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Built by Spanish Franciscan missionaries in the seventeenth century, the magnificent mission church at Acoma Pueblo in west-central New Mexico is the oldest and largest intact adobe structure in North America. But in the 1920s, in danger of becoming a ruin, the building was restored in a cooperative effort among Acoma Pueblo, which owned the structure, and other interested parties. Kate Wingert-Playdon's narrative of the restoration and the process behind it is the only detailed account of this milestone example of historic preservation, in which New Mexico's most famous architect, John Gaw Meem, played a major role.

Adobe churches are representative of Andean architectural heritage, yet their structural vulnerability to seismic events remains a significant concern. This study evaluates the seismic performance of the 17th-century Church of Santo Tomás de Aquino in Rondocan, Peru, an adobe building that underwent conservation work in the late 1990s. The assessment combines in situ inspections and experimental testing with advanced nonlinear numerical modeling. A finite-element macro-model was developed and calibrated using sonic and ambient vibration tests to replicate the observed structural behavior. Nonlinear static (pushover) analyses were performed in the four principal directions to identify failure mechanisms and to evaluate seismic capacity using the Peruvian seismic code. Kinematic limit analyses were conducted to assess out-of-plane mechanisms using force- and displacement-based criteria. The results revealed critical vulnerabilities in the rear façade and lateral walls, particularly in terms of out-of-plane collapse, while the main façade exhibited a higher capacity but a brittle failure mode. This study illustrates the value of advanced numerical simulations, calibrated with field data, as effective tools for assessing seismic vulnerability in historic adobe buildings. The outcomes highlight the necessity of strengthening measures to balance life safety requirements with preservation goals.

The concepts of structural assessment and retrofit of historical constructions are of particular complexity and require advanced knowledge in material science, conservation techniques and structural analysis. In particular, adobe constructions, given their low mechanical properties and brittle failure modes, are in immense need of comprehensive assessment and retrofitting plans. The current work focuses on the adobe Church of Kuñotambo in Peru, having experienced long periods of deterioration and earthquake-related damage. Under the ongoing Seismic Retrofitting Project (SRP) of the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI), the structural assessment of the church initiated in 2015 confirmed the low lateral capacity of the building and the poor connectivity between the structural parts. Based on the existing cracks and damage, a strengthening scheme was optimized and validated. After the implementation of the retrofitting plan, the quality of its execution and efficiency were assessed in 2019 with a new in situ campaign, which included ambient vibration testing (AVT) and sonic testing. From the acquired field data, the FE model of the retrofitted church was optimized, by updating the stiffness properties of masonry and discontinuities. Moreover, nonlinear static analyses were performed on the updated model in all in-plan directions. Finally, a displacement-based performance assessment was undertaken, under different earthquake limit states, demonstrating the adequacy of the retrofitting.

In Structural Health Monitoring understanding the effect of the environment on the modal properties of structures is essential. In this study, we evaluate the influence of changes in ambient conditions on the natural frequencies of three real large-scale structures: A 9-story reinforced concrete (RC) building and two sixteenth century churches of adobe masonry. For these structures, both environmental parameters (ambient temperature and relative humidity) and modal parameters were continuously monitored for a combined period of 8-years (RC building) and 2-years (for each of the adobe churches) in order to assess the effect of daily and seasonal variations of environmental parameters on the modal response. The results of the seasonal comparison indicate a negative correlation between ambient temperature and natural frequencies for the concrete structure, while for adobe structures a positive correlation between humidity and natural frequencies was observed. For daily variations, an out-of-phase and lag response of natural frequencies to variations in the environment was observed. A change on the daily lag was observed depending on the time of the year. Both seasonal and daily comparisons show the existence of a strong seasonality in frequency variations, where the form of response of this to environmental effects is different depending on the season. The magnitude of the daily variability is smaller in comparison to the seasonal variations. Finally, it was determined that the variation in natural frequencies depends on several factors such as the predominant material of the structure (namely reinforced concrete and adobe), the type of environmental exposure (temperature or humidity), and the characteristics of the structure (dimension of main elements).

Archaeological and ethnohistorical data associated with five northern California Spanish missions are synthesized in order to explore postcontact Ohlone native cultural continuity during the first half century (ca. 1775—1825) of Roman Catholic proselytizing and recruitment. Although the vast majority of native converts occupied a marginal position within Spanish colonial society, it is argued that many of them implemented specific strategies in order to benefit from the mission system while still maintaining a semitraditional cultural orientation. The Franciscan order's practice of granting seasonal leaves (paseos) to neophytes is viewed as a critical factor that facilitated the retention of an aboriginal worldview amidst the confusion and uncertainty of colonization.

Regarding this event and time period Kessell (1970:36) notes, \"If Father San Martin's neat litde church had crumbled and the wheatfields were overgrown, if other signs of civilization had faded, still not all was forgotten.\" [...] after San Martin left and Kino died in 171 1, Guevavi had no missionary and saw only intermittent visitations from missionaries attending to the southern missions.

Historic earthen monuments, despite their recognized longevity, can paradoxically be considered fugitive. Unprotected or failing in maintenance even the most massive earthen structures disappear indolently into the ground. It is no surprise that the more craftily constructed and cared-for buildings will far outlast their lesser or neglected brethren. This paper will examine in detail the recent restoration of two Spanish Colonial mission churches in New Mexico, USA, one with massive design flaws dating to the construction era (ca. 1613), and having been subjected to entirely inappropriate \"maintenance\" after its construction; the other (ca. 1723) subject to benign neglect for nearly one hundred years. In both cases, the goal was to help correct the mistakes of the past and provide a 100- year structural repair while complying with the most applicable standards of conservation, based on the directives of the owners. Issues of authenticity as reflected in conservation doctrine will be discussed.

A chance encounter with Robert Redford's Sundance catalog listing die name of the village, \"Juan Mata Ortiz,\" and featuring some of the excellent Quezada family pottery, was all I needed to set me off on a road trip. Mata Ortiz is an agricultural community that happens to have an unusual amount of artistic talent, but people still work - sometimes into the night - watering their fields, feeding their cattle and horses, and tending to everyday life.

During the late nineteenth century, Mexicans' control over their religious space was challenged by the arrival of European and Euro-American clergy along the U. S. Mexican border. This article explores the ways a Catholic parish figured in racial and national conflicts in the border community of Las Cruces, New Mexico.