On August 14, 2006 the town of Hatch, New Mexico was devastated by flooding. Since then, Cornerstones has been at the forefront of efforts to flood victims. A grant from the National Trust and generous support from the Prothro Family Foundation has permitted our technical staff to conduct conditions assessments of damaged adobe homes and provide advice to homeowners that will help preserve—and in many cases prevent the collapse of the town’s traditional adobe homes.

This effort underscores the important role Cornerstones plays in preservation in the region. We are essentially the only SWAT team for disasters related to historic adobe structures; be they historically significant, or, as in the case with Hatch, just simple vernacular buildings that the foundation of our unique cultural landscape.