Mission Nuestra Señora de Purísima Concepción de Quarai

 (1626-1678) - A Spanish mission established in 1626 by Fray Juan Gutierrez de la Chica near present-day Mountainair, Torrance County, New Mexico. Abandoned by 1678. Only ruins remain today.

The Spanish Period
The Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion de Quarai was founded in 1626, by Fray Juan Gutierrez de la Chica, as one of the twenty-one Spanish missions founded in New Mexico. He arrived at the Mission in December 1625. Construction on the mission began in 1627 and continued until 1632. The basic plan of the church outlined a Latin cross, some 108 feet long and 28 feet wide. The walls were made of red sandstone and average 4.5 feet to as much as 10 feet at their bases. The wall ruins still stand roughly 20 feet tall, but it is likely the walls once were around 40 feet tall.

The cause of abandonment by 1678 was a combination of misfortunes that included disease, famine, and drought but the major cause was increasingly violent attacks by the Apache plains Indians.

Current Status
The Quarai unit is a part of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. Small visitor center/museum and self guided tours of the site. Guided tours are available with advanced notice.

See Also:
 * New Mexico Missions

Sources:
 * , page 349-354
 * Treib, Marc, Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico, Berkeley, University of California Press, c1993 1993. UC Press E-Books Collection
 * Treib, Marc, Sanctuaries of Spanish New Mexico, Berkeley, University of California Press, c1993 1993. UC Press E-Books Collection

Links:
 * NPS - Mission Nuestra Senora de la Purisima Concepcion de Quarai