Above: The bell tower of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria in Doña Ana Village. Photograph courtesy of the Doña Ana Village Historic Preservation Committee.
Plaza del Cerro, Chimayó
Cornerstones Community Partnerships has partnered with the Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association to save deteriorating buildings in one of the state's last surviving defensive plazas. The restored Chimayó Museum serves as an introduction to its 300-year-old history. A Save America’s Treasures grant will match donations to Cornerstones (cstones.org) earmarked for the project. Tours of the plaza can be arranged through the museum, 505-351-0945.
Carrizozo Women’s Club, Carrizozo
In a town already known for historic architecture, this WPA-era Pueblo Revival adobe stands out—thanks to its Round Room, with an array of ceiling beams that appear to be held up by magic. (An elaborate truss system above the ceiling does the job.) Locals have completed the lion’s share of the work, but the building still needs new windows and bathroom improvements. Donations can be sent to the club at P.O. Box 252, Carrizozo, NM 88301. To schedule a tour, email ms88301@gmail.com.
Doña Ana Village, Doña Ana
Older than nearby and better-known Mesilla, Doña Ana once served as a campsite along El Camino Real, and remnants of the Royal Road still wind among the village’s historic adobes. Local boosters successfully fought to save Our Lady of Purification Church in the 1990s, but maintenance on it continues, along with work on other structures. Follow the efforts on the Doña Ana Village Historic Preservation Committee’s Facebook page. Send donations to the committee at P.O. Box 1062, Doña Ana, NM 88032.