A Self-Guided Walking Tour Of 22 Historic Taos Landmarks

3COURTHOUSE(CENTER)PRIOR TOTHE FIREOF 1932OLD COUNTY COURTHOUSENorth side of the PlazaOn May 9, 1932, the Taos County Courthouse,along with the other buildings on the northside of the Plaza, was destroyed by one ofa series of fires in the early thirties. This ledeventually to the incorporation of the Townof Taos in 1939 and the establishment of afire department and public water system.The current Spanish-Pueblo style courthouse was built with partial funding from theW.P.A. in 1934. The two-story, flat-roofedbuilding has a curvilinear parapet, exposedvigas, and an added portal with carvedbeams, corbels, and wooden posts.Between 1934 and 1935, interior muralsdepicting social justice were commissionedby the Works Progress Administration(W.P.A.) Public Works of Art Project forthe courtroom on the second floor. EmilBisttram had studied fresco painting techniques with Diego Rivera in Mexico andenlisted other Taos artists for this project.The four artists were Bert Phillips, VictorHiggins, Emil Bisttram, and Ward Lockwood.The project took three months to completeand the artists were paid 56 per month.The murals were restored in 1995 andare still displayed upstairs. The countyoffices moved to new facilities on Paseodel Pueblo Sur in 1972 and the old structure was converted to commercial use.W.P.A. MURALS IN PROGRESS, 193464THE FIRSTCHURCH,CIRCA 1900OUR LADY OFGUADALUPE CHURCH205 Don Fernando StreetThe Franciscans founded the first missionin the Taos Valley in the late 1500s. Thiswas destroyed during the Pueblo Revoltof 1680. After 1693, when the Spanishcame back into the area, a mission wasre-founded, as San Gerónimo de Taos atTaos Pueblo.As settlement continued, the first Spanishchurch was built at Ranchos de Taos around1776. By the decree of November 1801,Bishop Olivares of Durango gave the peopleof Taos permission to build a new churchin Taos Valley.This new church, named Nuestra Señorade Guadalupe in Don Fernando de Taos,was built in the early 1800’s. Later, by thedecree of July 4, 1833, Bishop Zubiria ofDurango made Nuestra Señora deGuadalupe of Taos a parish. It then becamethe head church or a visita for the PuebloChurch—San Gerónimo de Taos, and theRanchos de Taos Church. Padre Martínezwas its first pastor and the parish itselfis the oldest parish in the United Statesdedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary underthe title of Our Lady of Guadalupe.Over the years, there have been threeGuadalupe Church buildings. All threechurches were built of adobe bricks.The original church was located southof the current Don Fernando site, in whatis now the Guadalupe Plaza parking lot.It was built in Pueblo style with 3-4 footthick walls. The first structure had a flatroof, but in 1870, a pitched roof was added.7

5PAINTING BYJOSE SANTIAGO,1674, HAS HUNGIN ALL THREECHURCHESCOURTYARDOF THEHOUSE, n.d.THE SECONDCHURCHAND PLAZA,CORPUSCHRISTIPROCESSION1916In 1911, due to disrepair and limitedsize, the church was torn down. A newchurch was built in Gothic style. It servedthe community for 50 years until it wasdestroyed by fire in June 1961.After that disaster, the church was movedacross the street to its current location,on the north side of Don Fernando Street.Fortunately many elements of the oldchurch were salvaged—the altar screenand several santos. The painting of OurLady of Guadalupe, which is on the mainaltar, was painted by José Santiago in1674. This was a gift from Mexico to PadreMartínez. A large wooden crucifix, to theside of the altar, was created by JoséAragon, one of the pioneers of the santosmakers in Northern New Mexico. All thesefeatures have been incorporated into thenew church design. 575.758.92088GUADALUPE PLAZAAND SANTISTEVAN HOUSE122 Doña LuzGuadalupe Plaza was once a thriving villagewhich included the original GuadalupeChurch of the 1800s. It extended threeblocks to the west to include Doña Luz,Padre Martínez Lane, and ManzanaresStreet.The oldest building on the commercialblock of Doña Luz was built in the 1870s.John Sanchez used this building on thesouth end of Doña Luz for his law practice in the 1930s.Other businesses in this building includeda gift shop, artists’ studios, and cafés. Oneof these was the “House of Taos,” whichwas mentioned in the book The HippiesGuide to Taos. The millstones in front camefrom an old flour mill in the area. Anotherbuilding was once the courthouse, jail, andtown garage.The Santistevan House, located at thenorth end of the block, may be the oldestresidence on the block. It was already builtwhen Don José de la Cruz Santistevan andhis wife Dona Maria Gregorita Hernándezde Santistevan arrived from Spain in theearly 1800s. They first settled in Los Coloniasand raised five children. The estate on DoñaLuz eventually became their winter home.Originally, this property had a well in thecourtyard and portions of the rooms wereonce used as a hotel. Other uses includeda lawyer’s office, a fish market, a clothingstore, and several restaurants. The buildingwas recently renovated and care was takento restore the character of the originalelements of the Santistevan House. It nowhouses LDG Architects 575.751.9481 ldgtaos.com and Antonio’s Restaurant. 575.751.4800 antoniosoftaos.com9

6VIEW OFHOME FROMLEDOUXSTREET,1925“BLUMIE”WITH BROKENSURREYWHEEL,PHOTOBY BERTPHILLIPS,1898BLUMENSCHEIN HOUSE222 Ledoux StreetIn 1919 Ernest Blumenschein, one of thefounders of the Taos Art Colony, purchaseda four-room house on Ledoux Street fromfellow artist W. Herbert “Buck” Dunton.Later the Blumenscheins acquired severaladjoining rooms and adapted the hometo its present layout in 1931. Ernest andhis wife Mary, both European trainedartists, were accomplished painters. Theirdaughter Helen was also an artist.According to history, in 1898 Blumenscheinwas traveling through the Southwest withBert Phillips. The two men were youngartists from the East on a sketching tripfrom Denver to Mexico.While crossing northern New Mexico, awheel from their surrey slipped into a deeprut and broke. Blumenschein rode 23 milesinto Taos to have the wheel repaired.They remained in the area for two months,becoming so entranced with the beautyof Taos Valley that they decided to makeit their home.By 1915, Blumenschein and Bert Phillipswere joined in Taos by fellow artists JosephSharp, Oscar Berninghaus, E. Irving Couse,and W. Herbert “Buck” Dunton. Togetherthey created the Taos Society of Artiststo promote their work across the country.This original group of artists was instrumental in developing Taos into a significantAmerican art colony. 575.758.0505 taoshistoricmuseums.com107HARWOOD MUSEUM OF ART238 Ledoux StreetThe Ledoux Street neighborhood, wherethe Harwood Museum stands, probablyhad its first adobe houses built in the earlypart of the nineteenth century. There werebuildings standing on what would laterbecome the Harwood property when SmithH. Simpson acquired it in 1861.Simpson had come west to serve in amilitary campaign against the Ute Indians,and later worked as a clerk for the nearlyilliterate Kit Carson. After Simpson’s deathin 1916, his heirs sold their family houseto Burritt and Elizabeth Harwood.From 1917 to 1924, the Harwoodsacquired three additional parcels on theeast side and one more on the west. In1918, they renovated the buildings andcalled the complex “El Pueblito,” sinceits design was strongly influenced by thearchitecture of Taos Pueblo.In 1923, a year after her husband’s death,Elizabeth Harwood, joined by membersof the art and business community, BertPhillips, T.P. Martin, Victor Higgins, WilliamM. Frayne, and B.G. Randall, created whatwould become one of New Mexico’s mostenduring art institutions, the HarwoodFoundation.In 1929, the Harwood and the Universityof New Mexico developed a partnershipthat existed up to 1937, at which timeownership was transferred to the University.Elizabeth retained her residence in theHarwood until her death in 1938. Her visionof turning their home into an art center,cultural center, and library for northernNew Mexico had been achieved.In 1998, after relocation of the townlibrary which was housed in the structure,the Harwood building was renovated andrenamed the Harwood Museum. It hasbeen referred to as the “jewel in thecrown” of Northern New Mexico.575.758.9826 harwoodmuseum.orgCOMPOUND FROM THE WEST, CIRCA 193411

8COMPOUNDAS SEENFROM THEEAST, 1970sPADRE MARTÍNEZ HOUSE108-A Padre Martínez Lane(Private residence—please do notdisturb the occupants.)In 1835 Padre Martínez acquired whatsome historians claim was the first printingpress west of the Mississippi. On it, hepublished the first books and a newspaper.From his home this visionary operated acoeducational school, a seminary, and inanticipation of annexation by the U.S., alaw school, drawing students from prominent families throughout the region.Aside from training a generation ofleaders, Martínez himself served regularlyin the Mexican territorial assembly. As oneof the first New Mexicans to become anAmerican citizen, he was elected presidentof the initial territorial constitutional conventions and the upper house of the FirstLegislative Assembly.As a powerful defender of the existingpopulations, the friction generated by thetransition to American rule inevitably ledMartínez to clash with certain representatives of the new order, includingGovernor Bent.In spite of this, Martínez provided refugeto survivors of the revolt of 1847, and permitted the American army to headquarteritself in this house.Conflicts with Archbishop Lamy, of thenewly created Archbishop of Santa Fe,led to Martínez’ excommunication, whichmany consider to have been invalid.However, Padre Martínez continued tominister to his people from his privatechapel until his death in 1867.The Padre Martínez home is a privateresidence, owned by one of his numerous,direct descendants. The grounds are closedto the public, but visitors are invited totour the virtual museum and library atpadremartinez.org.129LA LOMAPLAZA,SEEN FROMTHE WEST,CIRCA 1910LA LOMA PLAZAOn the north side of Ranchitos Roadjust west of the Salazar intersectionLa Loma Plaza was one of the first settlements in the Taos area, established in the1870s by settlers of the Don Fernando deTaos land grant.This plaza was built as an enclosureof homes with common walls, creatinga defensive style plaza for the inhabitants.Most homes had their own wells andgardens. Teams of horses, cows, pigs,and chickens were kept in corrals in backof the houses.The families that settled in this compoundwere some of the founding fathers andartists of the community.In 1874-75, Gabriel Jeantet (now spelledJeantete) and his son Filiberto Jeantet(great grandfather and grandfather toEloy Jeantete) along with members of thecommunity, built the San Antonio Chapel,which is on the north side of the Plaza.Following a written petition by communitymembers, Archbishop Lamy blessed thechurch in October of 1876.Today, most of the houses have beenrestored and the quiet, peaceful characterof the plaza still exists.THE SAN ANTONIO CHAPEL ON LA LOMA PLAZA13

HISTORIC TAOSHOTEL LA FONDA DE TAOSPOLD COUNTY COURTHOUSEOUR LADY OF GUADALUPE CHURCHGUADALUPE PLAZA AND SANTISTEVAN HOUSE TaosPuebloBLUMENSCHEIN HOUSE PADRE MARTINEZHOUSEEEK RD.WY.L CRHAIVETERANS HHARWOOD MUSEUM LA LOMA PLAZALONG JOHN DUNN HOUSE64NGOVERNOR BENT HOUSEBERT PHILLIPS HOUSEFECHIN HOUSETACIMANBY HOUSENOMICA TRADING POSTEL RINCONLADENORTWALTER UFER STUDIOAPLETAOS INNLibrary1/4 mile1/4 UESNOJITOS LN.EL RD.LNP.DAX ST.21ONA2GOPL AZ20PLAS CRUCES RD.68SILER RD.64YA ST.TOCHIRAN3Kit it CarsonMemorial ParkDRADONA LUZ ST.87S240PPHATCHERY RD.EZ LNIOP5 41311 12 14 10Taos Center15 for the ArtsTAOS INNSUR9PMONTANOPCIVIC PLAZADR.P MARTYRSBENLN.T ST.PASEO DEL PUEBLONTOSALAZAR ST.VALDARES ST.LA LOMLOMASAPT.L.D.SANA LDGARCHITECTSFERNANDO ST.ARCIATaos CivicTown Plaza &Hall ConventionTOW N HACenterLL ST.TA O SHISTORICDISTRICTDONLAARLOMITLA.STMANZANMap 2009 Webb Design Inc., TaosLVVADEERPLAZAGST.PASDHINDVICTOR HIGGINS HOUSELUNSUMABEL DODGE LUHAN HOUSENSETCOUSE HOUSEUEST.LUNA CHAPEL AND SHARP STUDIOBLOKIT CARSON HOUSE 0Paved RoadsUnpaved RoadsPost OfficePublic ParkingRestroomsTaos Historic DistrictBrochure SponsorsTAOS PLAZA LN.PADRE MARTINEZ12345678910111213141516171819202122Area Legend15KITCARSONRD.EL MONTESAGRADO

10NORTH SIDEOF THEDUNN HOUSEPRIOR TOCURRENTRENOVATIONS,1960sLONG JOHN DUNN HOUSE120 Bent StreetIn 1887 John Dunn arrived in Taos. He hadevaded the law in Texas and was lookingfor someplace to settle in for awhile.Over the years John Dunn opened upfour saloons, a gambling hall, a livery stable,and built a house on Bent Street.He bought the bridge at Taos Junctionfrom a man named Myers and the newbridge at Manby Springs in Arroyo Hondofrom Miller and Gusdorf. Both bridges werewiped out by floods. But John Dunn rebuiltthe bridges and contracted with the PostOffice to run daily mail service from TresPiedres to Taos.On his mail route, which includedEmbudo and Taos Junction, much of theparcel post was paintings and paintingsupplies for the artists who had begunto arrive in the area.To establish his passenger and freightbusiness, he put up 2,500 of his ownmoney and passed the hat to raise another 2,500. His toll bridges across the RioGrande gave Dunn a monopoly on roadtravel in and out of town. He set up a hotelat the Dunn Bridge and called it “The BridgeHotel.” He owned the first car in Taos—a Ford.Long John Dunn’s lanky six-foot frame,spicy vocabulary, broken nose twang, anddiverse range of business interests madehim a legend in northern New Mexico. Hewas one of the people who lived throughthree phases of the West—the gun-fightingdays, the cattle-working days, and thepresent modern West. He died in 1955.Today Long John Dunn’s house is the siteof the John Dunn Shops. johndunnshops.comJOHN DUNN AT THE SERVILLETA RAILROAD STATION1611GATEWAYINTO THEBENT HOUSECOMPOUNDFROM THESOUTH, n.d.GOVERNOR BENT HOUSE117 Bent StreetCharles Bent was appointed Governor ofNew Mexico in 1846 when New Mexicobecame an American territory during thewar between the United States and Mexico.On a visit to his home in Taos in Januaryof 1847, he was killed by an angry mobthat was protesting American rule. Hiswife and children survived the attack.The new Anglo-American governmentwas symbolized by, and embodied in, itsfirst governor, and it is for those very reasons that he was murdered. It was a clashof cultures and a reaction against theupstarts who took over what had beenNative American, then Spanish, and then,comparatively briefly, Mexican. Suddenly,it was American. Just as suddenly, thatnew government’s representative lay dead.Charles Bent was a highly respected,much-loved figure of the Old West. Hewas a trader and owned a number ofwagon trains on the Santa Fe Trail. Heowned trading posts in Santa Fe and Taosand had many dealings with early mountain men, providing them with suppliesand buying their furs and buffalo hides.Today the Governor Bent House is aprivate museum open to the public. 575.758.2376GOVERNOR CHARLES BENT17

12VIEW OFHOUSE FROMPASEO DELPUEBLONORTE(FORMERYPUEBLO ROAD)AND BENTSTREET, 1960sBERT PHILLIPS HOUSE136 Paseo del Pueblo NorteBert Phillips’ house was built in the early1800s and remodeled by Phillips in 1905with the addition of a studio and squaretower loft to the north end of the building.Bert Geer Phillips (1868-1956) was bornin Hudson, New York, and studied art atthe Art Students League and the NationalAcademy of Design, then at the AcadémieJulian in Paris. In 1898, at the age of thirty,he was the first Eastern artist to make hishome in Taos, where he would remain untilshortly before his death in 1956.He was traveling on a drawing expeditionin the Southwest region with his friend,Ernest Blumenschein, when their surreybroke down. Repairs were made by thenearest blacksmith, 23 miles to the southin Taos. The two artists stayed in the areafor two months, captivated by the beautyof the valley.When it came time to leave, Blumenscheindeparted for the East, intending eventuallyto return. Phillips, on the other hand, married Rose Martin, sister of the local doctor,and never left. He settled into his newhome and played an aggressive role inpromoting Taos as an art mecca.Until Phillips was able to firmly establishhis own reputation as an artist, he supplemented his income by buying and sellingIndian artifacts, developing mining interestsat Twining, and working as a forest ranger.He was instrumental in the creation ofCarson National Forest. He was alsoinstrumental in the establishment of theTaos Society of Artists in 1915. He wasa charter member and its first secretary.In 1933-34 he painted one of the W.P.A.murals in the County Courthouse, alongwith Victor Higgins, Emil Bistram, andWard Lockwood.The Phillips house is located on Paseodel Pueblo Norte (formerly Pueblo Road),across from the property of his brother-inlaw, Dr. Martin, and that of Arthur Manby.Although it has been converted to commercial use, it is readily recognizable bythe studio and square tower loft that Phillipsadded to the north end of the building.1813SOUTHFACADEAND LIVINGROOM AREMUCH THESAME TODAYAS IN THE1930s WHENFECHINLEFT TAOSFECHIN HOUSE227 Paseo del Pueblo NorteOne of the architectural treasures of Taosis the house of Nicolai Fechin (1881-1955)who was born in Kazan, Russia. Fechin wasan established artist who immigrated toNew York City in 1923.After a summer visit to the Mabel DodgeLuhan House in 1926, he moved to Taosthe next year. He immediately began constructing his home and studio, which isprized for its interior carvings and handcrafted furniture.Fechin lived in Taos for just six years withhis wife and daughter before a divorcesplit up his family. Nicholai moved backto New York and then on to Santa Monica,California, where he died in 1955.After her parents’ deaths, their daughter,Eya, promoted the preservation of theirTaos home, acting as caretaker for 30 years.Following her death in 2002, it was acquir-ed by the Taos Art Museum.575.758.2690 taosartmuseum.org19

1514ENTRANCETO THE LILACGARDEN FROMPASEO DELPUEBLONORTE(FORMERYPUEBLO ROAD),CIRCA 1910MANBY HOUSE133 Paseo del Pueblo NorteArthur Rochford Manby was the secondson of English nobility, who came to theUnited States to make his fortune. Usingwhat were thought to be unscrupulousmethods, he acquired major tracts of landin northern New Mexico.In 1898, he bought seven parcels of land,about 23 acres, on Paseo del Pueblo northof the Plaza. He built a nineteen-roomSpanish-style adobe hacienda, set in asquare with three wings, stables, and outerwalls. Manby landscaped the hacienda inthe English style, with a lilac garden thatextended to what is now Kit Carson Park.At the time, Manby’s home was considered the largest and most attractive housein Taos. He was often seen in town wearinghis English Riding attire, an unusual sightfor the traditional Southwestern cowboy.Due to his many shady dealings, Manbywas not a popular man. In 1926, a beheadedbody was found in his home. To this day itis uncertain whether this was Manby orwhether he had staged his own death andleft the area. His grave marker lies outsidethe fence of Kit Carson Cemetery, whichholds many graves and of famous Taoseñosand is open to the public.The Manby house passed to Dr. VictorThorne, a wealthy New York art collector,who held a second mortgage on the property. Thorne had hoped to use the houseas a summer home but never did so. Whenhe died suddenly without a will, his caretaker, Helen Williams, turned the propertyinto a community center called the ThorneHouse. The Taos Art Association, which wasfounded in 1952, purchased the propertyand turned it into a museum and artistgallery space.Today, the Manby house includes theStables Gallery and offices of the TaosCenter for the Arts. 575.758.2052 tcataos.org20TAOS INN125 Paseo del Pueblo NorteThe town doctor, T.P. Martin, initiallypurchased one house from a cluster of oldadobes around a small plazuella, anchoredby a community well. The original buildingdates back to the early 1800s and was onceowned by Arthur Manby.The doctor and his second wife, Helen,eventually acquired all of these housesand named the complex the MartinApartments. The doctor and his wife livedin the northern part of the complex andDoc set up his practice in what is now DocMartin’s Restaurant. One of t

around the Plaza dates from the 1930s. The current Plaza, with its many shops and galleries, is a natural gathering place for locals and visitors alike. The park area and Gazebo are used extensively for festivals and civic events year-round. 2 4 TAOS PLAZA, LOOKING NORTHWEST, 1908 ENTRANCE