generations. It was remodeled or expanded several times, most notably in the 1870s and the early 1900s; Armijo's great-granddaughter Soledad C. Chacón, the future New Mexico Secretary of State, lived here in the early 1900s.
In the mid-20th century much of the building was converted into apartments. The house was recognized on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1975 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1977 Frances Wilson, Armijo's great-great-granddaughter, sold it and it became the Maria Theresa restaurant, named after the well-known silver coin; the restaurant closed in 2004.
In 2009 the adjoining Hotel Albuquerque purchased the building and turned it into a party and reception venue; as of 2024 it is used primarily as a wedding venue, styled as Casa Esencia. The 1870s, the early 1900s, and the Maria Theresa years all left their marks, and those layers still face the Old Town streetscape.