San Francisco de Asis Church
by Priscilla Burgers
Title
San Francisco de Asis Church
Artist
Priscilla Burgers
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Image is a photograph of the beautiful San Francisco de Asis Church in Golden, New Mexico. Unlike many New Mexico churches built in the early 1800's, this church was built of rocks, rather than the usual adobe.
In 1825, Golden was the site of the first gold rush west of the Mississippi, before the California and Colorado gold rushes. Originally called Real de San Francisco, around 1880 several large mining companies moved in and changed the name to Golden. The yield was disappointing and the population dwindled. Mining is all but gone from the area, but Golden survives. San Francisco de Asis Church, built in 1839 and recently restored, has Mass Saturday afternoons at 4:00 with about 25 people usually in attendance.
Michael Montano has put a lot of sweat, a few tears and some blood into restoring San Francisco de Asis Mission Church and Cemetery over the space of a lifetime.
Montano says that when he was a child, he would help his father, Manuel Montano, make repairs to the church. A plasterer by trade, Montano has worked to restore the interior and exterior walls, build a wall around the cemetery, replace the doors, replace the floor and get electricity to the building for lights and fans. But more importantly, Montano and his co-conspirators have convinced the St. Joseph's Diocese of Cerrillos to resume a regular Mass schedule.
DESCANSOS - RESTING PLACES Contest - 1130/2016
THIRD PLACE
NEW MEXICO LAND OF ENCHANTMENT Contest - 11/10/2015
THIRD PLACE
FAA Featured Photo:
Southwest Decor Prints Group-12/24/2013
FAA Featured Photo:
Excellent Self-Taught Artists Group-12/24/2013
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Christian Art and Photography Group-12/24/2013
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Todays Best Art Group-12/24/2013
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Nature Landmarks Landscapes, Wildlife and Feel Good Photos Group-12/24/2013
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Nature Landmarks Landscapes, Wildlife and Feel Good Photos Group-12/24/2013
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Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery Group-12/25/2013
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Western Group-12/25/2013
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Old and Used Group-12/25/2013
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Creators Guild Group-12/25/2013
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Old Buildings and Ruins Group-12/25/2013
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Nature Photography Group-12/26/2013
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Photography the Fine Art-12/27/2013
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Out West Group-12/29/2013
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Memories and Nostalgia Group-12/31/2013
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Artwork for Cabins Cottages and Beach Houses Group-1/02/1014
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Beauty Captured Group-01/25/2014
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New Mexico Land of Enchantment Group - 11/5/2015
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500 Views Group - 12/2/2016
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Abc Group - 3/14/2018
Uploaded
December 23rd, 2013
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Viewed 1,201 Times - Last Visitor from Lady Lake, FL on 03/25/2024 at 10:38 AM
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Comments (69)
Philipp Merillat
I visited this church when they began work to reopen it a few years ago. Have been by it dozens of times on the Turquoise Trail to Santa Fe. Used to attend mass sometimes at San Antonito in Sandia Park. My friend Albert Noyer has painted watercolors of this and many other New Mexico churches. Golden is where I went gold panning with my twin brother about 45 years ago. I thought it looked familiar. The friend we went gold panning with turned out to be an alcoholic and burned up in his mobile home in Deming I heard. Nice photo. Father Granito at Holy Child is a friend of mine since that is where I was confirmed. You should visit the church at Abiquiu if you are in the area. I noticed the person creating this contest shows a mosque as the main photo. Maybe he or she is confused.
Luther Fine Art
Congratulations,! Your artwork has been Featured by the - ABC GROUP C IS FOR CHURCH themed week! You are invited to archive it in the Feature thread
Steven Bateson
You are welcome. Great capture of one of the most beautiful & my favorite churches in New Mexico.
Nikolyn McDonald
What an interesting looking building - kind of lumpy looking, isn't it. I don't know that I've ever seen a stone structure covered with stucco that way. Beautiful setting for it. Congratulations on the tie for 3rd place in the recent New Mexico Land of Enchantment contest.
Steven Bateson
Priscilla Burgers the New Mexico Land of Enchantment Group is honored that you chose to submit your work to the group and we are proud to feature your magnificent image on the Homepage in the Featured Images.
Nikolyn McDonald
Interesting about the construction - that accounts for the bumpy appearance of the exterior surfaces. I knew this was New Mexico, even before I read the description :)