St Joseph’s Spiral: The Loretto Staircase Revealed by Jeff Callaway

St Joseph’s Spiral: The Loretto Staircase Revealed

by Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

Section 1: The Chapel and the Problem 

In 1853, Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy invited the Sisters of Loretto to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to establish a Catholic girls’ school. The Sisters accepted and founded Loretto Academy, which would become a cornerstone of Catholic education in the region. Two decades later, in 1873, the Sisters commissioned the construction of a chapel to serve the academy’s spiritual needs. The structure was originally named the Chapel of Our Lady of Light.

The architect selected for the project was Projectus Mouly, a French ecclesiastical designer trained in Gothic principles. He was the son of Antoine Mouly, a master builder associated with Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. That influence shaped the design of the Loretto Chapel. Mouly modeled the building after Sainte-Chapelle, adopting the Gothic Revival style characterized by pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and vertical emphasis. The chapel’s stained glass windows were imported from France, reinforcing the European aesthetic. The building itself was constructed from locally quarried sandstone, integrating regional materials with continental design.

The chapel’s footprint was narrow, measuring only 22 feet wide. Despite the limited space, Mouly included a choir loft in the design, positioned 22 feet above the chapel floor. The loft was intended for the Sisters to sing during Mass, a standard feature in Catholic chapels. However, Mouly died in 1879 before resolving how the loft would be accessed. No staircase had been built, and no plans for one were left behind.

By 1878, the chapel was consecrated and structurally complete, but the choir loft remained inaccessible. The interior layout, constrained by the Gothic design and narrow width, left no room for a conventional staircase. The Sisters considered installing a ladder, but it was deemed unsafe and impractical for daily use, especially for women wearing long religious habits. The steep angle and lack of handrails posed a serious risk.

In an effort to resolve the issue, the Sisters consulted multiple builders. Each was presented with the challenge of designing a staircase that could fit within the chapel’s tight interior without obstructing the sanctuary or compromising the architectural integrity. None of the builders could offer a viable solution. The combination of vertical space, narrow width, and ornate design made the problem unusually complex. The builders concluded that the space could not accommodate a staircase without significant alteration to the chapel’s structure.

At this point, the Sisters faced a functional dead-end. The choir loft was essential to their liturgical practice, but no safe or feasible way to reach it existed. The chapel, though consecrated and visually complete, could not fully serve its intended purpose. The architectural flaw was not cosmetic—it directly impacted the daily religious life of the community.

The problem was documented and acknowledged. The loft stood 22 feet above the floor, unreachable, with no staircase, no plan, and no solution from the builders of the time. The Sisters had exhausted conventional options. The chapel’s design, while beautiful, had created a logistical impasse.

This unresolved issue would become the catalyst for what followed. But in 1878, the situation was simple and stark: a choir loft without access, a chapel without function, and a community without resolution.

Section 2: The Novena to St. Joseph

In 1878, following the consecration of the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, the Sisters of Loretto faced a persistent architectural problem. The choir loft, positioned 22 feet above the chapel floor, remained inaccessible. The original architect, Projectus Mouly, had died before resolving how to reach the loft, and multiple builders had failed to offer a viable solution. The chapel’s narrow interior—only 22 feet wide—left no room for conventional stairs, and a ladder was deemed unsafe and impractical for daily use by the Sisters in long religious habits.

With no practical resolution available, the Sisters turned to religious devotion. They began a novena to St. Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. A novena is a traditional Catholic practice involving nine consecutive days of prayer, typically offered for a specific intention. In this case, the Sisters prayed for assistance in resolving the staircase problem.

The novena was conducted privately within the convent. There was no public appeal, no advertisement, and no solicitation of outside help. The Sisters did not contact the diocese, publish notices, or seek aid from the broader community. Their approach was internal and devotional, relying solely on prayer to St. Joseph.

The prayers were directed specifically to St. Joseph in his role as a carpenter and protector of the Holy Family. The Sisters asked for help in constructing a staircase that would allow access to the choir loft without compromising the chapel’s design or safety. The devotion was structured and deliberate, following the traditional nine-day format.

On the ninth day of the novena, a man arrived at the chapel.

According to the Sisters’ records and oral tradition, the man was older and weathered in appearance. He traveled alone and led a donkey, which carried a small set of tools. His clothing was plain and suitable for manual labor. He did not offer credentials, references, or identification. He did not request payment or negotiate terms. He stated that he could build a staircase and asked for permission to begin work.

The Sisters granted his request. He asked for privacy and worked alone. No assistants were present, and no blueprints or formal plans were provided. He brought only basic tools—hammer, saw, and carpenter’s square—and began construction inside the chapel.

No one saw the man enter or leave the chapel during the construction period. His presence was noted only at the beginning of the project. After he began work, he remained unseen. The Sisters did not observe the construction process in detail, and no one else was documented as having interacted with him during this time.

Upon completion of the staircase, the Sisters organized a banquet in his honor. However, he had vanished. He did not attend the banquet, and no trace of him was found. He had not registered with local authorities. No one in Santa Fe recalled seeing him before or after the project. His anonymity remains one of the most documented aspects of the event.

The carpenter’s arrival on the final day of the novena is consistently noted in both written and oral accounts. The timing is central to the documented narrative. The Sisters believed their prayers had been answered through the arrival of this man.

Descriptions of the carpenter remain consistent across sources. He was older, possibly in his sixties, with a face that showed signs of long-term outdoor labor. His clothing was functional and unadorned. He carried a small set of hand tools and led a donkey used to transport his equipment. He did not arrive in a wagon or with a team. He came alone.

There is no evidence of a contract, negotiation, or exchange of money. No building permits, invoices, or supply logs exist related to his work. The wood he used was not sourced locally, and there are no records indicating where it came from. The Sisters did not report seeing him bring in large quantities of lumber. He worked quietly, using what he had, and did not explain his methods.

This portion of the event is supported by the Sisters’ written records and corroborated by later historical accounts. The novena was conducted over nine days. The prayers were directed to St. Joseph. On the ninth day, a man arrived at the chapel. He was older, weathered, and traveling with a donkey and basic tools. He offered to build the staircase, requested privacy, and began work.

No additional information about his identity or background has been discovered. His arrival, offer, and initiation of work are documented facts within the historical record of the Loretto Chapel.

Section 3: The Construction Process

After receiving permission to begin work on the staircase, the unidentified carpenter commenced construction inside the Loretto Chapel. He worked alone. No assistants were present at any point during the project. He did not submit blueprints, sketches, or formal plans. The Sisters did not report seeing any design documents, and no architectural drawings have ever surfaced. The man relied solely on his own methods and measurements.

The tools he used were rudimentary and consistent with 19th-century manual carpentry. These included saws, chisels, planes, a draw knife, a brace, augers, clamps, and a carpenter’s square. He did not use power tools. All shaping, joining, and fitting were done by hand. To bend the wood into the necessary curves, he used tubs of water to soak the timber, a technique known to soften fibers and allow for gradual shaping. No mechanical steam-bending apparatus was reported.

The staircase was constructed without nails. No metal fasteners are visible in the joints. Instead, the carpenter used wooden pegs to secure the components. This method, known as dowel joinery, was common in traditional woodworking and allowed for strong, flexible connections that could adapt to humidity and temperature changes. No glue is visible in the structure, though some analyses suggest that adhesive may have been used internally in the laminated stringers to reinforce the curved beams.

The staircase itself is a spiral design that makes two full 360-degree turns. It rises 20 feet from the chapel floor to the choir loft. The structure contains 33 steps. This number has been noted in multiple sources as symbolically significant, corresponding to the traditional age of Jesus Christ at the time of his death. The staircase’s geometry is tight and precise, fitting within the narrow interior of the chapel without obstructing the sanctuary or altering the Gothic layout.

The staircase’s form and function are consistent with advanced carpentry techniques. The curved stringers—both inner and outer—are laminated beams joined by pegs. The inner radius measures approximately 25 inches, while the outer radius is roughly 5 feet. The staircase’s helical shape distributes weight through torsion, allowing it to function like a stiff spring. This design absorbs vibrations and supports dynamic loads without a central support column.

Accounts of the construction timeline vary. Some sources state that the staircase was completed in six to eight months. Others claim it was built overnight. The Sisters did not document the exact duration in their annals, and no external records clarify the discrepancy. What is consistent across all accounts is that the carpenter worked alone and was not observed during the building process. No eyewitnesses reported seeing him enter or leave the chapel during construction.

Upon completion of the staircase, the carpenter disappeared. He did not request payment. He did not leave a name or contact information. The Sisters attempted to locate him, including contacting local lumber suppliers to trace the origin of the wood. No accounts were found. No one in Santa Fe reported having seen the man before or after the project. His identity remains unconfirmed.

The Sisters organized a banquet in his honor, intending to thank him for the work. He did not attend. No trace of him was found. He had not registered with local authorities, and no documentation exists linking him to any other construction projects in the area. His departure, like his arrival, was undocumented and unexplained.

The staircase remains intact and functional. It has supported regular use for nearly 150 years. Despite the absence of formal engineering plans, the structure has endured without structural failure. Later modifications, including the addition of a handrail and an iron bracket, were made to improve safety and reduce vertical flex, but the original design has not been altered.

The construction process, as recorded and analyzed, involved no assistants, no formal plans, no power tools, and no conventional fasteners. The carpenter used basic hand tools, soaked and bent wood manually, and assembled the staircase using wooden pegs. He built a spiral staircase with two full turns and 33 steps, rising 20 feet to the choir loft. Upon completion, he vanished without payment or identification. The Sisters contacted lumber stores but found no records. No eyewitnesses saw him depart.

These facts form the complete account of the staircase’s construction phase. No additional details have been verified beyond what is listed above.

Section 4: Design and Engineering Analysis

The staircase constructed inside the Loretto Chapel is a spiral structure that ascends 20 feet from the chapel floor to the choir loft. It is built without a central support column. The absence of a vertical core is one of its most notable structural features. Instead of relying on a central pole for stability, the staircase is supported by its own geometry and the strength of its curved stringers.

The staircase consists of two primary structural elements: an inner stringer and an outer stringer. Both are curved laminated beams joined by wooden pegs. The inner stringer is composed of seven wooden segments. The outer stringer is composed of nine segments. These stringers form the helical framework of the staircase, which makes two full 360-degree turns from base to loft.

The staircase’s inner radius measures approximately 25 inches. The outer radius is roughly 5 feet. This compact spiral design allows the staircase to fit within the narrow interior of the chapel without obstructing the sanctuary or altering the Gothic layout. The helical geometry distributes weight through torsion, allowing the staircase to function like a stiff spring. This design absorbs vibrations and supports dynamic loads without the need for a central column.

Finite element analysis conducted on the staircase indicates that it can handle compressive stress up to 1.7 megapascals (MPa). The spruce wood used in the construction has an ultimate strength of approximately 2.0 MPa. This margin confirms that the staircase is structurally sound under normal use conditions. The staircase weighs between 1,500 and 2,000 pounds and has demonstrated its load-bearing capacity. A photograph taken in 1959 shows 20 people standing on the staircase simultaneously without structural failure.

Originally, the staircase had no handrails. This presented a safety concern, especially given the height and curvature of the structure. Some of the Sisters reportedly descended the staircase on their hands and knees due to the lack of support. In 1887, handrails and balusters were added by Phillip August Hesch to improve safety and usability. These additions did not alter the core structure of the staircase but provided necessary support for daily use.

An iron bracket was later installed to anchor the staircase to a nearby column. This modification reduced vertical flex by approximately 50 percent. The bracket was added to stabilize the staircase under load and minimize movement during use. Despite these additions, the original design remains intact and continues to function as intended.

The material used in the staircase is spruce wood. Spruce is not native to New Mexico, and its presence in the chapel has prompted investigation into its origin. The wood may be Engelmann spruce, which is common in the Pacific Northwest and parts of the Rocky Mountains. However, no definitive source has been identified. Some analyses suggest the wood may be a unique variant, referred to as “Loretto Spruce.”

In 1996, Forrest N. Easley conducted a 15-month study of the staircase’s wood. He was unable to find an exact match for the species used. Based on his findings, Easley proposed naming the wood “Loretto Spruce” to reflect its unique characteristics and unknown origin. His study focused on the grain, density, and structural properties of the wood, and concluded that while the material was consistent with known spruce varieties, it did not match any single species definitively.

The staircase’s construction method—laminated curved beams joined by pegs—was known in the 19th century but required advanced carpentry skills. The use of wooden pegs instead of nails allowed the structure to adapt to environmental changes, such as humidity and temperature fluctuations, without rusting or weakening. The laminated beams provided strength and flexibility, enabling the staircase to maintain its shape and support weight over time.

The staircase’s design and engineering have been studied extensively. Its ability to bear weight without a central support, its compact spiral geometry, and its use of non-native wood have all contributed to its reputation as an architectural anomaly. Despite the absence of formal plans or documentation, the structure has endured for nearly 150 years with minimal alteration.

All known structural facts confirm that the staircase is physically feasible and mechanically sound. Its design functions as a rigid tube, absorbing stress and distributing weight efficiently. The modifications made after its completion—handrails, balusters, and an iron bracket—were safety enhancements, not structural corrections. The staircase remains a functional and stable element of the Loretto Chapel.

Section 5: Historical Documentation and Eyewitness Accounts

The primary contemporary documentary record of the event appears in the Sisters of Loretto’s annals and logbooks. The community’s entries note the arrival of a carpenter, his work on the choir loft access, and their reactions upon completion. Those entries include references to the novena and to subsequent attempts to express gratitude, including a banquet organized by the Sisters. The Sisters’ logbook contains financial entries for chapel-related expenses and occasional payments linked to local craftsmen.

Local press coverage supplemented the convent records. The Santa Fe New Mexican published accounts referring to the staircase and its maker. An 1895 article in the Santa Fe New Mexican attributed the work to François-Jean “Frenchy” Rochas. That attribution appears in subsequent retellings and in archival citations used by later researchers.

No contemporary municipal building permits, contractor contracts, supply invoices, or delivery receipts tied directly to the staircase have been located in period archives. Searches of local lumber suppliers from the era produced no documented accounts logged to the convent for the quantities or species of wood that comprise the staircase. No formal registration, licensing, or contractor paperwork for the anonymous carpenter appears in available civic records.

The question of the builder’s identity yields competing documentary traces. The Sisters’ annals record an anonymous carpenter’s arrival and work but do not provide a full name or corroborating personal details. The Santa Fe New Mexican’s 1895 attribution to François-Jean “Frenchy” Rochas introduces a named candidate. Rochas is documented in other local records as a French immigrant, a reclusive rancher, and a skilled carpenter active in the region in the late 19th century. Additional documentary references connect Rochas to other carpentry work, including a staircase at St. Vincent Sanitarium.

A Sisters’ logbook entry dated 1881 records a payment of $150 to a Mr. Rochas for “wood.” That ledger line is cited by researchers who associate Rochas with materials or costs related to chapel work. Some historians and archival commentators dispute the direct connection between that 1881 payment and the chapel staircase, arguing the ledger entry could reference wood supplied for a nearby school or another project. The ledger entry exists; its interpretation is contested.

Research into Rochas’s life and death yields further documentary detail. Local records indicate Rochas died in 1894 and that his death was violent; contemporary reporting and later summaries refer to his murder. Probate and inventory records associated with Rochas’s estate list a substantial set of carpentry tools at the time of his death. The inventory includes multiple saws, planes, moulding planes, gauges, chisels, braces, augers, auger bits, clamps, and trammel points. The tool inventory is cited by proponents of the Rochas attribution as evidence of his capacity to execute complex joinery without mechanized equipment.

Professional and amateur historians diverge in their conclusions about Rochas. Historian Mary Jean Cook identified Rochas as the probable builder in published and archival work, citing the 1895 newspaper attribution, the 1881 ledger entry, Rochas’s documented carpentry at other local institutions, and his tool inventory. Amateur historian John Clark and others have disputed Cook’s identification, noting gaps in direct documentary linkage, discrepancies in timelines offered by various sources, and the absence of contemporaneous first-person testimony naming Rochas as the staircase’s craftsman. Both positions rely on the same core archival materials but apply different standards of evidentiary weight.

Eyewitness testimony recorded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is limited. The Sisters’ community narrative includes descriptions of an older, weathered man who arrived with a donkey and basic hand tools, worked alone, requested privacy, and departed without claiming payment. The convent’s accounts assert the absence of formal contracts or recorded compensation. No independent civilian testimony from nearby residents contemporaneous to the work has been identified that names the carpenter or documents his movements entering or leaving the chapel.

Archival absence of conventional construction records is consistent across municipal and business sources. No building permits, contractor agreements, or supply receipts tied to the staircase have been found in city or county archives. No invoices from lumber yards were located that correspond to the amount or species of spruce now identified in the staircase. Investigators who attempted to trace material procurement through period suppliers reported negative results in ledgers and account books extant from local merchants.

Later documentary treatments and secondary sources provide additional layers of record but also show variation in detail. Newspaper articles, guidebook entries, local histories, and mid-20th-century photographic documentation reference the staircase’s peculiar construction and survival. A 1959 photograph documents multiple people standing on the completed staircase, demonstrating its load-bearing use at that time. Museum- and tourism-oriented publications from the late 20th and early 21st centuries compile the convent records, newspaper citations, and scholarly arguments, often reproducing the same primary lines of evidence with differing emphases.

The physical structure itself operates as a continuing material record. The staircase remains intact and functional on-site. Period maintenance records, restoration notes, and later modifications—such as the 1887 addition of handrails by Phillip August Hesch and the subsequent installation of an iron bracket to reduce vertical flex—appear in chapel maintenance files and curator reports. Those documents confirm ongoing preservation and interventions to improve safety rather than to correct fundamental defects.

Section 6: Comparisons and Context

Unsupported spiral staircases comparable in principle to the Loretto structure exist in other historic buildings, providing technical and historical context for its construction. Notable examples include the spiral in the Old Washoe Club in Virginia City, Nevada, and a 16th-century helical staircase in Gdańsk Town Hall, Poland. These precedents show that unsupported helical stairs are rare but not unprecedented in Western carpentry and masonry traditions.

The Loretto staircase and the comparative examples share common construction techniques. The structural form relies on a laminated beam helix: curved beams made from overlapping segments that, when joined, behave as a continuous compressive shell. Steam bending or prolonged soaking of timber to increase flexibility is a documented method for creating tight curves in wood; historical carpenters used either direct steam equipment where available or tubs of water and gradual bending where steam was impractical. Peg joinery, using wooden dowels instead of metal nails, was a standard technique in 19th-century joinery and carpentry for creating strong, resilient joints that tolerate seasonal movement.

Mechanically, a helical staircase without a central column functions by distributing loads through torsion and compression along the curved stringers. The overlapping laminated segments act collectively to form a rigid tube; when properly bonded and pegged, the assembly resists buckling and shear. The shape behaves like a coil spring, absorbing and dissipating vibrational energy rather than concentrating it at a single support point. Wooden pegs in the joints reduce the risk of shear failure at fastener locations and permit controlled movement as humidity and temperature change; this adaptability contrasts with metal fasteners, which can corrode and create stress concentrations.

Historical fabrication methods explain how the Loretto structure could be executed with 19th-century tools. Carpenters of the era routinely used hand saws, chisels, planes, draw knives, braces, augers, and clamps to produce complex curved elements. Laminating thin laminations and gluing or fastening them together was within the technical repertoire; where adhesives were limited or undetectable on surface inspection, internal glue lines or tight mechanical pegging could provide the necessary composite action. The technique of overlapping segments joined by glue or adhesive, supplemented by wooden pegs, increases section modulus and creates a beam capable of resisting compressive loads far greater than a single solid member of comparable dimensions.

Scholarly and skeptical examinations of the Loretto staircase place the work within known mechanical principles rather than outside them. Investigators such as Joe Nickell and Ben Radford have analyzed the staircase and concluded that its behavior is consistent with basic mechanics and skilled workmanship. Carpenter and educator Tim Carter described the structure as a lesson in physics: the helical stringers form a continuous load path and the tight geometry reduces lever arms that would otherwise produce large bending moments. Snopes.com, in a 2007 critique, highlighted safety issues inherent in the original configuration—most notably the lack of handrails—but confirmed the staircase’s load-bearing capacity.

Comparative examples reinforce the point that the Loretto staircase’s signature features are technically plausible. The Old Washoe Club spiral demonstrates regional American precedent for tight helical stairs without central supports; European examples, such as the Gdańsk Town Hall stair, show longer historical continuity of helical constructions executed with sophisticated joinery. These structures employ similar strategies: segmented curved members, pegged or interlocked joints, and geometry that channels compressive forces through the helix.

Material considerations further align the Loretto staircase with conventional craftsmanship. Spruce and related softwoods offer favorable strength-to-weight ratios and can be formed into laminated curves; when species such as Engelmann spruce are used, the wood’s mechanical properties permit significant compressive stress before failure. The staircase’s measured compressive stress under load and documented capacity in photographs and tests are within the expected range for properly executed laminated timber members of the era.

Practical differences between the Loretto case and modern engineered solutions stem from scale, tolerance, and safety standards. Modern design would specify engineered laminates, adhesive systems with documented strengths, metal reinforcement where required, and prescriptive handrail and guard requirements. The 19th-century approach relied on empirical craftsmanship, tight fitting, conservative section sizing, and later retrofits—such as added handrails and an iron bracket—to meet evolving safety expectations. These retrofits do not alter the fundamental argument that the original assembly was craft-feasible.

Taken together, the comparative and contextual evidence indicates that the Loretto staircase is an exceptional example of high-skill period carpentry rather than a violation of structural principles or the need for supernatural explanation. Its helical geometry, laminated stringer approach, peg joinery, and adaptive material behavior match known techniques; skeptical technical analyses corroborate mechanical feasibility; and historical analogues demonstrate that unsupported spiral stairs, while uncommon, were within the technical vocabulary of the 16th–19th centuries.

Section 7: Legacy and Preservation

The Loretto Chapel served its original purpose as a liturgical space for the Sisters of Loretto and their students until 1968, when Loretto Academy closed. For nearly 90 years following the staircase's construction, the chapel hosted daily religious services, with the choir loft accessed via the spiral staircase. The Sisters maintained the building and preserved the staircase as both a functional element and an object of devotion.

Following the academy's closure in 1968, the chapel transitioned from active religious use to private ownership. The building is now operated as a museum and wedding venue. It hosts non-denominational ceremonies and is no longer affiliated with the Catholic Church. The change in ownership and purpose has allowed broader public access while removing the chapel from direct ecclesiastical control.

The chapel attracts approximately 250,000 visitors annually. Tourists, pilgrims, and architecture enthusiasts travel to Santa Fe specifically to view the staircase. The site functions as both a historical attraction and a place of spiritual significance for those who view the staircase as evidence of divine intervention. Visitor revenue supports the building's maintenance and preservation efforts.

The staircase and its story have permeated popular culture through multiple media formats. In 1998, the television film "The Staircase" dramatized the events, starring Barbara Hershey and William Petersen. The documentary series "Unsolved Mysteries" featured an episode titled "Miracle Staircase" that investigated the historical claims and engineering aspects. Ann Rinaldi wrote a young-adult novel titled "The Staircase" based on the legend. The story was also referenced in an episode of "Dark Winds" that involved records research. These cultural products have expanded awareness of the staircase beyond religious and architectural circles.

Richard Lindsley, who served as chapel curator for over 30 years, maintained a belief in divine involvement in the staircase's creation. His position reflects a common perspective among those who work with and study the structure: acknowledgment of the engineering achievement combined with openness to supernatural explanation. This dual perspective—technical appreciation and spiritual interpretation—characterizes much of the contemporary engagement with the site.

The Archdiocese of Santa Fe continues to honor the staircase as a work of divine providence. While the chapel is no longer under Church ownership, the archdiocese recognizes the historical and spiritual significance of the events surrounding the staircase's construction. The Church's position acknowledges the role of faith in the Sisters' novena and the timing of the carpenter's arrival without making definitive claims about miraculous intervention.

The Vatican has not issued a formal declaration regarding the staircase's status as a miracle. The Catholic Church's process for recognizing miracles involves extensive investigation, documentation, and theological review. In the case of the Loretto staircase, no formal canonization process or miraculous designation has been pursued or granted at the Vatican level. The absence of official miracle status does not prevent local devotion or archdiocesan recognition of the events as providential.

Physical preservation of the staircase continues under private management. Regular maintenance addresses wear from visitor traffic and environmental factors. The structural modifications made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—including the 1887 addition of handrails by Phillip August Hesch and the subsequent installation of an iron bracket—remain in place. These safety features allow continued use while preserving the original helical structure. Conservation efforts focus on maintaining the wood's integrity and preventing deterioration while accommodating public access.

The carpenter's identity remains unknown. Despite historical investigations, archival research, and the 1895 attribution to François-Jean "Frenchy" Rochas, no definitive identification has been established. The absence of contemporary documentation, the carpenter's departure without payment or recognition, and conflicting historical accounts have preserved the mystery. This unknown identity contributes to both skeptical analysis and faithful interpretation of the events.

The staircase stands as a documented architectural achievement, a functioning historical artifact, and a focal point for divergent interpretations. For some, it represents exceptional 19th-century craftsmanship executed within known engineering principles. For others, it embodies answered prayer and divine providence working through an anonymous carpenter. The structure itself—intact, functional, and accessible—continues to invite both technical analysis and spiritual reflection nearly 150 years after its construction.

The legacy encompasses the physical structure, its cultural representations, its economic role in Santa Fe tourism, and its place in Catholic regional history. The staircase remains what it has been since 1878: a functional solution to an architectural problem, an example of skilled craftsmanship, and an enduring mystery centered on the identity of its maker.

~ by Jeff Callaway

Texas Outlaw Poet

© 2025 Texas Outlaw Press

https://texasoutlawpress.org/