The La Loma Plaza Historic District is a historic neighborhood in
Taos, New Mexico
Taos is a town in Taos County in the north-central region of New Mexico in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Initially founded in 1615, it was intermittently occupied until its formal establishment in 1795 by Nuevo México Governor Fernando Cha ...
that was listed as a
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1982.
History
Taos was originally settled in part due to Don Fernando de Taos land grants, which resulted in the construction of the fortified La Loma Plaza,
located on a hill west of the central Taos plaza.
[La Lomo Plaza Historic District](_blank)
Nomination Form. National Register of Historic Places. September 15, 1981. p. 2. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
To protect themselves from attacks by Plains Indians, such as
Comanche
The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...
,
Apache
The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño an ...
and
Utes,
[La Lomo Plaza Historic District](_blank)
Nomination Form. National Register of Historic Places. September 15, 1981. p. 8. Retrieved July 24, 2014. the Spanish settlers built homes contiguously with shared common walls
and the outer walls were solid adobe. Entrances to the center of the plaza were limited. It is believed that La Loma was settled between 1795 when most Spanish settlers left the protection of the fortified Taos Pueblo to settle in land that is now the town of Taos and before 1846 when New Mexico became a
United States provisional government and fortified settlements were less important.
Water was generally supplied by wells. Residents had chickens, pigs, cows and horses that grazed on pastureland between La Loma and the Taos Plaza.
The settlers built the San Antonio church in the plaza, which was blessed in October 1876 by Archbishop Lamy. They also helped found the town of Taos. Some of the residents were artists.
[Historic Taos: A Self-Guided Walking Tour of 22 Historic Taos Landmarks.]
Taos.org p. 13. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
Most of the houses within the plaza have been restored.
Gallery
File:La Loma Plaza Inn 3.JPG, La Loma Plaza Inn, Taos, New Mexico
File:La Loma Plaza Inn 1.JPG, La Loma Plaza Inn, Taos, New Mexico
File:La Loma Plaza Inn 2.JPG, La Loma Plaza Inn, Taos, New Mexico
File:La Loma Road into inner plaza.JPG, Road into La Loma Plaza
File:La Loma Plaza Inn 5.JPG, Within the plaza and the back of La Loma Plaza
File:La Loma Plaza 7.JPG, La Loma Plaza houses on the western side of the plaza
File:La Loma Plaza 10.JPG, La Loma Plaza park, which is surrounded by houses
See also
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:La Loma Plaza Historic District
Buildings and structures in Taos, New Mexico
Geography of Taos County, New Mexico
History of Taos, New Mexico
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area
Tourist attractions in Taos, New Mexico
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in New Mexico
National Register of Historic Places in Taos County, New Mexico