Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1914-10-08
OLD NEW MEXICO.
Continued from First Page.

while this section moves as does
all other parts of the world, it
seems to have a different move
ment, and that difference is one
of its mystic charms that holds
the attention of the visitor from
the first to the last moment of his
stay.
OF course everybody knows
lSanta Fe is the capitol of New
Mexico, the Sunshine State, "
the "City of the Holy Faith"
but only those who visit the city
know that it is the most pictur-
esque city of the United States
a town hoary with age-and that
another and more ancient civiliza-
tion proceeded this by many cen
turies-the cliff and cave dwellers
whose twenty thousand cliff and
cave dwellings are located at the
very door of Santa Fe as is plainly
seen by the presence of their well
preserved ruins and remains. and
IN order to appreciate the real de-
lightful interest of this city one
should read some of the many
works of the best authors-Roose-
welt s Winning of the West, +" and
others. as well as the shorter stor-
les of "The Land of Enchant-
ment' and the "Flute of the
Gods. In the Land of Enchant-
ment' will be found a pleasant
reference to Governor and Mrs.
Prince, whose home it was my
pleasure to visit and whom | found
to be among the most active stu
dents of New Mexican archae-
ology. Their home is one of the
early buildings of the city and is
of one story built of adobe, with
the usual fiat mud roof, walls from
three to five feet in thickness, I'M
plastered ceiling with the ancient
heavy vegas showing their antiq-
uity all surrounding a court filed
with shrubs and flowers. The home
is a perfect museum and is filled
with antiquities that are almost
priceless. Gov. Prince was one of
the early territorial governors and
the end of the "Santa F'e trail - in
the city is marked by monument |
erected at the suggestion and per-
sonal expense of Mrs. Prince.
The traveller from the East gets
his first glimpse of ancient New /
Mexico in the ruins of the Pecos
mission church at the old Pueblo
of Pecos abandoned by the Indians
within the last century, but they
still retain the lingering hope that
Montizuma will come and restore
Pecos to its former greatness. The
Pecos river is in the Sangre de
Cristo Range in whose lap lies
Santa Fe, and the first view of a
sunset as the train descends the
Glorietta divide will reveal the
reason for this impressive name
"Blood of Christ" mountains.
Among the many points of inter
est in Santa Fe is the old church |
of San Miguel, said to be the old
est church in the United States and
the illustration herewith shows it |
as it is now after being restored
in 1890. 1t was my pleasure to be
entertained by one of the Brother
hood of Teachers who have charge
of the old church and school. AS
are all these Brothers he was
highly educated, and most
charming conversationalist and
spent delightful half hour with |
him. The old church was erected
in 1911. The Indians in 1850 de-
stroyed the upper portion of its
walls, and it was rebuilt by De-
Vargas in 1896 from which time
until 1928 it was the parish
church. Beneath the floor and
under the altar many notable per-
sons Of early days are buried,
among them being Father Juan de
Jesus, killed by Indians in 1880,
also DeVargas who died in 1904
The church is built of sun dried
bricks, the walls nearly five feet
thick, both inside and, outside be-
ing covered with a thin layer of
mud. The interior is so very
quaint that it tells silent story of
the difficulties of building and the
devotion to duty of the time, and
the men of those days. On one of
the beams of the gallery is carved
the name of the Governor of New
Mexico, the Marquee de la Pen
uela, who rebuilt it in 1710 and
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