The Presidio Chapel of San Elizario ( es, La Capilla de San Elcear) was built in 1877 at the same place where an earlier Mexican chapel stood. The building is located in the central square of

San Elizario San Elizario is a city in El Paso County, Texas, United States. Its population was 13,603 at the 2010 census. It is part of the El Paso metropolitan statistical area. It lies on the Rio Grande, which forms the border between the United States a ...

, 17.5 miles south-southeast of El Paso. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1972. It is an example of the Spanish Colonial style.

History

The chapel provided the religious needs of a

presidio A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...

or an outpost of military personnel. The presidio was moved to the present site in 1790, to protect travelers and settlers along the Camino Real (Royal Highway) which ran from

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...

through Paso del Norte to Santa Fe. Its close proximity to the Ysleta and Socorro missions also provided protection for them. When

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

became independent from

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

in 1821, the military presence at the presidio decreased. In 1829, the chapel was destroyed by the flood of the

Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico. The length of the Rio G ...

. Another chapel was built to replace the lost one. During the

Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the ...

, after San Elizario was occupied by the United States, volunteers from California were stationed at the presidio to prevent the re-occupation. Since 1850, American troops were stationed. By the 1870s, the old chapel proved inadequate, and the present structure was completed in 1877. The bell-tower was constructed later. The exterior appearance has changed very little since then. In 1935, the chapel was badly damaged by fire and subsequently rebuilt.

Architecture

The church is one of the late examples of the adobe architecture in West Texas and reflects European influences on the Spanish Colonial style. It has plastered adobe walls and is painted white.

References

External links

San Elceario - San Elizario Mission
- Catholic Diocese of El Paso {{National Register of Historic Places in Texas Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas Roman Catholic churches completed in 1877 Churches in El Paso County, Texas Roman Catholic churches in Texas National Register of Historic Places in El Paso County, Texas Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks 19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States 1877 establishments in Texas San Elizario, Texas

History

Architecture

See also

References

External links