Nambé is one of the smallest of the pueblos but is located in an area
noted for its scenic beauty and climate. Its population is less than
200. It was not always so small; during the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, the population was greatly reduced by intertribal war and
witchcraft executions. The Nambé people played an active role in the
pueblo rebellion of 1680, murdering their priest and destroying their
church.
The original church at Nambé was one of the first missions founded after
the establishment of the first European settlement of San Gabriel at San
Juan in 1598. Destroyed in 1680, it was rebuilt in 1696. In 1729, the
converts had increased to such numbers that a new church was required.
This church remained in use until 1909 when, because of carelessness in
keeping it in repair, the roof collapsed during a storm. The annual
Nambé fiesta is held in early October.