Go West IV - All Saints Chapel

Capilla de Todos los Santos, San Luis, Colorado  © Doug Hickok  All Rights Reserved

Atop San Pedro Mesa, in the small town of San Luis, stands the All Saints Chapel. Its design by local architect Arnie Valdez, reflects the Catholic tradition, but perhaps more importantly the influence of Spanish culture in this region of Colorado. Hispanic settlers established a village in the valley below, and by 1851 San Luis became an official town, making it the oldest one in the state. Leading up the mesa to this handsome and evocative church is a Stations of the Cross trail, featuring bronze sculptures by Huberto Maestas.

I found this setting fascinating, so evocative of the hardscrabble life of the arid Southwest and the impact of its Hispanic history.