Culture

After restoration of the school building, PVHPS will create a museum there to curate historical artifacts that tell the history of the Peñasco valley. It will honor the strength and resilience of the community.  It will present the history of St. Anthony’s school through a display of historical records from the archives of the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, MI.  We hope to exhibit high quality photographs of the area by noted photographers such as John Collier, Jr. (Mr. Collier was commissioned in the1940s by the Farm Security Administration, a New Deal agency, to take pictures of areas such as the Peñasco valley). The museum will include a history and the current role of the acequias (irrigation systems), and will honor local veterans, artists, writers, and musicians, (e.g., Cipriano Vigil, a nationally recognized local treasure). It will also house a collection of books written by local authors and local artwork and photos will be used for permanent and rotating exhibits. Additionally, it will serve as an archival center for the history of Peñasco valley families and their stories. We plan regular cultural events such as demonstrations of traditional skills and crafts, in the vein of Celebración de Culturas, an annual event that had show-cased local traditions. In the tradition of the Catholic history of the school, there will be a space for prayer and meditation.