Visit New Mexico / Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine

Our Lady of Guadalupe

When you visit New Mexico and Santa Fe in particular, one stop you want to make is Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. The old Spanish church is even within walking distance from the plaza and is one of the most visited sites in Santa Fe. Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine is in the Santa Fe Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and is an active place of worship.

The Spanish settlers in Northern New Mexico were in many ways separated from the rest of the world for many decades. To help endure the hardship of living in such a remote and in many ways, dangerous region,  they depended on their religious faith.


First Built in 1777

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine has the distinction of being the oldest standing shrine constructed for Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Mexican patron saint, in the U.S. The first church was built in 1777 along the south bank of the Santa Fe River and was a simple small adobe structure.  The adobe walls are almost three feet thick, and among the sanctuary's religious art and artifacts is a beloved image of Nuestra Virgen de Guadalupe, painted in 1773 by Mexican master Jose de Alzibar. By the early 1800's the structure was in general disrepair and wasn't appropriate to use as a church.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, Santa Fe NM

The History of Our Lady of Guadalupe

When the railroad arrived in Santa Fe in 1880, Archbishop Lamy dedicated the restored chapel to non-Spanish speaking Catholics. The Santuario was just down the road from the new railroad station and thus was in a position to welcome travelers who visited Santa Fe.

In 1884 a 575 pound bell was added to the church. Another bell was added in 1896. Archbishop Jean Baptista Lamy was the first Archbishop of Santa Fe. Archbishop Lamy first came to Santa Fe in 1851 just about five years after the United States took over the territory from the Mexicans. The Santa Fe Diocese was formed in 1853.The church served all the way to 1918 when it was then made an auxiliary to the the Cathedral Parish St. Francis. In 1931 the structure was again designated as a parish church but the small structure couldn't accommodate the growing population. As a result, funds were raised to build an entirely new Our lady of Guadalupe. The reconstruction was completed in 1961.


Beginning in 1961 the church was utilized for used for various secular activities. This usage continued until 1975. The property was deeded to the non-profit Guadalupe Historic Foundation in 1973 with the hopes of receiving grants for another renovation as the building was again in need of repair. The Guadalupe Historic Foundation eventually deeded the property back to the Santa Fe Archdiocese and continued to lease the building. When the lease was up in 2006, Our lady of Guadalupe Parish again returned to being a parish church. The parish church today is also utilized for cultural events such as lectures and concerts.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Statue

Statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe

When you visit Our Lady of Guadalupe you'll see a beautiful twelve foot, four thousand pound statue of Our Lady in front of the Sanctuario. The statue is there today because of a long journey from Mexico City to Santa Fe in 2008. The historic journey up from Mexico City followed the old Camino Real which was the route taken to Nuevo Mexico by Spanish settlers centuries ago.

Efforts to make the statue a reality began in 2001 when funds were secured for the project. The Our Lady statue, which you view today and which was dedicated in August 2008, was created by the Mexican artist and sculptor Georgina Farias de Arellano. She was selected over Northern New Mexico artists for several reasons. Georgina had a very strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and also planned to donate her creative fees.

Links to three additional Western Trips photo articles you'll enjoy are  the Loretto Chapel.....the History of Galisteo Mission.....and Old Town Albuquerque's San Felipe de Neri Church.

Our Lady of Guadalupe bell tower

The Historic 2008 Journey

The 2008 journey up from Mexico City with the newly created statue was a historic event for a few reasons. The likeness of Our Lady of Guadalupe first came up the Rio Grande when Padre Juan Ramirez traveled from Juarez to Socorro in 1663 with her image in his saddlebag. The 2008 journey with the new statue followed essentially the same route that Padre Ramirez traveled centuries earlier.

The 2008 trip up from Mexico City was particularly special for New Mexico. Today, the images you view of Our Lady in New Mexico and in Santa Fe seem to be everywhere. They are seen on shirts and posters and everything in between. The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the most often image seen if you stroll around Santa Fe. By the creation of the statue, it's long historic journey up from Mexico and it's home today in front of the oldest church in the United States dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Santa Fe residents and visitors, Catholic and non-Catholic, can enjoy this excellent and sacred piece of religious artistic work.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine is located at 417 Agua Fria St Santa Fe, NM.

Good books to research the historic churches of New Mexico include Historic New Mexico Churches by Annie Lux and Lamy of Santa Fe by author Paul Horgan.

(Photos from author's private collection)
  




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Mission San Rafael Arcangel

Mission San Rafael Arcangel

One of the most interesting stories pertaining to the old Spanish Missions of California regards Mission San Rafael Arcangel in San Rafael California. This is an easy mission to explore being located just about twenty miles north of San Francisco along U.S. Hwy 101. If your vacation plans include San Francisco, make certain to put this historic site on your trip planner.

A Mission for Healing

Mission San Rafael Arcangel is the twentieth of the twenty-one missions established in California. The mission was originally established as a hospital site and helper to nearby Mission Dolores in San Francisco although some historians believe that the perceived threat of Russian activity just to the north may have also influenced it's establishment. In December 1817 some two hundred Indians along with four Franciscan friars crossed San Francisco Bay to establish a hospital mission. The new mission's name was in honor of Arcangel Rafael, God's healing messenger. By the year 1820, an estimated five hundred native Americans had been transferred to San Rafael Arcangel.

Mission San Rafael Arcangel interior

The necessity for such a site was due to the illness suffered by a majority of the Indians residing at Mission Dolores. The friars at Mission Dolores, also referred to as Mission San Francisco de Asis, concluded that the harsh weather and regular fog  on the San Francisco peninsula was not only causing much of the sickness but preventing recovery as well. At that time there was never the intent to have the mission site attain status as a full fledged mission however it did in the year 1822. Mission San Rafael Arcangel was built to be a branch, or asistencia, of Mission Dolores. During the early years, Mission San Rafael Arcangel served as what would be the first sanitarium in Alta California.To protect the mission and/or sanitarium from possible hostile Indian attack, a small group of soldiers were transferred their from the presidio in San Francisco.

Mission San Rafael did have it's share of trouble by hostile Indians. At one point there was quite a controversial event when a Father Mercado was accused of arming his neophytes and sending them out to fight Indians who the father suspected were getting ready to attack. A large number of the suspected hostiles were killed and wounded. As a result, Father Mercado was given a six month suspension.

Searching for a Milder Climate


The realities at Mission Dolores were such that it's believed that 5,000 Native Americans were buried at the mission cemetery. Disease ran rampant at the mission site and as was the case with much contact between Europeans and Native Americans, the Indians were quite suceptable to European bred diseases. This phenomena began from the very first contact between Native American and European.

Historic bells to the left of entrance

The site of Mission San Rafael Arcangel was chosen for a reason. The area which is present day San Rafael California had much more sunshine and much less fog than the San Francisco peninsula to the south. The mountains to the west of San Rafael acted as a buffer to the weather coming off the Pacific Ocean. The San Francisco peninsula lacked this natural barrier. The added sunshine and generally milder weather was sought to help the healing process. The move to establish the mission in San Rafael seemed to work quite well. Ailing Native Americans seemed to recover very well at this new more sunny and mild location.


Mission Dimensions and Characteristics

The original church was eighty-seven feet long and forty-two feet wide and eighteen feet high with a clay tile roof. Rather than being mounted on top of the new church, the church bells  were hung from a plain wooden frame in the front to the left of the door as one faced the church. Those same bells are on display today, at the same location in front of the replica church. The visitor today will also see the star shaped window above the church door which is a distinguishing characteristic of the current structure. Interestingly enough, the star shaped window never was on the original building. It appeared in 1899 in paintings of Edwin Deakin. In essence, it never existed. Deakin's star shaped window did survive in his artwork and was built into the replica building which was constructed in 1949.

Three additional Western Trips photo article links about San Francisco area Spanish Missions you'll find interesting are Mission Dolores in San Francisco...Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma...and Santa Clara de Asis Mission in Santa Clara California.

Original mission bell

Mission San Rafael Arcangel Replica 

The original mission replica you'll explore today, the one dedicated in 1949, was built according to specifications known at the time. There were no photos of the original structure therefore the replica was built based on what was known with some variations. The small church building faces west whereas the original faced east. The site location is next to the St. Raphael Parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The replica site is approximate since other church buildings had been built adjacent prior to 1949.

Today's visitor will notice that the old mission replica is in no way adorned as are the other California missions to the south. This was because, as mentioned above, Mission San Rafael Arcangel was not originally planned to become an official stand alone mission. Built as a branch of Mission Dolores, the church building was a fairly plain unadorned structure.

Today's San Raphael Parish

The replica building reflects this. This of course is one of the facts that make Mission San Rafael Arcangel unique among the California Spanish missions.

Visiting Mission San Rafael Arcangel 

A day trip north of the Golden Gate Bridge to Mission San Rafael Arcangel is an excellent addition to a Bay Area trip planner. The story of the Spanish Missions is really a vivid story of the very beginnings of California settlement. There's much to learn visiting any of the old missions and Mission San Rafael Arcangel tells us a very unique part of that story.


From San Francisco, drive north on U.S. Highway 101 from the Golden Gate Bridge about fifteen miles and exit at Central San Rafael (Exit 452). The mission is located at 1104 Fifth Avenue about four blocks west of the freeway.   

(Photos from author's private collection)

THOUGHTS ON EARLY CALIFORNIA SPANISH MISSIONS VIDEO

      
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Missions San Antonio

Visitors to San Antonio Texas have an opportunity to explore several old Spanish Missions. Western Trips visited the missions San Antonio has to offer and in this article we wanted to highlight Mission Concepcion whose original name was Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima.

Mission Concepcion, San Antonio TX

There are four missions within within a national park just south of the central city of San Antonio. The four mission churches within San Antonio Missions National Historical Park are active catholic parishes. All of these mission/churches hold regular religious services.

You will also enjoy our Western Trips photo articles on the Mission San Jose and the Alamo in San Antonio.

The Construction of Mission Concepcion

Mission Concepcion was founded in 1716 by the Franciscans. The mission was transferred to it's present site in 1731 and today looks very much as it did that year. The mission you see today took about twenty years to build. It was constructed in typical Spanish Colonial architecture. The mission walls are 45 inches thick and constructed with limestone. The twin bell towers were likely topped with crosses such as the ones seen there today. The stones that the Indians used to construct the mission and the other buildings on it's grounds actually came from a quarry located on the mission grounds.

Mission Indians

As mentioned above, the Spanish missions in San Antonio were constructed by the local Indians. This practice was part of the overall mission goals, that of teaching many of the Indians to become artisans.

One of the two bell towers

The Spanish missions, whether in Texas, New Mexico or California had the purpose of both converting the Indians to Christianity and as serving as a symbol of Spanish rule. The missions were to serve as notice to other countries that Spain had established their rule. Teaching the Indians to be farmers, artisans and Christians was all a part of Spain's effort to settle the region. The missions represented both church and state on the frontier.

Mission Concepcion was formally dedicated in 1755. Today Mission Concepcion  is the oldest unrestored stone church in America. It is located within the national park at  807 Mission Road, San Antonio.

The missions name is in honor of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception and Juan de Acuña, the Marqués de Casafuerte. The Marqués was Viceroy of New Spain (present day Mexico) when the mission transferred to the area near the San Antonio River in 1731.

See our Western Trips article...The Bluebonnets of Burnet Texas

The Spanish Mission Alamo

The fifth mission in San Antonio is the Alamo. The Alamo's original name was Mission San Antonio de Valero. It was the first Spanish mission built in San Antonio but is not within the boundaries of the national park. The Alamo is operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. It's place in history was the Battle of the Alamo involving among others, Davey Crockett, James Bowie and William Travis. The Alamo is located just east of what was then known as the settlement San Antonio de Bexar.

Mission Concepcion portal and archway

Exploring Mission Concepcion and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

The national park in San Antonio is set up to be a driving tour to the four missions within it's boundary. The four missions include Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan and Mission Espada.

Visiting the four missions will take between two and four hours. There are roadways between each mission site. There's a lot of interesting history to see.

To begin your tour from downtown San Antonio, the National Park Service offers the following directions to the park Visitor Center at the Mission San Jose site. It's a good idea to begin your tour at this Visitor Center. San Jose Mission is the second mission south of San Antonio. Mission Concepcion was the first and is located just north of Mission San Jose. At the Visitor Center you can view exhibits, obtain park maps and other information to begin your tour.

View of Mission Concepcion stonework

Directions From Downtown San Antonio and the Alamo Area

Travel south on South St. Mary’s Street. Approximately one mile south of downtown, after passing beneath railroad tracks, South St. Mary’s becomes Roosevelt Ave. Continue on Roosevelt 4 miles to a large stone structure on your left: Mission San José. At the first stop light past the mission turn left onto New Napier Ave. Follow the signs into our parking lot or bus lanes, as appropriate.

When you start your tour at the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Visitors Center be sure to ask about the times of guided park ranger tours of the grounds at Mission San Jose. Mission San Jose still has it's large walls around the compound with built in rooms. There's a lot of history that goes with it and a guided tour is well worth the time.

(Photos and article copyright Western Trips)

Adobe Homes

The Southwest region of the United States has several very interesting sites for those wanting to explore the world of authentic adobe architecture. Many adobe homes and buildings today are at historical sites from New Mexico to California.

Adobe ruins at Rancho de Taos NM

In an area like the Southwest where building materials were in short supply, settlers of the early 1700's made homes of adobe brick. They used a technique well known in both the New World and Old World. The oldest structures of the Southwest region of the United States still standing are buildings made from adobe used in both homes and Southwest missions. Because wood was generally in very short supply as well as masonry materials, adobe structures were the the choice of early shelters

Making Adobe Bricks

To make adobe, the southwest settlers pulverized soil and added water and typically straw. This made a thick paste. They then molded bricks about four inches thick. These adobe bricks weighed about 40 to 50 pounds each. After building a foundation of uncut stones, the dried adobe bricks were laid in rows and mortared with thick mud. After the mud dried a coat of mud plaster was spread over it. The mud plaster is essentially the same substance used to produce the bricks except without the straw. The roof was made of pine log beams supported by crisscrossed poles. These were then covered by brush for insulation.

An adobe "kiva" fireplace served for both cooking and heating the interior. The floor was usually tamped clay. The family would sleep on the floor and eat their meals off of low tables. Chili peppers and corn were baked outdoors in an earthen oven.

Kiva fireplace

The Spanish Plaza Concept

Spanish settlers in New Mexico built settlements as fortified villages. The adobe homes were built around a plaza with all windows facing inward toward the plaza. The only doors leading out of the one story adobes were made wide enough for only one animal and one person to enter at one time. The fortified plaza concept protected the village from Indian attack. The plaza was usually large enough for the residents to plant gardens and orchards.

There are many Spanish Mission sites where today you can see the fortification walls. These include Mission San Jose and the Alamo Mission in San Antonio Texas.

Surviving Original Adobe Structures

Some of the best authentic adobe structures that survive to this day can be found in New Mexico.What is described as the Oldest House in the U.S. is the De Vargas Street House, located at 215 East De Vargas Street in Santa Fe New Mexico. The adobe house is thought to have been built in 1646. The house is in the Barrio de Analco Historic District and as you can see from the photo has been restored with exterior stucco.

Restored Oldest House in the U.S. at Santa Fe NM

In Ranch de Taos, just a few miles south of the Taos New Mexico, there are several adobe ruins at the site of the San Francisco de Asis Mission Church. The church has been restored beautifully. Adjacent to the church are old adobe ruins which at one time were part of the surrounding settlement.

If you drive to the historic settlement of Puerto de Luna about ten miles south of Santa Rosa New Mexico and Interstate 40 you'll find several authentic adobe structures which today are ruins. While these small houses are empty and greatly deteriorated, you'll still get a good glimpse of what authentic adobe architecture looks like.

Two other excellent sites to see original adobe ruins are Fort Union New Mexico just west of Interstate 25 between Las Vegas NM and Raton NM in the northeast area of the state. At Fort Union you'll also be able to see surviving wagon ruts from the Santa Fe Trail days.

Another is in Pecos NM at the Pecos National Historical Park. Pecos is about 25 miles east/southeast of Santa Fe NM along Interstate 25.

Additional Western Trips photo articles you'll find interesting are the Spanish Mission San Francisco de Asis in Rancho de Taos NM and San Felipe de Neri church and mission in Old Town Albuquerque NM. Also, see our photo article on the Pecos National Historical Park in Pecos NM.

The New Adobe Homes

There is probably no better place where the basic concept of adobe structure has survived than in Santa Fe New Mexico. Not only is the adobe style of architecture used in Santa Fe but is also a significant part of the city's building code. Tucson Arizona is another city with roots steeped in adobe style construction. Sometimes these structures are referred to as Santa Fe Style or Pueblo Style.

Original adobe structure in Puerto de Luna NM

Adobe bricks made of soil and straw deteriorate over time. The vast majority of these original structures have essentially fallen over. Some that have deteriorated have been restored such as in the case several mission churches in New Mexico.

Adobe style homes are comfortable, eco-friendly and are especially practical in dry climates. Adobe/Southwestern style homes are usually one-level and have flat roofs, covered porches. The adobe style homes being built today are essentially made of wood frames covered with stucco. The designs remain the same with round log beam supports on the ceiling which are called "vigas". In the Pueblo Revival architecture of today, the vigas are used more for ornamental rather than for functional weight bearing purposes. Vigas today average 10 inches in diameter and about 15 feet in length.

Many adobe styles are asymmetrical in design with stucco walls over either the wood frame or brick and with  irregularly placed windows.

(Photos from author's private collection)

San Antonio Missions

Western Trips makes a visit to San Antonio Texas and the historic missions found there. In addition to the historic Alamo, there's plenty to be seen in San Antonio.

San Jose Mission, San Antonio TX

The mission featured in these photos is Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo, mostly referred to as Mission San Jose. This was the second mission established along the San Antonio River valley of southern Texas. Mission San Jose was established after the building of the Alamo. The Alamo's official name was Mission San Antonio de Valero and is of course the historic mission where the famous Texas defenders held out against the Mexican Army in 1836.

Mission San Jose in Texas

Father Margil de Jesus, assigned to the Alamo, decided that another mission was needed in addition to the Alamo. The Alamo was becoming too overcrowded. The father asked for and received permission from the provincial governor to establish a second mission south of the Alamo Mission. Mission San Jose was named for both Saint Joseph and the Marqués de San Miguel de Aguayo who was the governor of the Province of Coahuila and Texas at that time.

Mission church entrance

The founding ceremonies for this second mission took place in February of 1720. It's interesting to note that leaders of three Indian bands who desired to come into the mission were appointed governor, judge and sheriff of this new settlement named San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo.

Spanish colonial Baroque architecture

Building of the Church

Today's visitors to San Antonio's Mission San Jose see a limestone church that was erected beginning in 1768. The statuary created on the church facade is amazing. You can just imagine the work and artisan skill needed to create such beautiful ornamentation. In 1768 there were thought to be about 350 Indians living on the mission grounds. The mission church  is thought to have been completed around 1782. When visiting today you'll quickly notice the very long walls extending around the mission grounds. The rooms you'll notice built inside of the walls generally housed the mission Indians.

The Spanish colonial Baroque architecture and especially the work on the church facade is remarkable as you might notice in these photos.The San Jose Mission was known as the "Queen of the Missions" as it served as a model for others.

Adjacent to the church main building is the convento. The convento was built to house both missionaries and visitors.The convento was a three story structure. What the visitor sees today is the exterior stonework. The story is that the people with the highest standing resided on the upper floors. Those without standing were housed on the first or ground floor.

Mission San Jose was named San Jose Mission National Historic Site in 1941 and was listed on the National Register in 1966.

Mission San Jose convento area

The Mission of the Mission

All Spanish Missions established in North America had one main purpose. That was to Christianize the Native population and turn them into tax paying subjects of the King of Spain. At the very same time the missions served as a symbol of Spanish sovereignty in the area. The Spanish military and the church worked relatively close. The same was true with the Spanish mission system of California which began in 1769 with the first mission erected in San Diego. The Spanish believed that in Christianizing the Indians peace would prevail. While this wasn't always the case, the missions did act as a stabilizing element.

As was the fate of the Spanish missions in California, when the Spaniards were ejected from North America by the Mexicans in the 1820's, the missions in Texas were also secularized. In February 1824 Mission San Jose ceased being a mission. The land was turned over to both the Mexican government and to the Indians living there. This mission and the others entered a period of neglect. Just as with the California missions, Mission San Jose deteriorated over the years. It wasn't until 1931 that the Franciscans returned to Mission San Jose and live there today. Today, the San Jose Mission in San Antonio is an active parish.

You'll find these additional related photo articles about the Spanish California missions interesting on our Western Trips site. The Sonoma Mission which was the last mission built in California. Also Mission San Juan Bautista and the Carmel Mission in Carmel California.

Rooms built within the mission wall

San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Beginning in the 1920's, the San Antonio Conservation Society and the Federal Government plus other groups undertook to restore portions of the mission community. We are all fortunate for this as the San Jose Mission grounds serve as an excellent symbol of mission life during the period of Spanish rule in Texas. 

This large historical park which was established in 1978 preserves four of the five missions built in San Antonio Texas. The one mission which is not inside the park is the Alamo located in downtown San Antonio. The Alamo is operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. When visiting the national park you'll be able to follow guided tours of the church and grounds by very knowledgeable park rangers.

To visit the San Antonio missions there is a driving route from downtown to Espada, the southernmost mission site in the park. The exact addresses of each mission are Mission Concepción, 807 Mission Road,
Mission San José, 6701 San Jose Drive, Mission San Juan, 9101 Graf Road, Mission Espada, 10040 Espada Road.

Driving to the missions from the downtown San Antonio area, go south on South St. Mary’s Street. About one mile south of downtown, after passing beneath railroad tracks, South St. Mary’s becomes Roosevelt Ave. Continue on Roosevelt 4 miles to a large stone structure on your left which is Mission San José. At the first stop light past the mission turn left onto New Napier Ave. Follow the signs into the parking lot. 

(Photos from author's private collection)

THE MISSIONS OF SAN ANTONIO VIDEO

Loretto Chapel

The Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe New Mexico is a fascinating story and begins with the Sisters of Loretto. If you have an opportunity to visit Santa Fe, the Loretto Chapel, located just one block southeast of the Plaza is a must visit. By Spanish decree, the settlement of Santa Fe was designed around a central plaza. All roads radiated out from the plaza, most being very narrow and could be called alleyways. It is on the old Santa Fe Trail leading away from the plaza where the Loretta Chapel is located.

Loretto Chapel

The Sisters of Loretto Build a School

The Sisters of Loretto established the Academy of Our Lady of Light in 1853. This would have been about seven years after the United States annexed New Mexico Territory and only three years after the arrival of Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy. Today's small settlement of Lamy New Mexico, about twenty miles southeast of Santa Fe is named in his honor.

Bishop Lamy encouraged the sisters to open up a female day and boarding school school in Santa Fe. This boarding school grew and grew over the next few decades. With the success of the school going well, the sisters believed that the next thing needed was a chapel. Funds were raised and in construction began in 1873 and the chapel was completed by 1878.

The Circular Staircase

Loretto Chapel staircase

One of the mysteries surrounding the Loretto Chapel has to do with it's circular staircase. It seems that when the chapel was completed in 1878, there was no way to reach the choir loft which was over twenty feet above the chapel floor. Carpenters who were consulted that there was not sufficient room inside the chapel for a conventional staircase and that a ladder would be required. The story continues that to find a solution to the choir loft problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters.

On the very last day of the sisters prayers a carpenter with a toolbox and a donkey showed up at the Loretto Chapel. The man said he was looking for work and the sisters hired him for the job. What resulted from the work of this unnamed carpenter, which some say took months, although other versions contend that it was built fairly quickly, was a spiral staircase with two 360 degree turns. The Loretto Chapel staircase rises solidly in a double helix without support of any kind and without nail, screw or any type of metal. When the job was completed the carpenter left without asking for pay or even a thank you.

The Carpenter Vanishes

There was a big effort to locate this man. Nobody in Santa Fe knew who he was. There were no bills whatsoever for the sisters or the Loretto Chapel at the local lumberyard. To this end, an ad was placed in the newspaper but without results. The sisters came to believe that the carpenter who mysteriously showed up at the chapel and then vanished was St. Joseph himself. In any event, many people believed that the work of the spiral staircase was inspired by St. Joseph himself as the result of the sisters prayers.

Loretto Chapel Altar

The carpenters work became known as the "miraculous staircase". When you view the Loretto Chapel staircase the first thing you realize is that it has no visible means of support. The carpenter constructed the staircase using only wooden pegs. Architects who have seen the staircase marvel at how it has survived these many years  and stays in place. Many have thought that the staircase should have collapsed on it's own years ago.

Two additional Western Trips photo articles you'll find interesting are Galisteo Church and the Spanish Mission, San Francisco de Asis in Rancho Taos.

Also, see the Santa Fe Plaza Cam located in the heart of Santa Fe New Mexico.

Thousands of Visitors Annually

Thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world have visited Loretto Chapel to see the "miraculous staircase". As mentioned above, this is a must stop when visiting Santa Fe. People who view the staircase cannot quite understand how it was built. Television specials as well as movies have been produced about the chapel and it's unique staircase.

There are questions regarding the number of risers used in the construction relative to the height of the choir loft. Also, questions about the type of wood used in the construction. Knowledgeable people were brought in to identify the wood used. It was concluded that the wood was not from the area. To this day the wood has not been specifically identified. Some think that this is not uncommon but to the people who do believe in this miracle in Santa Fe, the fact that the origin of the wood hasn't been found is indeed significant. What is universally agreed upon is that the construction itself was very innovative for the era.

Choir loft at Loretto Chapel

The Loretto Chapel staircase was completed without a railing. The sisters were concerned about this and in fact were afraid themselves to go up and down. About ten years after the staircase was originally built, a local artisan was brought in to add a railing.

Possible Explanations Put Forth in Books

Books have been published that claim to have solved the many questions of the "miraculous staircase". Some have identified the carpenter as a Frenchman who was well known. As to the wood used...some have contended that it was imported from France. If indeed you accept the premise that the Sisters of Loretto did make a serious effort to find out the carpenters name and went as far as placing an ad in the Santa Fe "New Mexican" newspaper, then you would have thought the carpenter could have been easily identified. The detractors of the legend claim that the carpenter was a well known figure. The legend from the sisters contends otherwise. It's an interesting story and it's something each one of us will have to determine ourselves after visiting Loretto Chapel along with reading up on more of the chapel's history.

Visit Loretto Chapel

The staircase has been closed to public use since the 1970's although it's recognized as still usable.This former Catholic church which is now privately owned  is used as a museum as well as a venue for weddings. The church is adjacent to the Inn of Loretto, one of Santa Fe's many popular close in hotels. The La Fonda Hotel is one-half block north of the chapel.  The address of the Loretto Chapel is 207 Old Santa Fe Trail.

(Photos from author's private collection)

Mission San Jose

The old historic Mission San Jose was founded on June 11, 1797. The location is in today's Fremont California, not San Jose. Mission San Jose has the distinction of being the fourteenth Spanish mission built in Alta California. It also is the only mission, among all Spanish missions, built in the East Bay area. The name of the mission when founded was officially, "La Mision del Gloriosisimo Patriarch San Jose" in honor of St. Joseph.

Mission San Jose

The closest mission to it is about thirteen miles south in Santa Clara California, Mission Santa Clara, and is on today's campus of Santa Clara University. Many people confuse the Mission San Jose with the old pueblo town of San Jose to the south. The two are completely different. The only similarity is that they both honor St. Joseph in their name.

Today, the mission is just off of the East Bay Area's busy Interstate 680 as it turns west over the hills toward the city of Livermore. There's no question as to why Mission San Jose California sits alongside such a major roadway. When the mission was built by Father Fermin Lasuen. The mission site was chosen because it was along the natural highway in 1797 to the west and the San Joaquin Valley. Interstate 680 today basically follows the same path carved out by the early Spaniards as they were colonizing what was then called Alta California. It's also believed that Mission San Jose would have been constructed in the San Ramon Valley, east and over the hills from it's present site, however the Indians in the valley to the east were considered too hostile at the time. This explains why the mission is so relatively close to the Santa Clara Mission.

Portico at Convento section of San Jose Mission

All of the Spanish missions, beginning with the mission in San Diego in 1769, were founded to strengthen Spain's claim on the region and to Christianize the Native population. Securing Spain's sovereignty over the region, and in particular northern California, was an important matter. Spain was well aware of the Russian fur trade taking place in the northern coastal area of California, not far north of San Francisco Bay, and the British trading taking place further north in the Oregon territory. Because of all this, the Spanish mission system truly had a dual role.To say the Spanish missions were forts or presidios is incorrect but the relationship between the two entities was close.

The Mission San Jose California is also located where the Ohlone Indians were settled. The Ohlone Indian tribe resided in an area from San Francisco Bay down to Monterey Bay and present day Salinas California. The Ohlone's like all native peoples had their own religion. In their case it was "shamanism". Shamanism is a spiritual practice with a degree of magic involved. It was an ancient religion.  Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the Ohlone's survived by hunting, fishing, and gathering. Of course, when the Spanish missionaries arrived all of this would change and the change wouldn't necessarily be easy to accomplish.

San Jose Mission front entrance

Spanish missions were set up as self sustaining villages. The missions housed some soldiers, Native Indians, artisans and perhaps two priests. The Spanish government also set up a unique plan for the land and the resources that the missions used. Spain declared that the mission's land and resources were actually owned by the native population and and would be given back to them when they had learned to manage themselves in the Spanish way. At this time the Natives in effect would be subjects of the King of Spain. Spain's colonization efforts stood in contrast to the later westward expansion on the North American continent which was led by the U.S. Army and particularly the U.S. Cavalry. The Spanish mission system ended when Mexicans expelled the Spaniards from North America in the 1820's. The missions were secularized by the new Mexican government but it's interesting to note that the very last mission in Sonoma California, Mission San Francisco Solano, was built under Mexican rule. The impetus appeared to be the concern with Russians traders operating not far north of Sonoma and Mission San Francisco Solano would also serve as a military outpost. The last Mexican military commander in Sonoma was General Mariano Vallejo who ultimately became a supporter of California statehood in 1850.

Mission grounds entrance monument

The original mission made of adobe and timber was destroyed by an earthquake in 1868. The present day museum is located in the West Wing which housed the convento and was not destroyed. The church was rebuilt as a Gothic styled mission in the exact spot as the original. In 1985 a new mission was completed that reflected the same way the original mission had looked. It is considered by all to be an almost perfect replica of the original mission.  At the same time the museum building was brought up to earthquake specifications.

Two additional articles we've published on Western Trips that you'll find interesting at the Carmel Mission in Carmel California and the Mission Santa Clara de Asis on the campus of Santa Clara University just outside San Jose.

You may also enjoy our travel article on Beautiful Tomales Bay California.

Two excellent books on the Spanish missions are The Spanish Missions of California by author Megan Gendell and The California Missions: A Complete Pictorial History and Visitor's Guide by the Editors of Sunset Books.

(Photos are from author's private collection) 

Santa Clara de Asis / California Spanish Missions

Western Trips takes a road trip to the beautiful and historic Mission Santa Clara. The Santa Clara Mission is located on the scenic campus of Santa Clara University in the South Bay city of Santa Clara California. Santa Clara is located about 45 miles south of San Francisco and only about 4 miles west of San Jose. There's quite a lot of historic significance of this site.

Mission Santa Clara

The Mission Santa Clara de Asis was one of the twenty-one missions built in California. The English translation of the mission is Mission of Saint Clare of Assisi. This particular mission was built by the Franciscans in 1777 and that same year it's bells were sent to it by King Charles III of Spain. Today, the mission serves as a Catholic church within the diocese of San Jose and also serves as a chapel for the university.

The story of the California Spanish missions started with the founding in 1769 of the very first mission in San Diego, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala. That first mission was founded by Father Junipero Serra. The second mission in the string that would eventually total twenty-one was the mission at Monterey California which soon after was relocated to Carmel California and named Mission San Carlos Borroméo del río Carmelo. It's also referred to often as the Carmel Mission and is located along the Carmel River. The last mission constructed and the northernmost is Mission San Francisco de Solano located in the town of Sonoma.

Mission Santa Clara Cross

As was the case with all of the Spanish missions, the goal ws to reach out to and Christianize the Native population. The missions worked hand in hand with the Spanish military. The Spaniards adopted the theory of pacifying the local Indian population by their conversion to Christianity. The mission work would also introduce new subjects to the Spanish colony. For the most part, the Spanish mission in California served as both a religious and military outpost. By the year 1803, the mission had an Indian population of over 1,200. At that year it was estimated that thousands of cattle, sheep and horses grazed on the adjacent land along with significant agriculture operations.

Mission Santa Clara de Asis was the eighth Spanish mission built in Alta California. Santa Clara University where the mission is currently located has the distinction of being the first college in Alta California. The Santa Clara Mission college was established in 1828. When the Spaniards were driven out of Alta California in the 1820's due to the Mexican Revolution, the missions were secularized and went through a period of decline both in missionary work as well as upkeep of the structures. When the United States took possession of Alta California as a result of the Mexican American War, the missions found new life. The new American presence in California left a lot of questions to be answered, most notably was the question of who owned what since so many land grants had been given out by the Mexican government. In 1851 the church petitioned the U.S. government to return original mission holdings, much of which had been ceased by the Mexicans. As a result, the U.S. did return a bit over 1,000 acres to the church.

Mission grounds

The Mission Santa Clara was placed under the supervision of John Nobili SJ representing the Jesuits. The Jesuits had previously been expelled from Baja California by Spain and replaced by the Dominicans. This was well before the first mission in Alta California was built in 1769. The task of building those missions starting with the one in San Diego were handed over to the Franciscans.

An interesting fact about Mission Santa Clara was that the mission was ruined and rebuilt six times. This was due to a series of fires and earthquakes. Even though there were so many of these disruptions the mission was never abandoned. The current location is actually the fifth home for the mission which originally was built on the banks of the Guadalupe River near today’s intersection of U.S.Highway 101 and the Mineta International Airport runway. Eventually the church was built on higher ground where it resides today. The last fire that destroyed the mission occurred in 1925 and destroyed the church that was built in 1828. The present mission was rebuilt in 1929 and was consecrated the same year. A college on the site was reestablished in 1851, just one year after California gained statehood and that institution grew into today's Santa Clara University.

Mission Santa Clara de Asis is today at the very heart of Santa Clara University. This private non-profit Jesuit institution of higher learning has over 150 years of history. Actually, two colleges appeared on the scene shortly after the gold rush and statehood. Today's Santa Clara University is one and the other established in 1851 was California Wesleyan College. The latter received the first state charter and Santa Clara University soon afterward. In 1912, the name Santa Clara College was changed to Santa Clara University. The school was an all male institution until 1961.

130 year old wisteria vine at Santa Clara Mission

Visiting the Santa Clara Mission and the campus of Santa Clara University is an historic, scenic and fun side trip to any vacation or visit to the San Francisco Bay Area. The other two missions relatively close by are Mission San Jose which is located in Fremont California and Mission Dolores in San Francisco proper.

Another interesting site you'll see while exploring the Santa Clara University campus is the Ricard Observatory. The first telescope was in operation in 1890 and today the existing observatory was built between 1924-1928. The observatory is named for Jerome Sixtus Ricard, S.J.. Father Ricard was famous for making a connection between sunspot activity and terrestrial weather.

Two additional articles we've published on Western Trips which you'll find interesting are Mission San Juan Batista and the Sonoma Mission in Sonoma California.

Two excellent books on the Spanish missions are The Spanish Missions of California by author Megan Gendell and The California Missions: A Complete Pictorial History and Visitor's Guide by the Editors of Sunset Books.

(Photos from author's private collection)

History of New Mexico / St. Augustine Catholic Church

Western Trips takes a visit to one of the most historic old Spanish churhes in New Mexico. Historic Saint Augustine Catholic Church, located at Isleta Pueblo has a fascinating past. The Isleta Pueblo is located about 15 miles south of Albuquerque and just west of Interstate 25. This is a large pueblo along the the Rio Grande as it winds it's way south. So many early settlements and Native American pueblos were established along the Rio Grande Valley. Pueblo cutltures are generally divided into Western Pueblo's and Eastern Pueblo's. Isleta Pueblo is among the Eastern Pueblos. Isleta Pueblo comprises a main village and two farm villages 3 miles to the south.

St. Augustin Catholic Church

St. Augustine was first named St. Anthony's in the year 1613. This would have been about five or so years after the establishment of Santa Fe. Spanish missions in New Mexico were really religious outposts established by the Franciscan friars. Like many Spanish missions during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the church was damage extensively. The origins of the Pueblo Revolt had their seeds in the subjugating of the local Indians. The Spaniards forced them to pay taxes in crops and forced them to work. In general, the Spaniards and their Franciscan missionaries attacked everything involved with the Indian's ancient religion. The Pueblo Revolt occurred when everything came to a boiling point. During the Pueblo revolt, most inhabitants of Isleta Pueblo fled to the Hopi area of northern Arizona and some joined the Spaniards in their retreat down the Rio Grande. Isleta Pueblo did not take a part in the revolt. It took the Spaniards twelve years to successfully return their rule over the land.

When the Spaniards successfully returned to Nuevo Mexico under deVargas in 1692, the ruins of the mission were found and a new church was completed on the site in 1716. Many missions were rebuilt during this period all over Nuevo Mexico. When the church was rebuilt in 1716 it was renamed St. Augustine. As of this writing, St. Augustine Catholic Church is nearly 400 years old and is considered by most historians as being one of the oldest churches in the United States.

St. Augustin, Isleta Pueblo

When you travel the southwest United States, and particularly New Mexico,there are a great number of missions that are historical landmarks and each one has it's own unique history. Today, some are in ruins and others like St. Augustine Catholic Church have been beautifully restored and rebuilt on their original sites. These are important historical sites not only for the pueblo inhabitants but for the nation as well.

Those touring California today are well aware of that region's history with Spanish missions. There are many beautiful missions to visit all the way from San Diego in the south to Sonoma California in the north. The Franciscan missions in New Mexico were built long before the first mission was built in San Diego in 1769. The pueblo Native American culture in New Mexico and Arizona was quite different than that found in Alta California. While there was some violence associated with the Franciscans and the Indians of California, nothing approached the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Overall, the interaction between the missionaries in Alta California and the local Indian tribes was less restrictive than in 1600's Nuevo Mexico.

There was a restoration project involving St. Augustine Catholic Church which is quite interesting. Around 2004, there was a plan started for the restoration of the church. The initial plan reportedly called for the work to be done by volunteers including teens. There was really very little funding for the project but nevertheless the volunteers worked hard making adobe and persevered. Without funding, the restoration of the church and the final outcome was uncertain. The project received a major lifesaving boost when funding became available around 2010 when the church qualified as a cultural resource project. The restoration work on the church turned out extremely well as you can see from the photos shown in this article. Many people put in a lot of effort and the project was a huge success.

St. Augustin Mission grounds

You may be interested in a few additional articles we've published related to historic old Spanish missions in New Mexico. They include the San Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town Albuquerque and San Francisco de Asis Mission in Rancho de Taos.

The drive south of Albuquerque on Interstate 25 to Isleta Pueblo is quite scenic. There are also numerous other historic landmarks nearby. One is Belen New Mexico, just a short drive south of Isleta. Belen is home to a very interesting old Harvey House that was constructed in 1911. The Harvey House today is a great museum exhibiting many artifacts of the days of the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. Belen  today is a very busy rail yard for the BNSF Railroad, being a major refueling point for freight trains between California and Texas. Belen also features a walking tour map that even features a Sears and Roebuck home that was shipped as a kit from Chicago just after the turn of the twentieth century.

Another transportation option to visit both Isleta Pueblo and Belen is the New Mexico Rail Runner train. The train operates between Santa Fe to the north and Belen to the south. The Albuquerque stop is at the Alvarado Transportation Center on Central Avenue in downtown Albuquerque.

(Photos from author's private collection)

The History of New Mexico / Galisteo Church

Located just a short drive south of Santa Fe New Mexico is a beautiful old mission church which traces it's roots back to the 1500's. This is the church of  Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (The Church of Our Lady of the Remedies). The church is located in Galisteo New Mexico. The village was at one time the pueblo dwelling of the Tano Indians. This far predates the Spanish colonization of the area. Coronado's first explorations were in 1540. According to galisteoarcheology.org, the first historical record of the Galisteo pueblos was furnished by Pedro Castaneda of the Coronado expedition in 1541. The Tano Indians had a bustling multi-storied pueblo settlement. In fact, the Galisteo Basin was a thriving trade route for both the pueblo Indians and later for the Spaniards. Before the Spaniards stepped foot into Galisteo Basin, it was inhabited by about a dozen tribes and one thousand Indians. Where the village of Galisteo is located today was a 1600's Spanish land grant. The Galisteo Basin today is also one of the best known archeological sites in the United States. To the northeast lies the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and to the southwest are the Sandia Mountains which are to the immediate east of Albuquerque.

Iglesia Nuestra Senora de los remedios

The church at this site today, Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, shown in the photos was originally constructed in 1884. It was a reconstruction of the post Spanish reconquest church built on this site. According to the New Mexico state historian, the village of Galisteo was founded about the same time as Santa Fe, perhaps just a few years later circa 1612. Another interesting historical note from the state historian is that the pueblo Indians around Galisteo actually warned the Spanish governor of Nuevo Mexico of the planned Pueblo Revolt of 1680 on the eve of the violent uprising. When Diego de Vargas explored the Galisteo Basin upon the Spaniards return in 1692, he found that virtually all of the missions in the Galisteo basin were abandoned. The church in Galisteo was in bad repair and just about ready to collapse when a rebuilding project was undertaken. In 1706 the church rebuilding was completed and about 150 families were settled in the pueblo. The new church had one nave as opposed to the three the old mission had. Something apparently affected this particular mission as opposed to the majority. By the end of the 1700's, most church missions in Nuevo Mexico were doing quite well.

Galisteo New Mexico church

By the year 1796, the Galisteo church was virtually abandoned again. Most of this was reportedly due to the harsh drought conditions in the basin that made it almost impossible to grow crops, raise cattle and survive there. Today, the Galisteo Basin is a preserve of high desert land. Efforts have been and are made to conserve and restore the land. Visiting the historic old churches and missions in New Mexico is always interesting.

The Galisteo Basin today is one of the best known archeological sites in the United States. To the northeast lies the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and to the southwest are the Sandia Mountains which are to the immediate east of Albuquerque. The church at this site today, Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, shown in the photos was originally constructed in 1884. It was a reconstruction of the post Spanish reconquest church built on this site. According to the New Mexico state historian, the village of Galisteo was founded about the same time as Santa Fe, perhaps just a few years later circa 1612.

The Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Church location is also adjacent to some very fun side trips south of Santa Fe proper. The Turquoise Trail is just to the south and west of Galisteo and features several historic mining towns which are now unique art gallery and entertainment venues. These include the towns of Madrid, Golden and Cerrillos. A few miles to the north and east is Lamy New Mexico which is the scenic stop for Amtrak's Southwest Chief which serves Santa Fe.

You may also want to see the historic mission in Old Town Albuquerque.

(Photos from author's private collection)