TRAVELING EL CAMINO REAL IN 1682 WITH GOVERNOR OTERMIN,

Lecture  presentation by Rev. Larry Castillo-Wilson

 

During the 17th century El Camino Real ran on the west side of the Rio Grande going through the pueblos of Acomilla, Alamillo, Socorro, and Senecu.  After the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, Governor Antonio Otermin tried to reconquer the province, but failed.  Otermin retreated back down the valley of the Rio Grande to resettle in El Paso taking with him 385 Indians from the pueblo of Isleta.  The retreat expedition included making a difficult march over the hill of Acomilla (Little Acoma):  “…We marched from this place in order to ascend the hill of Acomilla and go down to the pueblo of Alamillo”, Expedition Journal.

 

Rev. Larry Castillo-Wilson will trace the difficult march made by Otermin over the hill of Acomilla into Alamillo.  The lecture will focus on identifying segments of the trail that can still be seen today.  According to Castillo-Wilson, the trail has been preserved in this area because much of it is embedded in basalt rock and has been rarely used over the centuries.  Castillo-Wilson will also identify some superb petroglyphs along this section of the trail.  Acomilla hill is near San Acacia, north of Socorro.  El Camino Real can still be seen on the side of the hill from Interstate 25.

 

Larry Castillo-Wilson received a BA from West Texas State University and two theology degrees from Brite Divinity School.  While pastoring in Socorro we was inspired by Dr. Paige Christianson, Professor of History at New Mexico

Tech, to look for visual segments of El Camino Real.  In 1983 he discovered his first

segment leading him to spend the next three years researching the area on the east side

of the Rio Grande from La Joya to the San Antonio area discovering a multiplicity of

visuals from both the Spanish Colonial and the Chihuahuan Trail periods. 

 

Castillo-Wilson currently resides in Albuquerque and works as an official volunteer with the

Bureau of Land Management’s Socorro Field Office collecting field data on the trail.  He

has given numerous lectures on his research and has led tour groups to on-site visits.

 

COST:  Event free with paid Monument admission.  Free admission for ages 16 & under.

Free admission for MNM and ECRIHC Foundation members.  Single adult visit, $5.