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History of the Solano Church
The Union Church (Solano
Community Church) has been a landmark located 9 miles south of Roy,
NM on Hwy. 39, and was built in 1912.
Prior to the building of the
church, religious services were held in homes, in the school and
later in vacant buildings. During this time, a Spanish American War
veteran named John Reed helped out as a preacher. His duties
included conducting services in the surrounding areas.
The circuit provided an
assistant, Rev. F. L. Meredith. The two men divided their jobs into
two circuits. These included Roy, Solano, Mosquero, Newton, Palouse
and Bradley.
In 1930, Preacher Hale of
Mosquero was one of the ministers of the church. Among his other
talents was rock laying. Many buildings of the community were
imperishable because of his craft. Hale constructed building on the
old Waggonner Ranch and the Bell Ranch and built the Solano School
and Gymnasium. During those years, Rev. Adelbert Hughes, originally
from Solano, preached in the vicinity.
The community leaders
contributed their resources in organizing the erection of a church.
It started out as a Union Church, where services were held by
different denominations.
Two leading citizens of
Solano donated the land for the building. The selected site was the
Charlie Merrell and Pete Laumbach addition. Noel Burton drew up the
blueprints for the building, with Ed Choate as his assistant. There
were four carpenters: Bill Kelly was in charge of the rock work;
John Mackey Walter Ross and Bill Hastings worked where they were
needed. All community members helped. Those that are reported were
the Criswells, Hepburns and Uptons, each supplying time and money.
John Mackey was one of the
main suppliers of rock which was hauled from the Ross and Mackey
Canyons. Rock was also hauled from Burro Hill.
Women of the community worked
alongside the men aiding them by bringing meals in wagons. Wash
tubs supplied by families held the food and could be carted to the
church site with ease by women in buckboards. At times, the meal
was hauled five or more miles.
During the years in which the
church served the community, many members donated time and money.
Several members of the community who donated supplies, money and
janitor service to the building were Harry and Frank Hughes, the
Burton family, the Cooks, Ross', the John Mackeys, the Joe Allens
and Marguerite Bradley Upton. These members made an extra effort to
keep the building from falling into ruin over the passing years.
Through the passing years,
the spelling of the name of the town has also changed from Solana to
Solano. The old version is on the depot sign at the Morris town
site across from the present Solano Post Office.
In September of 1962, the
Solano Church celebrated its 50th year.
The repair of the roof is an
expensive project and it will take the combined efforts of many good
people to complete the restoration of the roof in order to keep
nature’s elements from destroying the interior of the church. Any
person wishing to donate money to this historic landmark my send
donations to: 
The Solano Church Fund
c/o Harold Mackey
P.O. Box 92
Solano, NM 87746
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