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Women
and children of San Juan Pueblo in front of adobe houses, c. 1906
Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy
Department, Denver Public Library; from Library of Congress's American
Memory collection |
Europeans first visited San Juan Pueblo in 1541 during Coronado's expedition
into the Southwest. In 1598 Juan de Oñate, colonizer of New Mexico,
established his headquarters at San Juan. In 1680 the inhabitants participated
in the Great Pueblo Revolt when the New Mexico pueblos, led by Popé,
an exiled San Juan Indian, rose up against the oppressive policies of
the Spanish. After the recolonization of New Mexico by the Spanish in
1692 a mission complex was built at the pueblo. Today San Juan Pueblo
consists of parallel blocks of one- and two-story adobe houses, rectangular
ceremonial kivas, a stone chapel and a 1912 stone church with Gothic
Revival elements built on the site of the earlier mission church. Also
of note is the Oke Owinge Arts and Crafts Cooperative, a well known
arts center that showcases local artisans.
San Juan Pueblo is four miles northeast of Española, New Mexico,
off NM 68. The Pueblo can be visited daily from dawn to dusk. No cameras,
recording or sketches allowed. Please call 505-852-4400 for further
information.
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