Early documents revealed the original edifice as situated on the presently known Tru-Parts property. It is said it had a very humble beginning, and it is described as "an adobe structure with false wooden front and cupola which was white washed to maintain its prominence, at least visually". There is no recorded history of the establishing and founding of the church, however, the structure does ap
pear in an engraving made in 1851, and the founding of the community of Las Vegas, coincides with the establishing of this church according to surveyor's plots and maps. On March 20, 1835, Juan de Dios Maes, Miguel Antonio Casaos, and in the name of twenty-five other families from San Miguel de Bado, petitioned the corporation of El Bado for a tract of vacant and uncultivated land known as Las Vegas on the Gallinas River and five leagues distant from San Miguel de Bado. Three days later, Francisco Sarracino, the acting Governor of New Mexico, directed the constitutional Justice of El Bado to place the above parties in possession of the new settlement which was given the name of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Las Vegas. This tract of land was later confirmed by an act of congress of the United States of America. Research, done by Dr. Perrigo on the Old Town Plaza, reveals this original Our Lady of Sorrows Church as being built in 1836. Early settlers, we must consider, were very poor and lacked all the conveniences known to our present generation, but still they erected a building to worship God, among the first few homesteads of this infant outpost of the Santa Fe Trail. The church was administered from the main Church at San Miguel de Bado. It is said that some years prior to 1852, a polish priest, the Reverend Alexander Grselschowsky, was assigned to Las Vegas, and the people referred to him as "El Padre Polaco" . He kept a lighted candle to light his pipe. An accident happened when the candle fell and ignited some flammable materials, and the original Nuestra Senora de los Dolores Church was destroyed by fire. Thus, the old church site was abandoned, and the new one selected to the west where the present church stands west of the Plaza. The present Nuestra Senora de los Dolores Church was started in 1851, and it was completed in 1870 with parish registers beginning in 1852. Stone was brought from Romeroville and from Anton Chico and the lumber and vigas from Rociada. The stone masons were Aton Malluchet and two other french gentlemen. Two of the most active promoters were Don Miguel Romero Y Baca and Don Santiago Montoya, along with the Reverend J.T. Pinard and the Reverend J. Coudert. Nuestra Senora de los Dolores was at the time called a cathedral due to its impressive appearance, and probably, it was the largest stone building in New Mexico when it was completed. It has been described as a folk expression of Gothic revival architecture (influenced, no doubt, by Archbishop Lamy). It is made of randomly-fit blocks and sandstone. Inside, an impressive century --old organ dominates the sanctuary from the choir at the rear. The acquisition of this large organ was one of the first and greatest steps toward musical progress in Las Vegas, if not in New Mexico. For it was the first of its kind in the territory, and with few exceptions, it was the largest instrument west of St. Louis, It was brought by train from Kansas City in February 1885. In November of the same year, "one of the finest grandest concerts was performed in our Church". Then, in 1985 a Centennial Concert with grand pipe organ was again performed at Our Lady of Sorrows. Our Church serves as a natural Holy Mausoleum for its faithful priests and some lay people who participated, both physically and spiritually, in the church. For there a number of persons buried inside the church and around the church grounds. In December of 1959, our priests were provided with a beautiful new rectory built east of the church through the efforts of Msgr. H.C. Lomme and people of the parish. Nuesta Senora de los Dolores now serves as mother church to a number of mission churches nearby. The spirit of the Church spreads from Rociada to San Augustine and from Sapello to Variadero . Although, more than a century has passed since Nuesta Senora de los Dolores Catholic Church had its humble beginning, yet now in the the year 1988, we contemplate and admire the magnificent place of worship that we utilize. We cannot help but appreciate and revere the labor, efforts, and foresight of our most worthy pastors who have served and those who continue to serve the people of this community, for because of their labors, we have this beautiful and true place of worship. We must not lose sight of the great contribution that the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Loretto, the Missionary Catechist Sisters, and the Victory Noll Sisters gave to our community. Service praise to the Pastor, Father Millan J. Garcia, Parish Vicar, Jose R. Rodriguez, our Deacon, Rev. Mr. Leroy Martinez, our Victory Noll Sisters, our church societies and ministries (past & present) for their untiring and continued efforts and their many worthy projects in keeping our faith growing strong in our generation and for generations to come. SOURCES
Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Solemn Blessings, (by Rt. Rev. Msgr. H. C. Lomme) (Santa Fe Chancery Office, 1959)
Committee for Historic Preservation, Las Vegas, New Mexico, Sept. 1987
Grand Pipe Organ Concert 1885, (by Julian Josue Vigil, Ph.D.) Las Vegas Optic, (Special Centennial Edition), July 27, 1979
