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)