Excerpted from Valley of Shining Stone: The Story of Abiquiu (1997) by Lesley Poling-Kempes
The Pueblo people of New Mexico believe that the earth is imbued with the breath, thoughts, and feelings of every person that has ever placed a foot upon it. They say that the earth is alive with the spirits of those who have walked across its body: the faraway past vibrates in the soil, and the stories of the long-ago people lie scattered like stones upon the places that once harbored them.
Standing upon the wide, luminous space of earth that is the Piedra Lumbre Basin [piedra lumbre means “stone of light” or “stone of fire”] in Northern New Mexico, one is privy to the whispers of a thousand years of stories. A chorus of voices—prehistoric Native American, historic Tewa, Ute, Navajo, Hopi, Apache, Hispanic, and Anglo—echoes from the rock walls whose gleaming, unworldly color gave the region its name.
Plaza Blanca, also known as the White Place, was a favorite subject for O’Keeffe. Seen here at dusk,the locale is known for its peaceful yet mysterious aura and its stunning rock “sculptures.”
Abiquiu Lake is a 5,200-surface-acre reservoir that was created when the 1,800-foot-long Abiquiu Dam was constructed in the 1960s.
In the shadow of Cerro Pedernal (top), the lake is a popular site for boating, fishing, and swimming.
