For Palm Sunday: A Visit to the Coolest Church

With your guides, Georgia O'Keeffe, Ansel Adams, Paul Strand, Dorothea Lange, and Yours Truly.

Mar 24, 2024

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books (see link) and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre” which are still up at PBS.org. Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for free.

As some know, I launched a new semi-regular feature here a few months back: collections of my photos around a theme. Response has been favorable so: onward. Today, I will focus on my favorite structure in the U.S., what is known as the “Ranchos Church” or more properly San Francisco de Asis in Ranchos de Taos, N.M. I am hardly alone in my reverence. Below you will see images of the church by no less than Ansel Adams, Georgia O’Keeffe (“one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States by the early Spaniards”), Dorothea Lange, and Paul Strand, among the numerous respected who have tackled it.

One of my two visits, going back a few years, was on a Palm Sunday.

Before we go further, a little history and a few more famous images.

The Franciscans supervised the construction of the historic church between 1772 and 1816. Now a National Historic Landmark. The architecture of the church is an impressive blend of native and Spanish styles. Local legend Dennis Hopper’s funeral was held there and he is buried nearby. Most of the artists have focused on its butt…er, rear buttresses…Here’s Ansel Adams:

One of at least three famous Georgia O’Keeffe images:

Paul Strand captured maybe the greatest image of the front:

Dorothea Lange, after a snow:

Now, a few different angles from yours truly. It should be noted that the surface of the church may vary from image to image as it is, in a sense, a living structure as the parishioners and locals apply a new coat of clay/adobe every year or two in an elaborate process.