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This site is owned, designed, and operated by Kenneth A. Larson who has over a quarter century of experience in design and construction of scenery for the Entertainment Industry and Theme Parks using Computer Aided and Traditional approaches to Design. Ken also has experience in other areas of Design.
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Select photographs of my many visits to The Missions of the United States South and Southwest built by Spain and Mexico between 1565 and 1823. All photographs taken by Kenneth A. Larson. All rights reserved. © 2008 - 2026. |
Founded 1622
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Personal ObservationsI was returning from Texas, where I have seen many Mission related sites, and prior to this trip, I had only seen one New Mexico Mission. This was my third Mission for this day, following the other two Missions in Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monuments. I spent about an hour and a half at each of the three Missions, then visited three more Missions before dark. I wandered about the red sandstone ruins thinking of when this was a populous pueblo. |
 Mission Art & Photo-Art |
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The Mogollon and later, Ancestral Puebloans (Anasazi), part of the Tompiro group, occupied the valley for over a millennium. Pueblo ruins have been dated to about 1300 AD. The people managed to survive on the dry land with an intermittent stream to the south. Fray Francisco Fonte established Mission San Gregorio de Abo around 1621, and by 1629, with the help of Fray Francisco de Acevedo, the prominent San Gregorio de Abo Church was completed. The church was built of red-brown sandstone. Construction of the Mision progressed over a fifty year span and by 1641, the pueblo had a population of more than 1,600. Within ten years of completion of the complex, a decline began. Conflicts arose between the Missionaries and the Tompire. Droughts, epidemics, and Apache attacks made the situation worse. By 1672, the Abo Pueblo and its mission had only about 500 residents and by 1678, the pueblo was abandoned. The people migrated to Tajique and Islata Pueblos. From about 1800 to 1830, attempts were made to resettle, but the Apache raids deterred resettlement through the early 1900s. The site was donated to the state in 1938 and became part of the National Monument in 1981. Major excavation and stabilization was conducted once a National Monument. About 40% of the Pueblo building remain, many unexcavated. The Abó Unit of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument sits coveres approximately 370 acres. |
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Off US Route 60 On NM 513 About 9 miles west of Mountainair, New Mexico. Visitor Center for Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monuments is on the corner of Ripley and Broadway Streets in Mountainair. |
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| Distant view of ruins. | |
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| Distant view of ruins. | |
 Window header. |
 Label. |
 Kiva. |
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| Ruins of church and other buildings. | |
 Remains of tower. |
 Part of a wall. |
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| Ruins of church. | |
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| Ruins of church. | |
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| Ruins of church. | |
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| Ruins of church. | |
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| Ruins of church. | |
 Ruins of walls. |
 Ruins of walls. |
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| Walls. | |
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| Remains of walls. | |
 Label, A Grander Church. |
 Label, Crossroads. |
 Label, Prayers and Hymns. |
 Label, Federico Sisneros grave. |
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| Ruins of aa small building off to the side. | |
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| Ruins of various out buildings. | |
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| Ruins of various out buildings. | |
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| Canyon adjacent to the ruins. | |
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| Note:This is not the official site for any of the places shown in US Mission Trail. US Mission Trail is not responsible for accuracy of the information. Hours of operations, prices, and exhibits are subject to change without notice. |
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This site maintained by Kenneth A. Larson. Copyright © 2004 - 2023, Kenneth A. Larson. All Rights Reserved. Website content including photographic and graphic images may not be redistributed for use on another website. |
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