Presidio Chapel of San Elizario
Also known as: Nuestra Senora del Pilar y de Glorioso San Jose'
Why it's listed
San Elizario's presidio chapel is a one-story, flat-roofed adobe building covered in stucco, standing on the south side of the town plaza. Its walls date from 1877, when it replaced an earlier chapel destroyed by Rio Grande floods. The main facade has a central doorway with a fanlight, pilasters and buttresses, narrow round-headed windows, and a bell gable holding three bells. Three apse projections extend from the rear, the center one housing the main altar. A fire in 1935 destroyed the interior, including the nineteenth-century vigas and woodwork, and it has since been rebuilt. The chapel's importance lies in its link to the presidio established here in 1773, when troops were relocated to the valley and Franciscan missionaries served the chapel. The town grew around the presidio, became the largest valley settlement south of El Paso, and served as county seat from 1850 to 1876. It is still used for worship.
Significance in brief: The chapel is tied to the Spanish presidio of San Elizario, established in 1773 when troops were moved to the valley, and to the town that grew around it. San Elizario was the El Paso County seat from 1850 to 1876 and hosted U.S. troops, including the California Column during the Civil War. The form also marks the chapel as significant for religion and architecture.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72001358, listed September 14, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S side of plaza, San Elizario |
|---|---|
| County | El Paso County |
| Listed | September 14, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001358 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (established 1773, rebuilt 1877) |
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; condition marked fair and altered. The interior was destroyed by fire in 1935 and rebuilt. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | San Elizario Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.58472, -106.27319 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72001358.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7241527
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.