Mesita brings together the history of a newly founded community, religious heritage, and a historic section of Route 66. The town lies on the Rio San José at the foot of Mount Taylor and within the Laguna Pueblo Reservation. For orientation, it is helpful to consider the town’s location, village history, and the 17.7-mile road section separately: each describes a different scale of the destination.
Mesita’s Founding and Landscape
In the early 1870s, conservative tribal members from Laguna founded Mesita after leaving Laguna Pueblo to establish a new community. The founders’ origins and the idea behind the founding are connected: Mesita began as a new community whose history stems from Laguna. At the same time, the town is located within the Laguna Pueblo Reservation. This is a useful distinction for understanding the geography: the founding story describes leaving Laguna Pueblo, while Mesita’s location places it within the reservation. The Rio San José and Mount Taylor add two specific landscape references to the town’s history.
Church, Chapel, and Religious Dates
Construction of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in Mesita began in March 1936. Village residents helped build it, so the church’s origins are also linked to local participation. An older chapel had already been built in 1915 and dedicated to Saint Anthony. The chapel and the later church construction mark different stages in the local history of the church. A life-size image of Our Lady of Guadalupe hangs at the back of Mesita Church. The construction history, residents’ involvement, and religious image each offer a distinct perspective on Mesita’s religious heritage.
The season matters when planning around a Mass: in summer, Mass times are occasionally exchanged with those of other villages. Changes are announced in the Sunday bulletin. Check the bulletin in advance if you want to make Mass a fixed part of your day’s schedule.
Highway 66 and the Historic Road Section
Mesita is one mile north of Highway 66. The 17.7-mile road section from Laguna to McCarty’s is a separate feature: it is accessible via I-40 exit 117 at Mesita and passes through the Route 66 Rural Historic District. The district covers about 216 acres and includes seven buildings.
August 15 as a Travel Reference
On August 15, the village celebrates three patron saints; the Mesita Village Feast is also celebrated on the same date. This date provides a specific reference point if you want to plan a trip around the feast. Confirm public access and event details in advance.
The different topics raise different questions: the founding story explains Mesita’s origins, the churches and chapel mark historic building milestones, and the Route 66 information refers to a longer road section. As you plan your trip, consider which of these points of interest is most important to you; Mass times and the feast date each have their own timing considerations.
Discover more destinations: Pueblo Of Acoma, Grants.
For the broader travel overview: Cibola County.
