The History of Isleta Mission, New Mexico

By Michelle Shocklee

Growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I visited a lot of missions, old churches, and pueblos through the years. Sometimes with my family; sometimes on school field trips. Sadly, like most kids, I didn't appreciate the things I saw and heard on those long ago visits. Now that I'm old and wise (ha!) I soak up the history of the places I visit. Such is the case of my Christmas pilgrimage to Isleta Mission, 15 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. 

Isleta Mission Church. Photos by Michelle Shocklee

Pilgrimage, you ask?

 

Yep. Let me tell you a little story before I get into the history of the mission. 

My dad's parents were born in Mexico in the 1880s. They were both teenagers when their families immigrated to Texas where they met, married, and started a family. My grandfather attended the Baptist seminary in El Paso and became a Baptist minister. Because vital records in Mexico are hard to locate, I didn't hold out much hope of ever knowing much about my ancestors on Dad's side of the family beyond a few names of my great grandparents. Thankfully I was wrong! When a friend gifted me with an Ancestry .com DNA kit last year, I was wonderfully surprised to discover all sorts of people I was related to through my dad's family, dating all the way back to my 7th great grandmother!

That's where the history of Isleta Mission and my family history converge.

Mission San Agustín de Isleta, founded in 1613, was a Spanish mission in what is now Bernalillo County, New Mexico. It was established by Spanish Catholic Franciscans to spread Christianity among the local Native Americans. If you know anything about New Mexico's history, you know Spanish explorerers "discovered" it in the 1500s. Of course, the Land of Enchantment wasn't lost and in need of discovering. It was already inhabited by various Native American tribes, including Pueblo tribes. Francisco Vásquez de Coronado first saw the Isleta Pueblo around 1540 during his expedition. Later, Franciscan missionaries, who arrived with Spanish colonists in New Mexico beginning in 1598, spread their ministry to Isleta. The church was eventually built and is one of the oldest mission churches in the United States today.

But all was not well. North of Isleta, unrest between the Spanish colonists and the Pueblo tribes continued to escalate. For more than 100 years, the Pueblo people were subjected to the unwelcome presence of soldiers, missionaries, and settlers. These encounters between people of different backgrounds and religious beliefs were characterized by violent confrontations between Spanish colonists and Pueblo peoples, including the horrific massacre of over 800 Acoma Pueblo men, women, and children. 

By 1680, a revolt was planned by the leaders of 46 pueblos, led by a Tewa religious leader named Popé. On August 10, the Spanish people living in the capital city of Santa Fe were shocked when a report came to the governor early in the morning, alerting him that a Spanish priest had been killed at a pueblo only nine miles from Santa Fe. By August 15, 1,000 Spaniards had taken refuge in the Governor's palace in Santa Fe, fearing for their lives. They were soon besieged by an army led by Popé, estimated to number 2,500. On August 21, the Spanish colonists broke out of the Palace and began a long trek south, not stopping until they reached El Paso, Texas. Over 400 Spanish colonists were killed during the revolt, but Pueblo warriors did not attack the departing 2,000 survivors and allowed them to escape.

The people of Isleta Pueblo did not participate in the revolt. Instead, they offered shelter to the Spanish refugees... including my ancestors! While we don't have all the details of what happened to them, I know that my 7th great grandmother was born in Santa Fe in 1664. Her son was born at the Isleta Pueblo in 1683. If we piece together historical facts, we can guess that my family escaped from Santa Fe sometime during the revolt and fled to Isleta. They would have continued their flight to El Paso but later returned when the Spanish once again occupied the mission. 

Today, the massive adobe church of San Agustín still dominates the north side of the plaza of the Pueblo of Isleta. The church is an active parish community, and holds regular services and events. Both Tiwa and English are spoken at the pueblo.

I have no way of knowing if my ancestors participated in the violence against Native Americans. I certainly hope not. But history can't be changed. We can only learn from it and hopefully make the world a better place, where everyone can live in peace. 

Me at Isleta Mission with my DNA results

Your turn! Have you looked into your ancestry? Are there any surprises you'd like to share with us?

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Awards and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online at www.MichelleShocklee.com

               COUNT THE NIGHTS BY STARS

*2023 Christianity Today Book Award Winner*

1961. After a longtime resident at Nashville’s historic Maxwell House Hotel suffers a debilitating stroke, Audrey Whitfield is tasked with cleaning out the reclusive woman’s room. There, she discovers an elaborate scrapbook filled with memorabilia from the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. Love notes on the backs of unmailed postcards inside capture Audrey’s imagination with hints of a forbidden romance . . . and troubling revelations about the disappearance of young women at the exposition. Audrey enlists the help of a handsome hotel guest as she tracks down clues and information about the mysterious “Peaches” and her regrets over one fateful day, nearly sixty-five years earlier.
https://www.tyndale.com/p/count-the-nights-by-stars/9781496459930

  

The History and Mystery of Loretto Chapel

By Michelle Shocklee

Growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I couldn't help but be familiar with the famous Loretto Chapel. I recall at least one school field trip to see it, plus various visits to show it off to out-of-town relatives. Of course, kids don't always appreciate fascinating historical details or beautiful architecture the way adults do, so I can't say I was all that impressed with Loretto Chapel. That is, however, until I grew up and moved away from New Mexico. Funny how ones perspective changes as we grow wiser.

Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, New Mexico; photo Wikipedia

Perhaps some of you aren't familiar with the history and the mystery surrounding this beautiful chapel. Let me fill you in on the details.

In 1850, the first Catholic Bishop of the newly established New Mexico Territory, Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, recognized the need to provide education to young girls in Santa Fe. Mexico at that time, like many cultures around the world, offered education to boys but not girls. Lamy began writing letters to priests, brothers, and nuns in the eastern states asking for help to establish a school. In one of his letters he wrote, "I have six thousand Catholics and three hundred Americans." The Sisters of Loretto, a group of nuns founded in 1812 in Kentucky whose mission was to educate poor children on the frontier, eventually answered the call.

United States and Territories, 1850

Seven sisters were sent to open the Loretto Academy. Their arduous journey took them through St. Louis then up the river to Independence, Missouri. Unfortunately, several of the faithful women contracted cholera, and the Mother Superior died. Another nun was too ill to continue the journey and returned to Kentucky. The remaining sisters arrived in Santa Fe in 1852, but before their mission could truly begin, they faced yet another obstacle: the language. They would need to learn to speak Spanish before any mission or educational work could begin.

The academy opened in 1853 and grew from very small beginnings to a school of around 300 students. The campus covered a square block with 10 buildings, built with funds that included tuition, donations, and even money from the sisters own inheritances. By 1873, the sisters decided it was time to build a chapel for their students. They hired the same architects Bishop Lamy,

Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Santa Fe, NM
Photos: Wikipedia

now Archbishop Lamy, used to build the famous and beautiful Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi several years earlier. (On a side note, my dearest childhood friend was married in this church. 😃)

Architect Antoine Mouly and his son Projectus Mouly from Paris, France began work on what is known today as the Loretto Chapel. Undoubtedly influenced by the French clergy in Santa Fe, the Gothic Revival-style chapel was patterned after King Louis IX's Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, a striking contrast to the adobe churches already in the area. Stone for the chapel was quarried from around Santa Fe. The sandstone for the walls and the porous volcanic stone used for the ceiling were hauled to town by wagon. The beautiful stained glass was purchased in 1876 from the DuBois Studio in Paris. It was first sent from Paris to New Orleans by ship, then by paddle boat to St. Louis. From there it was loaded into a covered wagon and carefully transported over the Old Santa Fe Trail to its permanent home in the chapel.

Some of the stained glass in Loretto Chapel

The chapel took five years to complete. Unfortunately, Projectus Mouly, who'd taken over the project, passed away before a staircase to the choir loft could be designed. Due to the height of the loft (twenty-two feet high) and the small space of the chapel, a standard staircase would not work. Various builders were consulted, but none came up with a solution that satisfied the sisters. With no other options, they took the matter to St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Carpenters. What happened next is a fascinating story and legend. 

On the ninth and final day of the sisters' prayers, a stranger arrived with a donkey and a toolbox. The sisters explained their dilemma, and when he confirmed he could build what they needed, they took it as an answer to their prayers. The stranger set to work using simple tools and wood that is not native to the Southwest. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.

The spiral staircase is truly a work of art. Unlike other staircases, it is not supported by a newel or central pole. No nails were used in its construction. It has two complete 360 degree turns, and the entire weight of the staircase rests on the bottom stair. The banisters were added about ten years later due to the difficulty of climbing the tall, tapered stairs with no railing. The two small brackets that can be seen on the outside connecting the stairs to the wall and pillar were added in the mid 20th century in order to provide more support and protect the staircase from negative effects due to vibrations from passing cars and trucks. The underside of the stairs were originally open, but was filled in with a horse hair and lime mixture painted to look like wood. Because of its magnificent structure as well as the mystery surrounding its builder, it is now referred to as the Miraculous Staircase.

The Loretto Academy closed in 1968, and the property was put up for sale. Today, Loretto Chapel is a private museum open to visitors as well as small weddings. If you're ever in Santa Fe, I encourage you to see Loretto Chapel and the Miraculous Staircase. You won't be sorry!

Have you been to Loretto Chapel? I'd love to hear about your visit! But even if you haven't seen it in person, what do you think about mysterious builder?

Michelle Shocklee is the award-winning author of The Planter's Daughter and The Widow of Rose Hill, historical sagas set on a Texas cotton plantation before and after the Civil War. Her historical novella set in the New Mexico Territory is included in The Mail-Order Brides Collection. Michelle and her husband of 31 years make their home in Tennessee. Connect with her at www.MichelleShocklee.com.




THE WIDOW OF ROSE HILL

Widowed during the war, Natalie Ellis finds herself solely responsible for Rose Hill plantation. When Union troops arrive with a proclamation freeing the slaves, all seems lost. How can she run the plantation without slaves? In order to save her son’s inheritance she strikes a deal with the arrogant, albeit handsome, Colonel Maish. In exchange for use of her family’s property, the army will provide workers to bring in her cotton crop. But as her admiration for the colonel grows, a shocking secret is uncovered. Can she trust him with her heart and her young, fatherless son?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078CN65FH/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0

Black-eyed Peas

by Linda Farmer Harris

All of the Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities are behind us, and it's time to plan the event that welcomes in 2017.

What's your favorite traditional New Year's Eve meal? Jerry and I always serve a bowl of black-eyed peas with corn bread.

Black-eyed Peas and Cornbread

Our family in Arkansas serves Hoppin' John, a basic, simple stew with ham hock, onion, salt and pepper served over rice or collard greens. Of course, you can gussy it up with garlic, celery, red and green bell peppers. Or use Kielbasa or other meat.

I've heard several theories about the name—some that it originated locally and some had a more exotic origin.  I like the theory that it's an Englishized version of pois a pigeon, French for pigeon peas. Still doesn't fit Hoppin' John, does it! But it's served with the blessing of good fortune for the coming year, so it's all good.

We haven't gone so far as to eat one pea for every day in the new year, as is the tradition of some, but we do serve it on occasion throughout the year. That may count toward getting 365 peas eaten before 2018.

Considering black-eyed peas luck goes back to the legend that the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi ran out of food while under attack during the Civil War. The town folks discovered a stash of black-eyed peas and forever after considered them lucky.

It seems each culture has its lucky foods. A few examples:
> Spain—one grape for each stroke of the clock for each month of the new year
> Danish—stewed kale
> Germans—sauerkraut (cabbage) and roast pork and sausages
> U.S. southern states—collard greens-more greens eaten the larger the fortune
> Brazil—lentil soup
> Japan—sweet black beans called kuro-mame
> Cuba, Hungary, Austria—pork or miniature pigs made of marzipan
> Sweden—pig's feet
> Holland, Hungary, Greece, Norway—cakes and other baked delights

Yes, there are some foods considered unlucky.
> Lobster—they move backward & that signifies setbacks and regression
> Chicken—they scratch backward signifying regret or dwelling in the past

What's your favorite New Year's Eve food?

Blessings,

Turning Tidbits of History into Unforgettable Stories

Lin and her husband, Jerry, live on a ranch in Chimney Rock, Colorado. She writes historical fiction for adults and children. Her latest series is Voices in the Desert and Book 1 is Treasure Among the Ruins.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, May 1926—Cordelia Moulton searches for self-identity and finds that love is as sure as the spring grass under the winter snowflakes.

Treasure Among the Ruins, Book 1, Voices in the Desert Series is available in e-book for the holiday season at Amazon.com.

Read more about the Southwestern Indian Detours in her HH&H posts:

1926 Bucket List — http://www.hhhistory.com/search?q=1926+bucket+list

Southwestern Indian Detours (Part I) — http://christianfictionhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2013/06/southwestern-indian-detours-by-linda.html

Southwestern Indian Detours (Part II) — http://christianfictionhistoricalsociety.blogspot.com/2013/07/southwestern-indian-detours-part-ii.html


Her novella, The Lye Water Bride, is included in the California Gold Rush Romance Collection (Barbour Publishing, August 2016)

1926 Bucket List

It's May 1926 and a train trip to the American Southwest is on your bucket list. However, the thought of miles and miles of clickety-clack isn't appealing. Then, you find a brochure announcing Fred Harvey's newly formed Indian Detours.

These one to three day tours allow you to leave the train and visit Indian Reservations in New Mexico and Arizona. Visiting the painted canyons and giant masterpieces of stone in wilderness territory had been relegated to adventurers, photographers, and artists. Now these places are within your reach.

In cooperation with Fred Harvey, Major Hunter Clarkson opened the Indian-Detours headquarters in Santa Fe, New Mexico not far from the La Fonda Hotel.

Clarkson's words on August 25, 1925 (Thomas, 1978, pp. 52-53): "There is more of historic, prehistoric, human and scenic interest...than in any similar area of the world, not excepting india, Egypt, Europe or Asia...The big idea is not only to let people know what is in New Mexico, but to tell them what it is when they see it."

Tours would later originate from the Castaneda Hotel in Las Vegas, New Mexico and other Harvey hotels—the Alvarado in Albuquerque, the Ortiz in Lamy, and the Navajo in Gallup.

The most popular detours were to the Taos, San Ildefonso, and Santa Clara Indian Pueblos. Other tours included the ruins at Puye and Frijoles and the old Spanish village at Truchas. They could tour the Grand Canyon, Rainbow Arch, the Petrified Forest, and other Indian lands.

Travelers who signed up for the Detour tours were called Detourists and/or Dudes. They were met at the railroad stations by women dressed in Southwestern attire and accompanied by a cowboy-driven Harvey car.

Harvey Cars waiting for Detourist at the Lamy, New Mexico train station

The drivers of the Harvey cars were chosen for their mechanical skills and knowledge of a wide variety of emergency procedures.

Elmer Shelton—HarveyCar Driver

The female couriers were qualified by a college education, social background, character, personality, and knowledge of the Southwest. The ability to speak Spanish was a benefit. Their four-month crash course training included archaeology, Southwestern history, politics, sociology, anthropology, geology, and the arts.

Facts the Couriers may have shared with the Dudes.
> Santa Fe, at 7,000 ft. above sea level, is the nation's highest state capital.
> Santa Fe was founded in 1607—13 years before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth.
> Santa Fe was originally called La Villa Real de la Santa Fe de San Francisco de Asis. The name was changed in 1910.
> You can see five different states (Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico) from the top of Capulin Volcano.
> Taos pueblo has been inhabited for over a thousand years.
> Dancing while wearing your sombrero is illegal.
> In 1898, Carlsbad Caverns was discovered by sixteen-year-old Jim White. In 2016, we know it is the second largest cave chamber in the world.
> The Yucca, now New Mexico's state flower, has a high level of utility, functioning as a material for baskets, ropes, and footwear.

Southwest Indian Detour Couriers

The original four Southwest Indian Detour Couriers

One of the brochures for the tours

Advertisement for the tours

Couriers and driver outside Detours headquarters in Santa Fe.

Southwest Indian Detour Courier Mary Tucker

Courier Service Brochure

Dudes ready for a Detour adventure

Brochure for Indian pueblos

Would you have signed up for a tour? Would you have been interested in becoming a Courier?

What travel sites are on your bucket list?

Blessings,

Linda "Lin" Farmer Harris

Turning Tidbits of History into Unforgettable Stories

Lin and her husband, Jerry, live on a ranch in Chimney Rock, Colorado. She writes historical fiction for adults and children. Her novella, The Lye Water Bride, is included in the California Gold Rush Romance Collection (Barbour Publishing, August 2016)