Northern New Mexico - 2002 (Re-run)

 New Mexico has a long and colorful history dating back thousands of years.  Spanish conquistadors explored during the 16th century and occupied the territory for a while.  It was then settled by Mexicans, who lived alongside Ancestral Puebloans, and eventually by Europeans in the American expansion during the 19th century.  All three cultures are prominent today, giving New Mexico a unique diversity among U.S. states that can be seen in the architecture, clothing and cuisine.

Spanish influence is evident in the many mission style churches throughout the state.  The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi sits on the site of the first church in Santa Fe, founded in 1610.  After a series of church buildings, the current structure was built between 1869 and 1887.

San Miguel Chapel was also founded around 1610 and is thought to be the oldest church in the U.S.  It isn't clear though how much of it is the original mission.

Loretto Chapel has such an interesting history, or legend, that it has become a true tourist destination, complete with hotel accommodations.  After the chapel was completed, it became obvious its choir loft had no means of access.  After the nuns prayed a novena to St. Joseph, a mysterious carpenter showed up and offered to build a stairway.  Supplying all materials himself, the carpenter completed a spiral staircase without use of any nails and with no visible means of support, then quietly disappeared without accepting payment.  The nuns were convinced it was St. Joseph himself.

Near the town of Angel Fire, a father built a monument to his son, killed in battle during the Viet Nam War.

 Taos is well known as an artist community.  We enjoyed a really special visit to a home designed and built by an artist who included a workshop where he makes decorative pieces from wood, metal and glass.

One famous church is the San Francisco de Asis Church in Rancho de Taos.  Built in the early 1800s, the church has been the subject of many paintings, most notably by Georgia O'Keeffe, and photographs, including one by Ansel Adams.

Autumn in New Mexico is highlighted by the colorful cottonwoods that grow along many rivers and streams.

Bandelier National Monument is another park that preserves ruins of ancient cultures known as Ancestral Puebloans.  At this site in Frijoles Canyon, some homes were built apartment style on the canyon floor, while others were built into natural voids in the canyon's walls.

Possibly the most famous church, almost certainly the most visited, is the Santuario de Chimayo.  Its legend surrounds the "holy dirt" found in the church, thought by many to have healing powers.  A small hole in a side room is where some 300,000 visitors each year remove a sample.  Some rub it on their crippled bodies, some actually eat the dirt.  While the church makes no claims for the power of the dirt, it does replenish the dirt taken , using some 25 to 30 tons per year from a nearby hillside.

Valles Caldera is the result of an extremely large volcanic eruption more than a million years ago.  Nearly 14 miles in diameter, the caldera has been home to Native Americans for more than 11,000 years.  More recently, cattle ranches were built here, and movies have been filmed in the area.  The caldera includes a lava dome that reaches an elevation of more than 11,000 feet.  Numerous experimental geothermal plants have been undertaken, but none proved to be feasible.

Along the Jemez River, a natural formation of calcium carbonate and travertine  was formed some 7000 years ago.  Now called the Soda Dam, water managed to create an opening to flow through, making it a natural bridge.