A private museum preserving the history of Truchas, one of northern New Mexico’s oldest villages, on the High Road to Taos.
A private museum preserving the history of Truchas, one of northern New Mexico’s oldest villages, on the High Road to Taos.
About Truchas History Museum
Before the Museum Restoration
About Us
Learn about the history of my family and the settlement of Truchas at Truchas History Museum. I was inspired to start this museum for the love of my father, Felimon Sandoval Jr. and my grandparents, Felimon M. Sandoval Sr. and Anita F. Sandoval. I give special dedication to my mother, Annie, for her unconditional love. To my stepmother, Ella Serrano-Lujan, thank you for giving me a mother's love, and showing me how to be creative. It is my hope that this museum will be an inspiration to people with ties to our town and that they will share some of their stories with us so that we do not forget the hardworking families who have made our town what it is today...deep in the heart of Truchas.
©Copyright Leslie Sandoval 2005
After the Museum Restoration
After the Museum Restoration
About Us
The Settlement
Following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which the Pueblo people drove the Spanish colonists from New Mexico for 12 years, Spanish colonial authorities expanded settlements after their return in 1692 to strengthen and protect communities such as Santa Fe, Santa Cruz de la Cañada, and Albuquerque. As part of that expansion, the Village of
Following the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, in which the Pueblo people drove the Spanish colonists from New Mexico for 12 years, Spanish colonial authorities expanded settlements after their return in 1692 to strengthen and protect communities such as Santa Fe, Santa Cruz de la Cañada, and Albuquerque. As part of that expansion, the Village of Las Truchas was established under the Nuestra Señora del Rosario, San Fernando y Santiago Land Grant, issued on March 6, 1754. The original grant encompassed approximately 20,000 acres and followed a petition submitted two years earlier by eleven families from Chimayó and Córdova to Spanish Governor Tomás Vélez Cachupín.
My Story
My Name is Leslie Sandoval-Romero, a native to Truchas, NM and a direct descendant of the many families who made their homes in this beautiful community generations ago. I left Truchas after finishing high school to attend college. During the course of my studies, I was often reminded of the little town I grew up in and left behind; a to
My Name is Leslie Sandoval-Romero, a native to Truchas, NM and a direct descendant of the many families who made their homes in this beautiful community generations ago. I left Truchas after finishing high school to attend college. During the course of my studies, I was often reminded of the little town I grew up in and left behind; a town with people I love and a town filled with childhood memories.
I can remember, as a young girl, one day coming into Grandmas’ kitchen warmed by a wood burning stove and asking for help with a splinter I had gotten while playing outside. Grandma would sing a little song for me to help me shed the fear of the burned tip needle digging into my flesh to take out the splinter. I can remember not ever thinking about the pain because of the beautiful voice grandma had that overcame that pain.
My grandmother raised my father with the same beautiful voice that he sang with his guitar during holidays or family gatherings. Grandma also raised a man that was stronger than an oak tree that provided for his children and encouraged to go to college.
I always looked up to my father because of his discipline in raising his children, to challenge our lives with positive opportunities while always staying true to the foundation of our planted roots; Faith in God, working hard, and never giving up no matter how difficult the road ahead.
Las Truchas is a town where I can remember where the winters were winters, and children were children sliding with tubes down any hill that was accessible or not; a town where my faith in God was established; and a town where I remember neighbors helping neighbors.
The Journal North published an article about this very personal and very family focused museum in 2011. As visitors attended, they would tell me that my museum was surreal because of the very heart put into every display that resonates throughout. I received visitors from all over the state to get ideas on how to preserve their ancestral property, and they were amazed!
In 2014, my father and I were interviewed by the New Mexico Magazine and Published in 2015, and in 2017 my father and I received a State of New Mexico Historic Individual Preservation Award. Through my creation of Truchas History Museum, it has brought many tears of joy to some, and beautiful memories to others.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
The Restoration
My Father, Felimon Sandoval Jr. (1935-2019)
My father Felimon Sandoval Jr, "El Plastador", beginning with the museum restoration when my husband and I purchased my grandmother's estate. Come see the years of research and exhibits in this little adobe home to find the heart that resides within.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
Exhibits
My Grandfather's Judicial Work
My Grandpa Felimon Sandoval Sr. was a "Juez de Paz" (Precinct #5) judge in the 1940s and 50s as was his father before him. This is one of the many exhibits with my grandpa's judicial work as having served also as a deputy sheriff and was involved with politics often seen with NM "Political Boss", Emilio Naranjo and other political figure
My Grandpa Felimon Sandoval Sr. was a "Juez de Paz" (Precinct #5) judge in the 1940s and 50s as was his father before him. This is one of the many exhibits with my grandpa's judicial work as having served also as a deputy sheriff and was involved with politics often seen with NM "Political Boss", Emilio Naranjo and other political figures in Las Truchas at my Grandpa's "Rocky Mountain Tavern" (1948-1953).
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
Exhibits
Alabados de los Penitentes
This book of "Alabados" is a traditional book of Spanish hymns of life, death, and piety that belonged and used by my grandpa with the Penitentes/Los Hermanos (brotherhood) of Las Truchas Morada from the 1800s to early 1900s but can possibly date back further. The hymns and Castilion language is a reflection of historic Spanish Catholic
This book of "Alabados" is a traditional book of Spanish hymns of life, death, and piety that belonged and used by my grandpa with the Penitentes/Los Hermanos (brotherhood) of Las Truchas Morada from the 1800s to early 1900s but can possibly date back further. The hymns and Castilion language is a reflection of historic Spanish Catholic devotional traditions passed through Colonial New Spain and preserved by my family over generations. My grandfather Felimon Sandoval Sr. was a Penitente and often sang these hymns during Lent or at Rosarios typically the night before the funeral; a tradition still practiced today.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
Exhibits
Rosendo Rodriguez (1905-1991)
Rosendo Rodriguez was a resident of Las Truchas and grandfather to my friend Peggy. He is a hero to our village as he is also a hero to our country having been recognized by the US War Department for his contributions with the Atomic Bomb in 1945.
Exhibits
My Grandfather WWI Efren Salazar (1895-1946)
My Grandfather, Efren Salazar, was a WWI Veteran, 110 Infantry, 22 Division, was a prisoner of war on October 4, 1918. My grandfather was wounded, and received a purple heart. Just one of the many exhibits that honor the veterans in my family and those veterans in our village of Las Truchas.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
SHOPPING
Grandma's Trading Post - The Museum Gift Shop — Now Online Year-Round
For more than twenty years, visitors to the Truchas History Museum have enjoyed browsing Grandma's Trading Post after exploring the museum. We are now bringing that same experience online, allowing visitors near and far to shop year-round while continuing to support the preservation of the museum and the history of Northern New Mexico.
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For more than twenty years, visitors to the Truchas History Museum have enjoyed browsing Grandma's Trading Post after exploring the museum. We are now bringing that same experience online, allowing visitors near and far to shop year-round while continuing to support the preservation of the museum and the history of Northern New Mexico.
Grandma's Trading Post & Truchas History Museum has a place for community, a place
for memories, and a place to shop for souvenirs and unique gifts ...a reminder of the labor of love my father and I created together and a warm reflection of my childhood of this beautiful town. It is like taking a step back in time when life seemed slower.
Many of the items you'll find here include a special story label. Some share the history behind the piece, while others reflect a memory from my childhood growing up in Truchas. They are little reminders that every object has a story worth preserving.
Browse our carefully
curated collection of antiques, souvenirs, artisan goods, homemade jams, specialty foods, vintage treasures, and unique gifts—each selected with the same care and appreciation for history that inspired the museum itself.
Antiques, Souvenirs, Homemade Jams Seasonal Finds & Much More!
NOW OPEN - Grandma's Closet - An Online Curated Collection of Vintage Designer Fashion Preserving Grandma's Trading Post &Truchas History Museum
Just as the Truchas History Museum preserves the stories of the ordinary, extraordinary people who shaped our community, Grandma’s Closet celebrates another kind of history—the craftsmanship, artistry, and enduring style of exceptional vintage fashion.
The collection features carefully selected designer clothing from the 1960s through the
Just as the Truchas History Museum preserves the stories of the ordinary, extraordinary people who shaped our community, Grandma’s Closet celebrates another kind of history—the craftsmanship, artistry, and enduring style of exceptional vintage fashion.
The collection features carefully selected designer clothing from the 1960s through the present, including distinctive contemporary pieces chosen for their quality, character, and timeless appeal.
These beautiful garments have been preserved for decades because I believed beautiful things deserved to be cared for. Today, they begin a new chapter—finding homes with those who appreciate their craftsmanship while helping support the preservation of northern New Mexico’s history and heritage.
The collection includes exceptional works by Marikka Knaak, Pat Dahnke, Gretty Zueger, authentic Freebird footwear, and other carefully curated designers.
Grandma’s Closet is an extension of Grandma’s Trading Post & Truchas History Museum—where history, craftsmanship, and beauty are preserved for the next generation.
COMMUNITY
Local Residents - Museum Open House
Truchas History Museum always has a place for community, friendship, and celebration; A place for memories, tears, and laughter.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
Las Truchas
Las Truchas
The village of Las Truchas is nestled at the foot of the awe-inspiring Sangre de Cristo Mountains on a stretch of land that overlooks the beautiful Rio Grande Valley.
Las Truchas is a historic
village located just 60 minutes north of Santa Fe or 60 minutes south of Taos. At an elevation of 8,000 feet the air is clear, the views expansive,
The village of Las Truchas is nestled at the foot of the awe-inspiring Sangre de Cristo Mountains on a stretch of land that overlooks the beautiful Rio Grande Valley.
Las Truchas is a historic
village located just 60 minutes north of Santa Fe or 60 minutes south of Taos. At an elevation of 8,000 feet the air is clear, the views expansive, and the sunsets breathtaking.
The valleys of Northern New Mexico are rich in cultural heritage, shaped over thousands of years by Indigenous peoples and later by Spanish colonists.
In 1598, Don Juan de Oñate led a Spanish expedition into the region, marking the beginning of Spanish colonization. It was within this landscape that many hard-working families later established homes and farms in Las Truchas under the Nuestra Señora del Rosario San Fernando y Santiago Land Grant beginning in the 1750s, after leaving the more crowded Santa Cruz and Chimayó valleys.
©Copyright Leslie Romero 2005
Discover Truchas History Museum
Welcome to the Truchas History Museum, where you can explore the history, heritage, and traditions of Truchas through thoughtfully curated photographs, artifacts, documents, and stories that honor the ordinary, extraordinary people who shaped our community.
INDEPENDENT MUSEUM
Dedicated to preserving Truchas history.