We are back!
It has been some time since we last gave an update on our ongoing projects, and we certainly have many exciting things to share! Of course, none of these projects would be possible without your support, please consider donating today!
Plaza del Cerro Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
We are beyond thrilled to announce the completion of our “Save America’s Treasures” project, the restoration and rehabilitation of Casita Desiderio y Pablita Ortega, located within the Plaza del Cerro in Chimayó, New Mexico.
In 2019, the National Park Service designated this tiny, 500 sq. ft., 2-room adobe ‘ruin’ as an American Treasure. This structure, recognized as the Desiderio y Pablita Ortega Casita, is an 18th century residence within the historic district of Plaza del Cerro in Chimayó, New Mexico. Plaza del Cerro is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Prior to the building’s restoration, the Desiderio y Pablita Ortega Casita had sustained nearly 60 years of weathering and deterioration, making it unsafe, unstable, and unlivable. In the Fall of 2019, Cornerstones Community Partnerships was awarded the Save America’s Treasures Grant to restore and adapt the ruin, which is a catalyzing step towards bringing the Plaza back to life.
Luna Adobe Making
Despite the unpredictable weather, many came out to participate in our Community Adobe Making Event at the Luna Community College in early June. Approximately 20+ people attended to learn and help us make adobes for the upcoming Adobe Model Home continuing education course at the college. This course will focus on the construction of an 800sq ft fire-resistant, solar, model adobe home. More information about this course is forthcoming, classes to begin in September 2024.
Remy’s Good Day Fund Annual Solar Congress
Cornerstones Program Director, Jake Barrow, recently participated in the Remy's Good Day Fund Annual Solar Congress. Thirty participants convened to learn and share innovative ways solar is being employed to improve the lives of New Mexico's Indigenous and rural communities. Thank you, Remy’s Good Day Fund!
Truchas Morada
Cornerstones, in collaboration with the Hermanos and Nuevo Mexico Profundo, has begun the restoration and replastering of the Truchas Morada of Los Hermanos de la Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno in Truchas, New Mexico.
The Morada is located on the High Road just outside of the village. We began earlier this month by removing the damaged cement stucco to further assess the conditions of the underlaying adobe. Exposed adobe sections are then covered with three layers of earthen plaster: a textured base coat, a second filler coat, and then a third finish coat. We will be returning in several weeks to finish the first phase of this project.
As always, we would like to give a special thanks to all those who volunteered at the Morada. Projects such as these would not be possible without the help of volunteers and donations from our supporters. Please consider donating to this project today!
Photos by: Paloma Sanchez, Nuevo Mexico Profundo, and Kateri Lopez.
Fort Davis, Texas
Over the summer, our crew has been spending time at Fort Davis National Historic Site working with NPS (National Park Service) employees to repair and preserve structures at the historic fort. We have focused on training for a Maintenance Action Team crew, which is a travelling historic preservation and trail crew in the NPS. Training has included adobe making, soil selection, wall construction and repair, structural assessments, and more.
We’re returning at the end of August for one last training workshop at Fort Davis for the summer. Our focus for this project has been preserving fully exposed adobe ruins—buildings that have lost their roofs, doors, windows, and are now only remnants of adobe walls and stone foundations. Our approach is to maintain these low walls by stabilizing them where needed with unamended adobes, applying earthen plasters, and cyclical maintenance.
Welcome to Cornerstones, Paloma!
Cornerstones is happy to welcome to the team, Paloma Sanchez! Paloma joined us in July as our newest Administrative Assistant. Paloma is from unceded Tiwa land, also known as Albuquerque, NM and has worked with various community-based initiatives on Tewa land (Santa Fe) for the past eight years.
She is passionate about plants, music, movement, and relationships amongst humans and the natural world.
Welcome, Paloma!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Nuevo Noche Feliz – CANCELED – we hope to see you next year!
As of July 1st, 2024, Trinette Robichaux-Cichock has left her position as the Executive Director for Cornerstones Community Partnerships. Jake Barrow will take her place as Interim Executive Director.
A small, celebratory ribbon cutting ceremony took place in June to commend the occasion. You can read more about the ceremony by clicking on the article below.
On behalf of Cornerstones Community Partnerships, the Chimayó Cultural Preservation Association, Avanyu General Contracting, and the Berryhill Family, we would like to thank everyone who supported us throughout this project – Thank You!
Volunteer Spotlight! Forest Kramer
This month’s volunteer spotlight takes us to Capitan, New Mexico! Forest Kramer has been volunteering with Cornerstones off and on for the past year or more. His first volunteer project was with Issac Logsdon and Larry Limon in historic Lake Valley, working with earthen and lime plasters.
Forest found out about Cornerstones through our Adobe Conservation Handbook, which he purchased while looking for books on restoring/repairing adobe buildings. He is currently restoring his adobe home in Capitan, New Mexico.
When asked what he liked about volunteering with Cornerstones, he said, “I like volunteering for Cornerstones because I feel like I can contribute to keeping historic buildings alive for the future, fingerprints in the mud.”
Forest expressed that it was difficult to pick a favorite project because each experience has been unique, and he has learned about different aspects of our human culture through each of them.
UPCOMING EVENTS
EARTH USA 2024 (Santa Fe, NM)
More information can be found here: https://www.earthusa.org/
TICRAT 2024 (Albuquerque, NM)
Unfortunately, all spots for TICRAT 2024 have been filled. But please visit https://www.bernco.gov/community-services/open-space/ticrat-international-workshop-2024/ for more information about future events.
