Loretto Chapel (courtesy WorldAtlas.com) Day 7: Santa Fe to Albuquerque
Loretto Chapel
Brontosaurus Family (photo op)
Drive to Albuquerque
Well, folks, this is the last of our Pre-Road Trip Blog - that's right - Part 2 to Part 14 just about covers the Cousins' portion (7 days of fun and driving) around New Mexico.
Why? Well, as of tomorrow, Tanya will be well on her way to the Southwest with her kiddies, making her way towards New Mexico, and Elisa (your's truly!) will be heading out of New York Friday morning with her girls for there as well
That means, that starting tomorrow, Tanya will start LIVE BLOGGING as she begins her road trip from Anaheim, California through Arizona, stopping in Sedona for a few days of exciting and scenic stops, as she traverses towards Albuquerque, with an ETA of late afternoon, Friday, October 3rd.
I cannot tell you the excitement that is brewing in my household, knowing all the cousins will be together at the end of this week! LIVE BLOGGING will begin on Saturday, October 4th from Balloon Fiesta by BOTH Tanya and Elisa - so be sure to check in daily!!!
So, back to Day 7 -- this will be the last day of our joint road trip as we leave Santa Fe and our lovely rental house, back towards Albuquerque, where we we all met up, a week prior.
Loretto Chapel
Brontosaurus Family (photo op)
Drive to Albuquerque
Well, folks, this is the last of our Pre-Road Trip Blog - that's right - Part 2 to Part 14 just about covers the Cousins' portion (7 days of fun and driving) around New Mexico.
Why? Well, as of tomorrow, Tanya will be well on her way to the Southwest with her kiddies, making her way towards New Mexico, and Elisa (your's truly!) will be heading out of New York Friday morning with her girls for there as well
That means, that starting tomorrow, Tanya will start LIVE BLOGGING as she begins her road trip from Anaheim, California through Arizona, stopping in Sedona for a few days of exciting and scenic stops, as she traverses towards Albuquerque, with an ETA of late afternoon, Friday, October 3rd.
I cannot tell you the excitement that is brewing in my household, knowing all the cousins will be together at the end of this week! LIVE BLOGGING will begin on Saturday, October 4th from Balloon Fiesta by BOTH Tanya and Elisa - so be sure to check in daily!!!
So, back to Day 7 -- this will be the last day of our joint road trip as we leave Santa Fe and our lovely rental house, back towards Albuquerque, where we we all met up, a week prior.
Tanya at Bell Rock, on her first visit to Sedona in 2006
Our return drive is not terribly long, but we do have a number of lively spots to see along the way. Our first visit will be Loretto Chapel. This chapel is located at at the end of the Santa Fe Trail and was built in the 1870's. It has a very interesting history and it is known for the two mysteries that surround the spiral staircase inside the Chapel: the identity of its builder and the physics of its construction.
The Miraculous Staircase, which legend says was constructed or inspired by St. Joseph the Carpenter, was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. It took at least six months to build, and has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support. Now, as for the details of the mystery, I'm taking the liberty of including this legend for you:
When the Loretto Chapel was completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the problem, but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel.
Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.
The stairway's carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure. The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.
The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails—only wooden pegs. Questions also surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway's construction.
Over the years many have flocked to the Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including "Unsolved Mysteries" and the television movie titled "The Staircase."
The Loretto Academy, which was founded by the Sisters of Loretto in 1852 was closed in 1968, and the property was put up for sale. At the time of sale in 1971, Our Lady of Light Chapel was informally deconsecrated as a Catholic Chapel and today, it is a private museum.
Definitely looking forward to visiting this chapel!
The Miraculous Staircase, which legend says was constructed or inspired by St. Joseph the Carpenter, was built sometime between 1877 and 1881. It took at least six months to build, and has two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support. Now, as for the details of the mystery, I'm taking the liberty of including this legend for you:
When the Loretto Chapel was completed in 1878, there was no way to access the choir loft twenty-two feet above. Carpenters were called in to address the problem, but they all concluded access to the loft would have to be via ladder as a staircase would interfere with the interior space of the small Chapel.
Legend says that to find a solution to the seating problem, the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.
The stairway's carpenter, whoever he was, built a magnificent structure. The design was innovative for the time and some of the design considerations still perplex experts today.
The staircase has two 360 degree turns and no visible means of support. Also, it is said that the staircase was built without nails—only wooden pegs. Questions also surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway's construction.
Over the years many have flocked to the Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including "Unsolved Mysteries" and the television movie titled "The Staircase."
The Loretto Academy, which was founded by the Sisters of Loretto in 1852 was closed in 1968, and the property was put up for sale. At the time of sale in 1971, Our Lady of Light Chapel was informally deconsecrated as a Catholic Chapel and today, it is a private museum.
Definitely looking forward to visiting this chapel!
Brontosaurus Family, New Mexico (Courtesy RoadTrippers)
Our day of driving would not be complete without a photo op with the Brontosaurus Family! I'm sure the kids are sure to have a blast at this stop!! After a few great pics, we will continue onto to Albuquerque, where our cousins road trip all began!!!
Looking forward to seeing you live on the blog starting Oct. 4th at Balloon Fiesta, our first event of this amazing trip!!
Looking forward to seeing you live on the blog starting Oct. 4th at Balloon Fiesta, our first event of this amazing trip!!
RSS Feed