Parral: A historic assembly of colonists

Parral, a small town along the Camino Real, hosted a large assembly in 1598 that was the beginning of the colonization of New Mexico by the Spaniards. Juan de Oñate and his colonists assembled for their long march up to El Paso del Norte and along the Rio Grande valley to Northern New Mexico.

The assembly was like a military review. The Spanish Viceroy looked over Oñate and his colonists to make sure they had enough equipment, horses, cows and military protection for their journey north. The Viceroy wanted to be certian that all that was promised for the colonists was present and that the colonization of New Mexico would be successful.

A fountain in the town square

The local church dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Plaza

The statue of La Virgen in the town square, seen with a local statue in the background

A street scene in modern Parral.

A truck passes the statue of Our Lady in front of the church dedicated to La Virgen.

Missionarios de la Misericordia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, who were walking down the street, notice the 12 foot-tall bronze statue in front of the local church.