Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle, Abiquiύ, New Mexico
Fray Juan José Toledo, who was minister here between 1756 and 1771, built a convent and put up the walls for a church. In 1772, the area was ministered to from the Pueblo of Santa Clara, and the following year Fray Sebastian Angel Fernandez moved into the convent and finished the church by 1773. 

The church of Santo Tomás de Abiquiú burned down in October of 1867. After the fire, the people of Abiquiú rebuilt the church but by 1930s it was decided that a new church was needed. 

The present church was begun in 1935, following the design of Santa Fe architect John Gaw Meem.  Meem is best known for his instrumental role in the development and popularization of the Pueblo Revival Style and as a proponent of architectural regionalism in the face of international modernism. 

The church was a community effort. If families could not afford to donate money for the purchase of materials they were expected to donate their time in the building effort. Many hands went to work making adobe bricks. The large timbers for the massive vigas floated down the Chama River from Burns Canyon and were then dragged up to the village by teams of horses or mules. 

Children were always underfoot since their family members were the builders. The local saloon owner “hired” the youngsters to peel the many latillas used in the church ceiling. If they showed up with the proper tool, sometimes it would be a kitchen knife with one end wrapped in a rag, they would be put to work peeling the thin aspen poles. For their day’s labor the saloon keeper would give each 25 pennies, which would soon end back up in the saloon coffers as the children would spend their wages on candies and treats sold in the saloon.

Building progressed smoothly until it was noticed that the architect had positioned the door to the church facing east, which was the custom for most churches. The Abiquiu church had always faced the south and the people of Abiquiu insisted that they retain this orientation. Architect Meem and the Archdiocese officials insisted that the church face the easterly direction. 

Work stopped as a deadlock was reached between the big city designers and local builders. It was resolved in a most unique manner. It is recorded as either a drunken school bus driver, a local Model-T driver or a concerted effort by a group of locals with their teams of oxen, mules, and plows that tore into the unfinished foundation of the new church. The result was that the repair and further building of the church had its front doors oriented towards the south, looking towards the ancient mesa of the Moqui and further on into their well guarded land grant. John Gaw Meem washed his hands of the project and did not attend the dedication ceremonies when the church was finished. 

The church itself is built in the classic cruciform style. It appears to be made of adobe. The main entry consists of two beautifully carved main doors with stained glass. A small date stone &quot;Biernes (viernes) de Delores 1935&quot; Friday of Sorrows 1935 - the year of construction of the new church. Above the entryway is a wooden balcony with a doorway. A belltower with two bells, along with a small wooden cross tops the front. A wooden cross is in front of the church.

The entire church, including a small garden, is surrounded by a low adobe wall. The signage, &quot;Santo Tomas el Apostol&quot; along with the foundation date of the parish &quot;1740&quot;, is located in this garden.