Socorro and San Antonio

After visiting the El Camino Real Heritage Center, we drove the back roads along Interstate 25, being closer to the Real than traveling on the highway.  At times we could see the Rio Grande but for the most part was a very lonely drive back north.  We passed through San Antonio, then traveled to Luis Lopez, a small town which is as old as San Antonio.  Very much an agriculture town.

Our destination was to see Socorro, and visit the mission located there.  Did we have some surprises in store!  Socorro, meaning helpful, was established during the Onate expedition of 1598, the only place where the native people did not flee when the Spaniards came through.  Instead, they helped them with food, shelter and basic hospitality.  Within 10 years San Miguel Mission was established and has been continually serving the community since.

San Miguel is the second oldest mission in the country, the first being in El Paso, Texas.  We found out that this year marked it's 400th anniversary and when the celebrations were being planned, the church needed major repairs.  The money that was raised was used to restore the out buildings and annexes, but the main church had structural problems, needed big money to do it.  The community struggled to get the money and for a long time thought that the church would have to be shut down for safety.

A 1.1 million dollar donation came in - from the Conrad Hilton Trust fund.  Why?  Conrad Hilton of the Hilton hotels was born in San Antonio (right up the road from where we are camping) and was a devout Catholic.  With this donation the church has been restored to splendor.  When we were inside the church we could tell how the walls had originally bowed out, and how they were restored.

We walked around the town, noting how the town has celebrated it's origins. Artwork on the different plazas was very impressive.  Also read about "Jumbo" and how close we are to the Trinity site where the first atom bomb was exploded (we are about 40 miles from the detonation point in 1945). Drove around town and found the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.  Gorgeous school that offers to doctorate degrees!  And yes, Conrad Hilton graduated from this school.  I am guessing with the stunning architecture of the buildings that some of the foundation has also benefited the college.

Jumbo

We are close to the Trinity site

Sculpture on the square 

Tile work was impressive

Drove back south to San Antonio and stopped at a roadsign stand and got the confirmation about Conrad Hilton being born in the town.  Was almost dinner time, stopped at a small Mexican Restaurant - absolutely delicious - and had a wonderful conversation with the owner.  She gave us directions to where Hilton's father had the first hotel in the area.

Conrad Hilton's father's hotel