GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
New Mexico: NM-60

St. Mary Mission
1 St. Mary Drive
P.O. Box 39
Tohatchi, NM 87325

Phone 505-733-2243

 

History: St. Mary Mission, Tohatchi, McKinley County, Arizona, has been a predominantly Native American (Navajo) parish in the Navajo Nation and in the Diocese of Gallup (Archives: Gallup, New Mexico).

1914-1985	Franciscans (St. John the Baptist Province) (Archives: Cincinnati, Ohio; archives bulk: St. Michaels, Arizona, and Tucson, Arizona) established and administered St. Mary/ Immaculate Conception Church (Navajo), Navajo Reservation
1985-present	Franciscans (Our Lady of Guadalupe Province) (Archives: St. Michaels, Arizona) have administered St. Mary Church

Franciscans at St. Mary’s have attended to the following Navajo Indian missions and stations in the Navajo Nation:  

1948-present	St. Anthony Mission, Naschitti, San Juan County, New Mexico
1950-2010s (closed)	Coyote Canyon station, New Mexico
1950-2010s (closed)	Mexican Springs station, New Mexico
1950-2010s (closed)	Twin Lakes station, New Mexico
1960-2001 (closed)	Sheep Springs station, Arizona
1970-2010s (closed)	Chuska Mission, Chuska, New Mexico

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1918-ongoing

Volume: At least 1 cubic foot 

Description: The records at St. Mary Church were not arranged according to a classification scheme when reviewed by a Marquette University archivist, 2006. Consequently, description is by type of record.

 

/1 Sacramental records

Inclusive dates: 1918-ongoing 

Volume: Several volumes

Description: Baptisms, first communions, confirmations, marriages, and deaths for Native American parishioners of St. Mary Church and its attended missions and stations. 

 

/2 Various

Inclusive dates: 1918-ongoing; bulk 1918-1935

Volume: Several volumes and folders

Description: Bulletins, scrapbooks with clippings, photographs and albums, video recordings, and financial records for St. Mary Church and its attended missions and stations.

 

/3 History

Inclusive dates: 2000

Volume: 1 volume

Description: Published; title: Water in the Desert.

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.

new2006/rev2020