In a state often considered by outsiders to be a dry desert, New Mexico has a number of agricultural areas that have sustained people since the first Indigenous settlers arrived. Located in Rio Arriba County between Española and Taos, Los Luceros is a 148-acre property alongside the Rio Grande that became a New Mexico Historic Site in 2019.
Long before the Spanish came to Nuevo México, the natural resources in this area sustained the people who lived along the Rio Grande. Archaeologists have located pottery sherds dating to 1150 AD at this location. A seasonal Native settlement appeared here more than 750 years ago.
Today, Ohkay Owingeh--formerly the San Juan Pueblo--sits on land a short distance south of Los Luceros, between this site and Española. In the Tewa language, "Ohkay Owingeh" means "Place of the Strong Ones."
A Colonial Farm
Located approximately 30 miles north of Santa Fe, Los Luceros became the site of a Spanish outpost by the early 1600s. During that time, Spaniards visited Native settlements throughout northern Nuevo México. In some cases, such as at Jémez Historic Site in Sandoval County, Francisican priests oversaw the construction of churches near established Indigenous settlements. Here, at Los Luceros, colonists maintained a presence that probably involved trading and farming.
During the Spanish colonial period, a hacienda was built on this location. The present hacienda was originally a one-story structure constructed in the 1770s. Workers added a second floor in the 1800s that included Greek Revival architectural styling.
The original hacienda structure was probably more of a fortress, given its remote location and the occasional hostilities between Spanish-speaking colonists and nearby Tewa-speaking Native populations.
The Lucero family settled this location and established a ranch. The historic site is named in this family's honor. During this period, an extensive orchard was planted. Acequias--watercourses created for irrigation as an above-ground type of aquifer--are found throughout this site.
In many desert or drier areas of New Mexico and the American Southwest, acequias have become a lifeline for communities. They allow for the collection of water and irrigation of crops. Early acequias in present-day New Mexico date to Pueblo settlements that existed before the arrival of the first Europeans.
The Lucero Ranch
Los Luceros has a history that dates back to long before the first encounters between the Spaniards and Native peoples in this region. Michael Miller's article in the fall 2017 issue of El Palacio, a magazine published by the Museum of New Mexico, describes the history and settlment of this "secret sanctuary."
According to existing records, the earliest land grant for the immediate Los Luceros area was awarded to Sebastián Martín Serrano in 1703. Sources and memories passed down across generations assume that the Martín rancho existed on this site.
By the early 1700s, Martín oversaw the construction of a series of ditches (acequia de los Luceros) that nourished his apple orchard, corn, chile, and other crops. Horses, sheep, cattle, and other livestock became part of this ranch.
The original house may have had upwards of 24 rooms and an attached stable. Some have speculated that the present hacienda was built upon this same location. Sebastián and his wife María had a large family with some Indigenous people living on their land.
A section of El Camino Real (The Royal Road) ran to the east of Los Luceros, a pathway that connected this location with the larger Spanish Empire. Santiago Lucero married a member of the Martín family in the 1750s. Members of the Lucero family moved onto the property and purchased parts of it.
A Small Community
New Mexico became a territory of the United States by 1850. At that time, Americans began to move into the area. A year later, in 1851, an Irish immigrant named Elias Clark acquired the Lucero home, fields, and nearby acreage. Clark also married a member of the Lucero family.
In 1902, Abel Lucero family inherited the property. Mary Cabot Wheelwright acquired Los Luceros in 1923. A believer in cultural preservation, she restored many of the structures, including the chapel.
Wheelwright formed strong bonds with other "New Women" who had arrived in the Española Valley and acquired property. Before her death in 1958, she also established the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe.
She became part of an artist and cultural community that stretched from Taos to Santa Fe. After her death, the Wheelwright Museum inherited Los Luceros. The Collier family acquired Los Luceros in the early 1960s.
Subsequent owners allowed the property to fall into disrepair by the 1970s. The hacienda and other structures suffered from flooding. After repairs, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The state acquired Los Luceros in April 2008.
Walking by the Rio Grande
The western end of the historic site sits along the Rio Grande. This river sustains agricultural activities in the Española Valley. During my autumn visit, the scenic views were incredible.
With apples at their peak, guests are encouraged this time of the year to take as many from the orchard as they would like to have. Although apples on most of the lower portions of the trees had been gleaned, I collected more than my share to take home and enjoy.
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