CORRALES, N.M. (KRQE) – A more than century-old religious landmark from the 1860s is getting new life in Corrales with a major restoration. It’s not just about preserving adobe walls but safeguarding the village’s identity.
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For most of its lifespan, the Old San Ysidro Church was owned by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. But since the 1970s, the roughly 166-year-old church has been owned by the village.
Ed Boles, the Corrales Historical Society vice president, said for about a century, it was maintained by those who attended the church, the village residents. “ When it became public property, the need to find a way to maintain it became obvious. That’s what the historical society was formed to do.”
Now, the CHS is managing the building’s biggest restoration yet— stripping the walls down to the original adobe for the first time in over 150 years. “We wanted to go all the way back down to the original adobes,” said village project manager Tanya Lattin. “To find damage and put in new adobes, where needed, to make it safe, and to also make sure that it would be here for another 150 years.”
Since starting the restoration in June, the team has found unexpected damage, meaning funding from the state legislature fell short. Anne Van Camp, historian and CHS’s president, said that it was a unanimous decision for the society to step up. “The Society said, ‘Well, we’re going to raise the money to help fund the extra cost that it’s going to take to get it to where it needs to be.”
With the walls exposed, it’s a rare chance to upgrade the electrical system, which will eventually allow for the church to conceal its first AC system behind the original vigas, corbels, and latillas.
CHS’s vision is to bring the church back to its original glory. “This is the heart of the village. You can’t find anybody who doesn’t have a story about the church,” said Van Camp. “So that’s what our vision is— to bring it back so that people really appreciate that again.”
The church was de-sanctified in 1961, but Old San Ysidro Church is far from forgotten. It’s now home to music and art shows, weddings, city council meetings, and village festivals.
The adobe restoration is expected to wrap by the end of August — but organizers still need funding for the heating and cooling systems. Some local groups, including the Kiwanis Club, are helping fund the project. The Corrales Historical Society said it’s still taking donations.
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