One of the first things we did in Sante Fe, and I think the best, was to drive to Taos and visit the Taos Pueblo.The Pueblo is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the country, with the two main structures dating back well over 1,000 years.
This image is taken in the cemetery of the Pueblo, near the OLD church of San Geronimo. The church was built around 1619 and had an interesting end.
In 1847 the people of the Pueblo tried to overthrow the U.S. government and killed the governor of New Mexico who lived at that time in Taos. In retaliation the U.S. Army took the responsible parties to the plaza at the Church; hung them; and destroyed the San Geronimo Church. The plaza was turned into a cemetery and is still used today. The church was rebuilt nearby in 1850 and is considered the NEW church.
The thoughts of 1,000 years ago; built in 1619; new in 1847 make our short history around here seem trivial. The first house in Benton Harbor was built two years after the new church was built at the Pueblo and it's now a museum and we talk about it as "history".
The people of the Taos Pueblo are still living in and worshipping in those same buildings. They live with the real history every day.
