Located at the pueblo is the ancient and beautiful Spanish mission, San Buenaventura de Cochiti, built in the early seventeenth century. To step into this church is to return to the Spanish days of yore. There are no seats, women kneel on one side, the men on the other, and the services are a mixture of old world orthodoxy and new world Indian traditions. Cochiti represents one of the finest examples of modern Pueblo Indian life.
Isleta Pueblo
Isleta Pueblo is the southernmost of the pueblos lying along the green and lush Rio Grande Valley today. It stands on the same site it occupied when Coronado came in 1540 and was a stopping place for every Spanish explorer and traveler who passed through New Mexico. It did not take part in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, but rather joined the Spanish in the retreat to El Paso del Norte (modern Juarez, Mexico). There they founded a new village just to the south of modern El Paso which they called Isleta del Sur. The main village of Isleta, in New Mexico, remained deserted until 1709 when it was re-established by Fray Juan de la Peña.
Two different missions were built at Isleta Pueblo. The first, San Antonio de Isleta, was constructed about 1629. The church was burned in 1680, and in 1681 was being used as a sheep corral. Between 1680 and the completion of the reconquest, it was completely destroyed. The second mission, still remaining at Isleta, called San Agustin de Isleta, was built in 1709 on the old site.
Agriculture is the primary pursuit of the Indians of Isleta, although they do considerable stock grazing. The population of Isleta is nearly 2000 persons. The annual fiesta takes place in late August.
Jemez Pueblo
The Jemez Indians were first seen by Europeans in 1541 when they were visited by Captain Francisco de Barrio-Nuevo, of Coronado’s expedition. He counted seven villages, naming them Aguas Calientes because of the many hot springs in the canyon of the Jemez River. The ancient pueblos are now all in ruins, with one preserved as the Jemez State Monument. The present pueblo, built on the mesa where the Jemez River leaves the mountains, was constructed after the Pueblo Revolt. The Jemez people fled their older villages during the reconquest and for a time lived with the Navajo, whom they disliked but preferred to the Spanish.
There have been four notable missions among the Jemez Indians. The first, San Diego de Jemez Mission, was built in the early seventeenth century. It was one of the most successful of the New Mexico missions; reportedly, more than 6000 converts were made among the Jemez Indians before 1622. Because of the constant attacks of the Navajo, the traditional enemies of the Jemez people, the ancient pueblos gradually declined and were finally completely abandoned after Jemez participation in the Pueblo Revolt. The ruins of this church, now the Jemez State Monument, are among the most picturesque in all New Mexico. Its walls are three feet thick and were put together with intricate care. In its time, it must have been a beautiful building.
The second, San Juan de Los Jemez Mission, was built in 1617 at a village located near the junction of the Guadalupe and Jemez rivers, six miles north of the present pueblo. The ruins are faint but still visible. The mission was abandoned in 1680.
The third mission had a very brief history. It was called San Jose de los Jemez Mission and was located near San Juan de Los Jemez, of which it was a visita. Like San Juan, San Jose was abandoned in 1680.