San Francisco de Asis Church, Ranchos de Taos, Part 3 (front)

This vintage photograph has been reversed, the bell is actually on the other side!

 A tiny village four miles south of Taos on State Highway 68 (between mile markers 41 & 42), Ranchos de Taos is home to the San Francisco de Asis Church (or the Ranchos Church) a National Historic Landmark. The church has been an inspiration for many great artists who’ve left us with a palpable sense of the people places and events of the past and present. Its heavy buttresses have been portrayed in all media since the early 20th Century, most famously by Georgia O’Keeffe, Ansel Adams, and Paul Strand. The ever changing light has made capturing the back of this structure a challenge to artists/photographers for over a century. The Plaza was here before the church was built; in the mid-1700s it was the most populated community in the vicinity. Most of the buildings in the old plaza contain parts of the original structure, some of these buildings are over 300 years old. This historic plaza was built on top of an abandoned Native American Village. The front of the Church faces away from the road revealing it’s famous backside to travelers as they arrive to Taos. This is not meant to confuse visitors it merely faces the original road in to Taos a branch of the Old Santa Fe Trail.

There are a few gravesites in the patio around the front of the Church

 Inside the parish office resides “The Shadow of the Cross” or “the Mystery Painting” by Henry Ault. A small fee is charged and you will also be shown a short video about the Church. These can be viewed Mon.-Fri. 9AM-4PM.

 Each spring the Church is re-plastered with a mixture of mud and straw by the local parishioners.  Once again work will begin this June with locals and visitors joining in for the “enjarre”, or re-mud.

 San Francisco de Asis Church visiting hours 9-4 Mon.-Sat. 575-751-0518      

 Sunday Mass Service 7AM Spanish, 9AM & 11:30AM Weekdays 6:45AM Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri                                                                                        

ca. 1940's with livestock corrals, during WW2 animals were kept in the safety of the Church Plaza

a rather awkward view capturing back buttresses and front steeple

First Light of a brand new day

Polaroid of Vigas

2012 updated Vigas

Even today this Church is an active and vital center for the community of Taos, note the horse & buggy!

 Before the pine trees

 The majestic Sphinx like front

 absolute front

 From across the parking area, Two Graces Plaza Gallery is located in the building to the right

 Priest and parishioner greet each other

at one point in the early 20's the Church fell into disrepair

 colorized linen postcard

 Kodachrome

 updated vehicle

 The extreme sunset

 Vintage linen postcard

 Vintage linen postcard, same view, different visitors

Young couple ca 1950's

Before he was the old guy he is today, your guide Robert Cafazzo

Once again here are a group of images of the great San Francisco de Asis Church in Ranchos de Taos. This grouping is of the front and without the very large pine trees blocking the view which have grown very, very tall.

I've been gathering these images for the past 25 years, many are vintage postcards, some are from State and National Archives and some are photographs I've taken myself.

If you choose to re-post any of these images please give me credit and a donation to the Church would be an admirable way to pay your respect.

Thank you very much