First published 2018
Los Luceros stands as witness to the sweep of Northern New Mexico's past. Michael Wallis traces the property's story from its earliest inhabitants through Spanish colonization and American territorial expansion. Spanish soldiers once walked these grounds, followed by American cavalrymen who left their own marks on the land. The narrative centers on Mary Cabot Wheelwright's transformative ownership, when Los Luceros became a gathering place for the region's creative luminaries. Georgia O'Keeffe painted in its light. Mabel Dodge Luhan held court in its rooms. D.H. Lawrence found inspiration within its walls. Writers, artists, and patrons made pilgrimages to this cultural sanctuary. Wallis shows how one property can embody an entire region's cultural evolution, from ancient Native American presence through modern preservation efforts. The State of New Mexico now maintains Los Luceros as a living museum under New Mexico Historic Sites management, ensuring its stories continue.
Genres: 20th-century, biography-memoir, art-history, american-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-sanctuary, historical-figures
Setting: Los Luceros, Northern New Mexico
Period: Spanish Colonization, American Territorial Expansion
160 pages · Hardcover · Museum of New Mexico Press