San José de Garcia Church

Around 1752, 12 Spanish families from Santa Fe settled in the area and established Las Trampas in present-day Taos. Despite several Comanche and Apache raids, the walled village flourished and prospered. With some travelers between Taos and Santa Fe, Las Trampas was mostly isolated from the outside world until the 1920s. Later in 1763, the village population increased to 63 families, totaling to approximately to 278 people. The families built and lived in defensively clustered log and adobe houses around the plaza of Las Trampas. After a Native American raid at nearby Fort Burgwin in 1853, people began to build their houses away from the plaza. Some buildings and houses that were erected between 1813-1869 still exist at Las Trampas today. However, all traces of the original defensive wall built by the families of Las Trampas and of the Spanish colonial buildings that once stood around the plaza have disappeared. Today, Las Trampas operates as an unincorporated town.

One of the remaining of buildings at the site is the San José de Garcia Church. Built between 1760-1776, the church's design followed a traditional Spanish Colonial Pueblo architectural style, and the church was constructed out of adobe and mud plaster. The adobe and mud plaster walls are 34 ft. tall. The church's nave measures at 100 ft. long and 53 ft. wide outside. The forecourt of the church was utilized as a graveyard, and it is surrounded by gate. The church's adobe roof is supported by wooden beams, and the beams are mounted specially shaped corbels. One of the most notable and unique features of the church is the oriented clerestory window that is above the nave, allowing the sunshine to fall inside of the church's sanctuary and altar. The window is extremely uncommon in the Spanish Colonial Pueblo style or Christian architectural styles, and it was believed the window design was created by Franciscan priests of New Mexico.

Inside of the church, there is a ladder that leads to a wood-floor balcony that hangs over the church's main entrance. The pews, flooring, and the main altars in the sanctuary and throughout the church were constructed out of dark wood. The church's ceiling is painted with 18th and 19th century designs, depicting religious imagery. The church's thick adobe walls are also decorated with notable artworks of 18th and 19th century santeros. Old paintings adorn the carved wood reredos and side walls, and a wooden lattice railing serves as an altar rail.

Since the church was isolated along with Las Trampas form the outside world, it avoided much needed alterations and renovations. However, after the 1920s, the church went under some renovations. The roof has been replaced several times, including once in 1932 when well-known New Mexican architect, John Gaw Meem led the project, In 1955, a built-up asphalt roof covering was added over the Meem's roofing. in 1961, a new coat of mud plaster was also applied to the exterior of the church. In 1970, the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it was designated as a National Historic Landmark that same year. It continued to serve as an active church for sometime. Toady, visitors can take tours of the historic San José de Garcia Church and Las Trampas.

Snell, Charles W. "Las Trampas Plaza Historic District," National Register of Historic Places. May 1st 1968. Accessed July 23rd 2020. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/67000007_text.

Snell, Charles W. "San José de Garcia Church," National Register of Historic Places. May 1st 1968. Accessed July 23rd 2020. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/70000415_text.