Near Mountainair in Socorro County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Mission Church 1630-1650
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Iglesia misionera 1630-1650
Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025
1. Mission Church 1630-1650 / Iglesia misionera 1630-1650 Marker
For almost 30 years, no priest lived at the mission established for this pueblo. The first Franciscan assigned here, Francisco Letrado, started the church walls you see to your right in 1630.New believers helped Friar Letrado convert the corner rooms of the apartment block to your left into his living quarters and a small chapel.
Priests intermittently visiting from Abó, some 25 miles away, continued to serve the congregation here until 1659. Such a mission - with no resident missionary - was called a visita.
Por casi 30 años, ningún sacerdote vivió en la misión establecida en este pueblo. Fray Francisco Letrado fue el primer franciscano nombrado aquí, y empezó a construir las paredes de la iglesia, que usted ve a su derecha, en 1630.
Nuevos creyentes ayudaron al fraile Letrado a transformar los cuartos de la esquina de la cuadra de apartamientos a su izquierda en una pequeña capilla y habitaciones para el misionero.
Varios sacerdotes que visitaron de vez en cuando desde Abó, unos 40 km de distancia, continuaron sirviendo a esta congregación hasta 1659. Este tipo de misión - sin sacerdote residente - se llamaba una visita.
Erected by Salinas
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1630.
Location. 34° 15.58′ N, 106° 5.51′ W. Marker is near Mountainair, New Mexico, in Socorro County. It is on Wsmr S Rte 41 near New Mexico Route 55. The marker is located on the grounds of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument - Gran Quivíra Ruins. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mountainair NM 87036, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southwest New Mexico and in the Rio Grande Valley. It is also in the American Southwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Republic of Texas.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Larger Church: 1659-1670 / Una iglesia más grande: 1659-1670
Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 2025
2. The marker and the Mission Church 1630-1650 ruins
Also see . . . Gran Quivira. National Park Service
The Gran Quivira unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument is the largest of the three units at 611 acres. Prior to Spanish contact, Gran Quivira was a vast city with multiple pueblos, and kivas. Mound 7, a 226 room structure from the Pueblo IV period (A.D.1275/1300-1600), is the largest and only fully excavated pueblo at the site. During the excavation, an older Circular Pueblo was discovered under Mound 7. First contact with the Spanish probably happened in 1583 with the arrival of Don Antonio(Submitted on August 10, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)de Espejo who mentions a settlement that sounds very similar to Gran Quivira. The Spanish returned in 1598 with the expedition of Don Juan de Oñate who was the first Spaniard to colonize what would become New Mexico. Oñate visited a pueblo he called Las Humanas which was the southernmost settlements. As part of the mission system, Las Humanas (Gran Quivira) was first placed under the Pecos Mission District. Later, with the arrival of Fray Alonso de Benavides in 1626, Gran Quivira was given more attention and later became a visita (a satellite mission without a resident Father) of Abó in 1629. That same year construction began on the first permanent mission at Gran Quivira. Under the supervision of Fray Francisco Letrado, rooms on the west end of Mound 7 (Letrado's Convento) were used by the Spanish for housing and probably an early chapel. Letrado was moved to the Zuni Pueblo in 1631 and Gran Quivira came under the control of Fray Francisco de Acevedo at the Abó Mission. Construction on Iglesia de San Isidro was completed in 1635. In 1659 Fray Diego de Santander was permanently assigned to Gran Quivira. Soon after, construction on a new larger church, San Buenaventura, began. By 1672 a combination of disease, drought, famine, and Apache raiding led to the abandonment of Gran Quivira.Photographed by James Hulse, April 10, 20253. The wide view of the marker and church ruins
Credits. This page was last revised on August 11, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 10, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 82 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 11, 2025, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
