Senecú facts for kids
Senecú was an old village, or pueblo, built by the Piro people in what is now New Mexico. It was the very last Piro pueblo you would find if you were traveling south before the big event called the Pueblo Revolt in 1680.
This pueblo was located on the west side of the Rio Grande river. It was so close to another Piro pueblo called San Pasqual that you could see it! Spanish records from that time say Senecú was across from a place called Black Mesa, near a town now known as San Marcial. Over time, the river's path changed, and the town of San Marcial grew. Because of this, there are no parts of the old Senecú pueblo left to see on the ground today.
The original name of the pueblo was written down in a few different ways, like Tze-no-que or She-an-ghua. People have tried to figure out what these names mean, suggesting things like "eye socket" or "spring hole." However, we can't be sure if these translations are correct.
History of Senecú Pueblo
The Piro people lived in Senecú long before Spanish explorers arrived. It seems the Spanish first wrote about this pueblo in 1581. This was during an expedition led by Chamuscado and Rodríguez.
In 1598, another Spanish group, led by Juan de Oñate, came across Senecú. They called it "Tzenaquel de la Mesilla." This was the first settlement they found as they traveled through New Mexico.
The San Antonio de Padua Mission
A Spanish mission, called San Antonio de Padua, was built in Senecú in the 1620s. A mission was a church and settlement where Spanish priests tried to teach Christianity to the native people. This mission lasted for about 50 years.
However, on January 23, 1675, both the pueblo and the mission were attacked. Apache raiders destroyed them. A Franciscan priest was killed during the attack. But many Piro people and Spaniards living there managed to survive.
Later Years and Abandonment
Luis López, who later had a village named after him (Luis Lopez), was an important leader in Senecú in 1667. He was called the alcalde, which was like a mayor or local governor.
The pueblo was settled again in late 1677. More than 100 Christian Piro families reportedly moved back. But Senecú was abandoned once more during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. During this revolt, the Piro people left New Mexico with the Spanish.
Instead of returning to New Mexico, the people from Senecú settled near El Paso. They created a new village there called Senecú del Sur. Some rumors say that a few Piro people might have stayed in New Mexico. However, when Spanish leader Diego de Vargas passed by Senecú in 1691 and 1692, he didn't find anyone living there. The pueblo was never settled again after the Spanish took back control of the area. Travelers could see the ruins of Senecú throughout the 1700s, but they have not been seen since then.
