Jemez State Monument
a.k.a. San Jose le los Jemez Mission and Giusewa Pueblo
NM 4, Jemez Springs, NMOne of the important outposts on the Spanish relious frontiers of New Mexico is San José de Gíusewa Mission. Its location in 1a Sandoval County. This Franciscan mission was founded around 1620 at the pueblo of Gíusewa, probably by Fray Geronimo Zarate Sameron, and ministered actively to the Jemez Indians for at least 10 years. The pueblo sheltered some 800 inhabitants. The Jerez pueblos missions had stormy histories - revolt, abandonments, and reestablishments at various sites. By 1658, Gíusewa had definitely been abandoned, perhaps because of Navajo aggression. The ruins of the mission church, no part of Jemez State Monuments, are unusually impressive. Walls of stone 4 to 8 feet thick, rise as high as 30 feet in places, and the ruins of an octagonal tower stand 50 feet high. Extensive remains of the convento, especially the monastery, adjoin the church. A small private chapel in the monastery is the best preserved room. West of the church are the ruins of the pueblo, including swelling rooms and kivas.
Local significance of the site:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.