About La Nuestra Señora de la Luz

Nestled at the southwest edge of Lamy Village, La Nuestra Señora de la Luz—commonly known as Our Lady of Light—has been a cornerstone of the community for nearly a century. Originally built as a Catholic church, it now serves as a community center, preserving both the town’s history and local tradition.

The story of Our Lady of Light is one of resilience. After fires and floods destroyed a 19th-century church built on the same site, construction of the current building began in 1926. Built in the Mission Revival style that was so popular in the Southwest in the first few decades of the 1900s, it was completed in 1929, offering the people of Lamy a place to worship, celebrate, and mourn.

However, as Lamy’s population declined due to changes in rail travel and commerce, so did the church’s congregation. By 1994, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe deconsecrated the building, leaving its future uncertain. Various entities considered purchasing the property, and in 1996, the Lamy community took action to gain ownership and preserve it.

Recognizing the importance of the church as a historic and cultural landmark, a group of Lamy residents formed the Our Lady of Light Historic Foundation in 1997 in anticipation of hopefully taking over stewardship of the church building. The group’s mission was clear: to restore and preserve the building as a historic site and ensure its continued use as a community center.

Following negotiations with the Theron T. Chapman Trust and other stakeholders of the land the building sits on, the foundation, with the help of Cornerstones Community Partnerships and local attorneys, secured the property by investing $75,000 in restoration efforts over three years. By 2,000, the foundation had fulfilled its commitment, officially taking ownership of the building.

Our Lady of Light Historic Foundation has led ongoing restoration efforts, often with the help of dedicated volunteers, local businesses, and preservation organizations. Steady work was done on the building until 2018, but when the COVID pandemic started in early 2020, work was put on hold.
In June of 2024, a new board of directors was elected, and with the guidance of the former board, they’ve been working towards breathing new life into the restoration efforts.

The foundation continues to rely on fundraising, grants, and community support to maintain and improve the building’s condition.

Architecturally, the church is a stunning example of early 20th-century Mission Revival and Spanish Neoclassical design. Notable features include its curvilinear gable, bell tower, original pine flooring, pressed-tin ceilings, and historic stained-glass windows. The building’s connection to the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad era, along with its similarities to the former El Ortiz Harvey House, further solidifies its place in Lamy’s history.

Today, Our Lady of Light continues to serve as the heart of Lamy, hosting concerts, weddings, community gatherings, local meetings, and cultural events. It has also been used as a film location, helping generate funds for its upkeep. The foundation’s newly elected board is working to secure grant funding to continue preservation efforts.