Pueblo de Santa Clara
GLO Record of the Week for July 25, 2021
This week's Record of the Week is a map of survey approved on July 26, 1859, of Pueblo de Santa Clara. As noted in the upper right corner of the document, on December 22, 1858, U.S. Congress approved and recognized land claims by the people of Pueblo de Santa Clara. This approval made Santa Clara Pueblo one of the first Pueblos to have land claims recognized by Congress. This ROTW depicts this land grant in a survey.
Pueblo de Santa Clara rests at the southeastern edge of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Known as the "Singing Water Village," it lies on the Rio Grande River and is home to the Tewa people. Santa Clara Pueblo is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the tribe is federally recognized.
The Santa Clara Pueblo Mission was established in 1628 by Franciscan priests after part of Coronado's expeditionary force created settlements in the region.
The ancestors of Santa Clara Pueblo originally lived in the Puye Cliff Dwellings. After about 300 years, drought pushed the people east where they formed what is now known as the Santa Clara Pueblo. Here, they relied on irrigation farming.
In 1541, Francisco Coronado's expeditionary force pushed into the region and annexed the area into the Spanish Kingdom. The people of Santa Clara Pueblo joined forces with other nearby pueblos and fought back against the Spanish Royal Government in what is now known as the Great Pueblo Revolt of 1680.
Today, Pueblo de Santa Clara is known throughout New Mexico for its art, specifically, the pottery. Santa Clara pottery can be recognized by its black and red polished signature finish.
