Nuestra Señora de la Concepción del Socorro

Nuestra Señora de la Concepción del Socorro is located in the town of Socorro. The Socorro Mission was established in 1680 when Spanish colonizers from northern New Mexico fled the Pueblo Revolt with Piro natives and other tribes. Flooding caused by the Rio Grande River twice forced the community to rebuild the mission, the third and final building being completed in 1848. The mission, constructed of adobe surfaced with stucco, is particularly notable for its interior. The finely painted beams, or vigas, contain decorations of the original Native American builders and date from the first structure. The massing, details and use of decorative elements of the Socorro Mission show a strong relationship to the building traditions of 17th-century Spanish New Mexico. Today, the Socorro Mission belongs to La Purisima Parish, which has 660 registered families.

Area: Mission Valley / Socorro

Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History