Jesus at Santa Rita Church - Riley NM - Ghost Town
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Jesus at Santa Rita Church - Riley NM - Ghost Town
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
A weathered statue of Jesus stands on a pedestal outside of Santa Rita Mission Church in the Ghost Town of Riley, New Mexico.
When the town of Riley was first settled in 1880, it was called Santa Rita. Originally a colony of Mexican- American homesteaded farms, the town was granted a post office in 1890 and renamed Riley after a local sheep rancher. In 1897, after discovering coal and manganese deposits, Riley grew to around 150 people. It had four mines, two stores, a school, and a church. The mines eventually mined out. Then a drought and overgrazing made it next to impossible to farm the land. Finally, after 41 years, the post office closed in 1931, ending the town of Riley.
Today Riley is a ghost town. Not much is left but the shell of the old school, some adobe ruins, and the beautifully restored Santa Rita Church.
Copyright 2022 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
March 1st, 2022
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