Editing Santa Cruz, New Mexico (section)

===Colonial period===
[[File:Ddevargas.jpeg|thumb|left|upright|Diego de Vargas (oil on canvas) by Julio Barrera, from the collection of the [[Palace of the Governors]], date unknown.]] 
The nearby, and unsuccessful, Spanish colony at San Gabriel established by the explorer [[Juan de Oñate]] at [[Ohkay Owingeh]] in 1598 produced Spanish ''haciendas'' and ''ranchos'' in the vicinity. During the [[Pueblo Revolt]] of 1680, Hispanic settlers  were forced to leave the area. In 1695, following the [[Pueblo Revolt#Reconquest|Reconquest of 1692-1694]] and the [[Pueblo Revolt#Reconquest|second Pueblo Revolt]] in 1696, Governor and Captain General of New Mexico, Don [[Diego de Vargas]] reestablished the Hispanic settlement. It was established as a new Spanish ''villa'' for those that had arrived from Mexico City as settlers and participants in the military campaigns during the reconquest. It was named ''Villa Nueva de Santa Cruz de los Españoles Mejicanos del Rey Nuestro Señor Carlos Segundo'' (The New Town of the Holy Cross of Mexican Spaniards under the King Our Lord [[Charles II of Spain|Charles II]]). It later shortened simply to Santa Cruz de la Cañada (la Cañada translates as "a small river or creek valley").

The new Hispanic community was the second villa established by the Spanish in New Mexico and was one of only three established during the colonial period, the first being Santa Fe and the last, Albuquerque. The area surrounding Santa Cruz de la Cañada was described during this period as containing many copious fruit orchards irrigated by the Santa Cruz River and its tributaries.

The original population of Tano Pueblo Natives in the area were at first grouped by Diego de Vargas into two pueblos with the same names ([[San Lazaro archaeological site|San Lazaro]] and San Cristobal) as previously established in this [[Galisteo Basin]], but were relocated from the area by the end of the 17th century, following the second Pueblo Revolt. Many of the Tewa People left the area to join the [[Hopi people]] and became the [[Arizona Tewa|Hopi-Tewas]] at First Mesa.<ref name="Wroth">{{cite web|last=Wroth|first=William H.|title=Santa Cruz de la Cañada|url=http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails_docs.php?fileID=504|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415101753/http://www.newmexicohistory.org/filedetails_docs.php?fileID=504|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 April 2013|publisher=New Mexico Office of the State Historian|accessdate=4 February 2013}}</ref>

The existing [[La Iglesia de Santa Cruz and Site of the Plaza of Santa Cruz de la Canada|Santa Cruz Catholic Church]] building in the Holy Cross Parish was originally constructed between 1733 and 1748 to replace a structure that was reported to be in danger of collapsing and beyond repair,<ref name="Wroth"/> although the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe|Archdiocese of Santa Fe]] archives do not have a record either that Santa Cruz was a parish or that there was a church building existing at that time.<ref>{{cite web|last=Staff|title=New Mexico Santa Cruz de la Cañada Church|url=http://www.nmgs.org/bksA2-4-6.htm|publisher=New Mexico Genealogical Society|accessdate=4 February 2013}}</ref> The first baptism in the community was recorded on September 15, 1710. Artwork in the church has been contributed by well known local [[Santo (art)|Santeros]]. The church is currently maintained by the [[Sons of the Holy Family]] and is open to tourists and visitors Monday through Friday.<ref>{{cite web|last=staff|title=Santa Cruz de la Canada Church|url=http://www.fourcornersgeotourism.com/content/santa-cruz-de-la-canada-church/fcaE24AF64829FEF07AF|publisher=National Geographic Society|accessdate=4 February 2013}}</ref>