Finished in 1699, the Spanish mission church of San Jose de la Laguna was built to minister to the Laguna Native American people. This tribe still exists today, numbering about 7,000 members. Kawaik is the real name of the tribe, and they speak Keresan. Refugees of the Pueblo Indian Revolt of the 1680's and the Spanish re-conguest of 1692 founded Pueblo Laguna.
I snagged this photo from Wikipedia. They credit the federal HABS—Historic American Buildings Survey of New Mexico project and Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, NM,31-LAGUP,1-4 with allowing the image.
This was taken in 1934 from the back side.
There is a uranium mine on this reservation, and they have a construction company with offices all over the world. No money problems for these guys!
In the 1800's a bunch of these guys adopted the Irish name "Riley" to use in the white-man's world, so if you ever meet someone with the last name of Riley but they look like Native Americans, ask if they are part of the Laguna Pueblos!
(I DO love researching history!! Thanks to my readers for the encouragement!)
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