Mountain Monthly
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The Cloudcroft Episcopal Chapel Building
 (Editor’s Note: Information for this article came from the archives of the Sacramento Mountains Historical Museum and from the notes of Betty Morrison, a long-time parishioner.) For Old-Timers in the Cloudcroft area, the small Episcopal Chapel building, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Chipmunk and Curlew, is a landmark they have been able to identify with all their lives. It was built by the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad as an office building in 1899, making it one of the oldest buildings in Cloudcroft. The original owner of the property was the Alamogordo Development Company, which was the real estate arm of the El Paso and Northeastern Railroad. All the land in both Alamogordo and Cloudcroft was first owned by the company. For many years, the building was used by the water company - another arm of the railroad - as the office where residents paid their utility bills. The land was sold in 1907 to the Cloudcroft Company, which purchased almost all the property in Cloudcroft that still belonged to the Alamogordo Development Company. The building continued to be used as the water office through the 1920s and 1930s, even though the railroad changed hands from El Paso and Northeastern to the Phelps-Dodge Company’s El Paso and Southwestern, and finally to Southern Pacific. Mr. and Mrs. P.B. Hendricks purchased the property from the Cloudcroft Company in 1945, and renovated the building into a snug cabin, which they rented out during the Summer months. Among those who rented the cabin were Lloyd and Elizabeth Posey and their daughter, who lived there from August to November 1953. Mrs. Posey, who taught at the Cloudcroft Schools, recalled it as being “crowded” for the three of them. Just inside the front door, a single rollaway bed and a regular double bed were placed side by side. About halfway back was a partial divider wall, and beyond it were a small bathroom - with only a commode - on the left, and a small kitchen on the right. The kitchen had a gas range with oven, and a table with chairs. There were no closets. The Hendricks sold the property in 1963 to Mr. And Mrs. Cled F. Pruitt, who owned and operated the Pavilion - just across the street. They used the building as an overflow cottage for their guests. Apparently, they didn’t have a great need for the building, since the Pruitts sold the property later that same year to Charles A. Greer, who continued to use it as a rental cottage. In 1967, the Episcopal Church, which had held services in various buildings in Cloudcroft for many years, became interested in the property, thinking the building would be perfect for use as a chapel for their denomination. Mr. Greer sold the property to the Trustees of the Protestant Episcopal Church of New Mexico, and the first worship service was held in the building on Sunday, July 23rd, 1967. The name “Church Of The Ascension” was adopted and approved by the bishop. 
Over the years, very few changes have been made to the chapel. In 1968, the south wall was moved out to enclose the open porch, providing additional space in the sanctuary and utilizing the complete roof structure. Two matching windows were then installed - one on the east and one on the west side of the enclosed porch. A steeple with a cross was added to the roof in that same year. In 1979, the church received a grant to replace the badly leaking roof, and wood shingles were selected in order to maintain the original appearance. This roof is still in use and watertight. In 1982 a bell, donated by the George Bemes family of Alamogordo was added to the steeple. The furnishings inside the chapel are ornate and handmade. The mahogany altar, Bishop’s chair, credence table, lectern, and lector’s chair had all been used in the chapel at Fort Stanton, New Mexico, and were moved to Cloudcroft when work ceased there. In 1968, eight oak pews were given to the chapel by members of St. Ann’s Church in Glencoe, New Mexico. The brass altar cross, brass candlesticks, brass candle snuffer, and brass flower bowls were all donated by early parishioners. A spinet Hammond organ was donated in 1992. There is also a framed, crocheted wall hanging of The Lord’s Prayer on the north wall next to the altar. In 1985, when the congregation outgrew the small building, which can only seat 32 people, a new hall and sanctuary were built, located to the west of the chapel. Although an occasional wedding was held in it, the chapel became relegated to being a storage area. When plans for an expansion of the sanctuary were recently being drawn up, consideration was given to using the chapel for the expansion but, due to different floor levels and space that would be lost in stairways and areas between buildings, this thought was discarded. A new idea then came to the forefront - that the chapel be donated to the Sacramento Mountains Historical Museum. The Museum has two acres of grounds and includes a Pioneer Village, which consists of eight buildings that have been brought in and placed on the property. One thing missing in the “Village” is a church or chapel. Contacts have been made between the two groups to have the chapel be moved, complete with the altar and all the furnishings, to a selected location at the Museum which would be very visible from Highway 82 and relate very well to the other buildings in the “Village.” This appears to be a win-win situation, with the Museum receiving a wonderful new acquisition, and the Episcopal Church then being able to expand their facilities, knowing that their Cloudcroft “landmark” will remain in the area and be preserved as a chapel in both appearance and usage. Copyright © 2004 Mountain Monthly - Call us to place an ad: 505-682-2208 |